Why ‘dirty sodas’ are so popular right now

One of the hottest beverage trends at the moment originated in Utah and spread with the help of social media.

“Dirty soda” is a sparkling beverage with something creamy added to it — often milk or half-and-half, but also non-dairy options such as coconut cream.

In its current form, the menu platform gained traction with the help of Swig, a 63-unit beverage concept based in Lehi, Utah, and now larger chains are getting in on the action — particularly as interest in nonalcoholic beverages takes off.

Dairy added to soda isn’t a new concept. Ice cream sodas and root beer floats have been around for decades, as has the egg cream — an oddly named drink since it has neither egg nor cream — that was once popular in New York City and is made of seltzer with whipped chocolate syrup and milk.

For more on the history of dirty soda, let’s turn to senior food & beverage editor Bret Thorn.