If you’re not in the mood for eating a big Thanksgiving meal this year, you can always try drinking it. And that’s not a clever way of saying you should reach for grandpa’s homemade wine at the big family get-together.
Jones Soda, the creative soda company from Seattle, has a “special release” Turkey and Gravy soda that is available for a limited time.
I told friends and co-workers about ordering a six-pack of the sodas and no one seemed to share my curiosity. A few mustered a genial attitude about it but none had the enthusiasm I had strangely found in the odd seasonal flavor.
Turkey flavors might be more popular than I had initially realized, though. The other day, I tried my co-worker’s bag of Trader Joe’s turkey and stuffing seasoned kettle chips and they were fantastic. They were chips, of course, and not a soda.
The bottles feature a picture of a large cooked turkey on a plate alongside a boat of gravy. The label on the front says the soda contains “other natural flavors,” although I don’t know what they are. And what do they mean by “other”? Are they suggesting turkey and gravy are actual ingredients? I doubt that. A writeup on the back of the bottle describes it as “infamous” and says “even your vegan buddies can partake.” The label says it has zero calories.
So it’s vegan and it has zero calories. Is this thing actually healthy? (Kidding, of course).
I finally got around to trying it a couple days before Thanksgiving, fully expecting it to be terrible. Strangely, I didn’t think it was. I laughed as I took my first big drink from the bottle and I found it to be a little sweet, with maybe a few hints of savory seasonings in the aftertaste. Is that thyme? Oregano? Sage? Maybe.
My wife had a more visceral reaction. She took a swig and quickly made a terrible face of disgust. She summed it up succinctly.
“That’s disgusting,” she said. “I don’t even know what to tell you it tastes like. Just, not good.”
I wouldn’t say it was good either but it’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
To my surprise, my co-workers gave the drink a try in my absence. And they weren’t fans of it.
One message to me read “we’re angry.” Another said “terrible, just terrible.” A third co-worker refused to try it for fear of angering his digestive system before a long Thanksgiving drive.
I see Jones Soda has a new promotion now, allowing customers to pair their Sugar Cookie soda with a six-pack of the Turkey and Gravy soda. I guess they haven’t sold through all of them yet. I’m not surprised.
Every November, a legendary soda pops up that has divided Thanksgiving dinner tables for over 15 years – the Turkey & Gravy flavored soda from Jones Soda Co This controversial beverage elicits strong reactions across the tasting spectrum from utter disgust to bemused delight I explore the history and flavor profile of this famous fowl-flavored drink.
A Blast from the Past
Jones Soda first unleashed Turkey & Gravy on an unsuspecting public back in 2003 as part of their limited edition Thanksgiving pack. Inspired by the traditional Thanksgiving meal, Jones created sodas featuring flavors like turkey, gravy, Brussels sprout, and Antacid tablets.
While three of those flavors never returned, Turkey & Gravy was so iconic and buzzworthy that Jones Soda brought it back for special anniversary releases in 2010 and 2020.
In November 2022, the turkey-themed soda flew back into stores in celebration of Jones’ 25th anniversary. However, the 35,000 bottle run sold out almost immediately, making this gobbling soda once again rare and hard to find.
Flavor Profile – Salty, Savory, and Sweet
So what exactly does a Turkey & Gravy soda taste like?
The initial scent is predominantly herbal with background notes of thyme and sage. The first sip surprises your tastebuds with an explosion of salty, savory flavors. The saltiness really pops out, almost miso-like.
There are very faint roasted turkey nuances, like you’re catching a whiff of Thanksgiving dinner from the next room over. It finishes with a hit of sweetness to balance out the salt and savory.
Overall, the flavor profile is disorienting but not altogether unpleasant. The salty savoriness paired with the sweetness makes it slightly reminiscent of salted caramel. Just keep in mind that this is a diet soda, so the sweetness comes from artificial sweeteners.
Love It or Hate It
Reactions to the Turkey & Gravy soda range from sheer disgust and horror to amused fascination.
Some consider it a novelty beverage, only suitable for pranks or drinking dares. Others appreciate it as a fun conversation piece for their holiday gatherings. The divided opinions make it a perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner if you enjoy spicing up your holiday with offbeat foodie experiments.
Celebrity Reactions
When this meat-inspired soda first launched in 2003, it gained viral fame and was featured on shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Celebrities also hopped on the Turkey & Gravy bandwagon. Singer Jimmy Fallon challenged actress Rachel Ray to a chugging contest on her show. Ray described it as “not terrible” but refused to drink more than a tiny sip.
The infamous beverage made headlines again in 2020 when singer Post Malone collaborated with Jones Soda Co. He released a French Onion flavored soda as part of his Duet line, along with a Turkey & Gravy re-release.
During an interview with Zane Lowe, Post Malone bravely chugged the Turkey & Gravy soda and reacted with a grimace, “Um…interesting. Really interesting.”
Hunting for Bottles
As a limited batch that sold out swiftly, tracking down the 2022 release of Turkey & Gravy soda required tenacity and pluck. Bottles initially popped up in specialty soda shops and quirky grocery stores for about $20 each.
However, when news broke of the sell-out, the rare soda started appearing on eBay for markup prices ranging from $50 to over $500. That’s some expensive poultry juice!
For the truly obsessed, unopened bottles from previous years can also be found online for collector’s prices. But for most people, the artifact value outweighs the temptation to actually drink aged Turkey & Gravy soda.
Brave the Bird Beverage?
Should you brave the bird soda if you spot it in the wild? That depends on your soda preferences and culinary daringness.
If you usually stick to classic flavors, the extreme savory taste could shock your system. However, if you’re up for unique soda experiences or value conversational appeal, Turkey & Gravy may ruffle your tastebuds in the right way.
Just be sure to check the expiration date if purchasing an aged bottle online. And regardless of your tasting verdict, this Thanksgiving-inspired soda will undoubtedly deliver a flavor journey you’ll never forget!
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Taste testing Jones Soda Company’s Turkey and Gravy soda | FOX 5 DC
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