Dirty Soda Recipe

Before you start

A dirty soda is a fountain soda doctored with flavored syrup, a splash of cream or creamer and a squeeze of lime. It grew popular through drive-through soda shops in Utah and has spread well beyond. The best-known combination uses a spiced pepper-style soda with coconut syrup and cream, which tastes a little like a cherry-vanilla float.

The key is restraint. The syrup and cream are accents, not the main event, so keep them to about a tablespoon or two each. Lime is what keeps the drink from tasting heavy. Build it over pebble or crushed ice, add the cream last, and stir just before drinking so the soda keeps its fizz.

Ingredients

• 1 can, 355 ml (12 oz) pepper-style soda or cola — well chilled
• 15 ml (½ oz) coconut syrup
• 30 ml (1 oz) half-and-half or coconut coffee creamer
• 1 wedge (about ¼ lime) fresh lime
• 2 cups (about 300 g) pebble or crushed ice

Method

1. Fill the cup to the top with pebble or crushed ice. Fine ice chills fast and is part of the soda-shop style.
2. Pour the coconut syrup over the ice, then squeeze the lime wedge into the cup and drop it in.
3. Pour the soda slowly down the side of the cup until it is about 3 cm (1 inch) from the top. Let the foam settle for a few seconds.
4. Pour the half-and-half slowly over the top so it drifts down through the ice in streaks.
5. Stir gently with a long straw just before drinking, and taste. Add a little more syrup or lime to suit.

Tips for success

• Chill the can thoroughly. Cold soda poured over ice foams less and keeps far more carbonation.
• Squeeze the lime before the cream goes in. Lime added after cream can make the dairy curdle slightly.
• Diet or zero-sugar soda works well here; the syrup and cream add enough body to hide the thinner texture.

Substitutions

Coconut syrup

Vanilla, raspberry or peach syrups are popular. Use the same 15 ml and adjust after tasting.

Half-and-half

Flavored coffee creamer is sweeter and common in soda shops; reduce the syrup if using it. Canned coconut milk gives a dairy-free version.

Cola

Lemon-lime soda with strawberry syrup and cream makes a caffeine-free, fruity version.

Variations

Coconut lime cola

Use cola, 15 ml coconut syrup, juice of half a lime and no cream for a lighter version.

Raspberry cream lemon-lime

Use lemon-lime soda, 15 ml raspberry syrup and 30 ml half-and-half.

Troubleshooting

The cream curdled

Acid from the lime and soda reacted with the dairy. Add the cream last and slowly, use very cold half-and-half, and stir only at the end.

The drink foamed over

Soda poured fast over crushed ice foams heavily. Pour slowly down the side and pause to let it settle.

It tastes too sweet

Cut the syrup to 10 ml and add more lime, or switch to a zero-sugar soda.

Storage

Make each drink to order and serve straight away. Dairy-based drinks should not sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Safety notes

Most colas and pepper-style sodas contain caffeine; the amount varies by brand. Choose a caffeine-free soda for children or anyone avoiding caffeine.