SWEAT:

http://www.google.com/search?q=pocar...iw=819&bih=477

Schwepps bitter lemon?

Dandelion and Burdock has to be a pretty weird one, although I think of it as normal (don't like it mind you!)

Canned non alcoholic shandy is also pretty uniquely disgusting.

In terms of bitters, I love things like Campari, and Angostura, but can happily leave Brio - it just tastes slightly 'off' to me.

Orangina and the San Pelligrino orange counterpart are yummy holiday in a glass drinks!

The one I miss most is Elderflower cordial - you can get the sparkling versions in stores here, but not the mix with water ones - I found them at a trade fair once, but not since. Love that stuff http://www.bottlegreendrinks.com/pro...reen-cordials/ I really want to try the strawberry and elderflower, and the apple and plum ones too!

Generally try to keep to water and the odd Gaterade/Powerade when travelling. However, I got addicted to a bunch of different drinks in Japan.
Pocari Sweat (as mentioned above), CC Lemon (which I can source in Vancouver at a few places btw but costs an arm and a leg), and this green melon soda at MOS Burger.

Living in North Carolina how can I not mention Cheerwine on this thread? My sister is actually friends with the Granddaughter of the inventor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerwine

I assume the bitter stuff from Italy is Chinotto (of which Pepsi do a particularly dry version)? The San Pellegrino version is lovely - and as I live in a part of the country with an established Italian population, readily available here! A slightly sweeter equivalent is Malta's Kinnie - I say "slightly", but it has terrifying sugar content.

Which leads me on to my country's "other national drink" - Irn Bru. There's nothing quite like it (unless you go to Peru and drink Inca Cola, which is actually quite similar, but much less orange). In its "native" state, it's banned in the US. However, it's incredibly Scottish, and often claimed to outsell all other soft drinks.

Other favourites from around the world - Austria's Almdudler is always a pleasure (a herbal, gingery flavour), as are the various German Apfelschoerle. Japan scores well, not just for randomness, but for some drinks I still crave - not just the various cold teas, but things like aloe juice and Calpis. L&P will always bring back memories of New Zealand, as will Bundaberg Ginger Beer of Australia. Childhood visits to France always included the then novel Orangina, but also the gently amusing Pschitt and Sic. There's also Ricqles, but I try to forget that memory.

And then there's Indian Thums [sic] Up sarsaparilla. I want my thunder!

On the other end of the scale at the Coke Museum, try the Beverly Drink in the European section of the tasting room. :eek:

Neither my friends nor I could figure out what Beverly is made from.

When in Los Angeles, a visit to this place is a good idea. If you can't visit, they will ship it to you, but as all items are glass bottles, the cost of freight adds a good amount of $ to the final price tag. I'm fortunate to live nearby.

You will find many small companies represented, often featuring products that are made with cane sugar.

Galco's Los Angeles/Highland Park, CA

Made in Scotland from girders!

I love Irn Bru but its too sweet for me nowadays!

one to try in Malta is Kinnie, only buy one bottle though! its a very bitter orange drink, smells quite appetizing in the glass......until you taste it

I'm always up for any of the Mexican Jarritos sodas. And if in China, I'm a big fan of Wong Lo Kat, which though not exactly a soft drink, seems to be consumed as though it were one and its bright red cans are just about everywhere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Lo_Kat
http://www.bjreview.com.cn/business/...ent_299229.htm

Two Japanese soft drinks that I found in vending machines only once each were

1. Plum wine soda
2. Cardamom soda

Perhaps they were ill-fated marketing ventures, but the plum wine soda wasn't bad.

Schwepps Bitter Lemon is one of my favs to drink when I'm in the UK or Africa... another favorite is Appletiser.

I think I'd like to try a Pepsi Cucumber. :)

Ale-8-One is a ginger ale -ish drink from my neck of the woods, but I've never tasted it.

Schweppes Agrum' ("Citrus") is a nice, fairly dry fruit drink I'd like to see migrate over from France. Just like Gini did for a while (albeit a far too sweetened version).

Red Kola is another Scottish one that's rarely seen elsewhere - imagine black cola with even more sugar.

Sparkling ice tea (usually a fairly unsweetened Lipton) is very popular in the Netherlands and some other continental European countries, and I'd love to see that closer to home too!