Drink local

Louisiana is already making a name for itself with craft breweries and rum distilleries—why not soda, too? Cousins John Peterson and Collin Cormier of Lafayette came up with the idea a few years ago to swap out the artificial sweeteners in soda pop for natural, Louisiana-grown sugar cane. Thus, Swamp Pop was born.

And we’re still trying to figure out how no one had taken that name until now.

Besides using local sugar cane, the four flavors of Swamp Pop—Noble Cane Cola, Satsuma Fizz, Praline Cream Soda and Jean Lafitte Ginger Ale—obviously all nod to south Louisiana. The packaging was even designed by one of the owners of Lafayette’s Parish Ink apparel store.

Slowly gaining appeal in Acadiana for the last two years, the four flavors of Swamp Pop made their way to Baton Rouge in January.

Recently opened City Pork Deli & Charcuterie by the Perkins Road overpass carries the bottles in its freezer, as do Calandro’s and Alexander’s Highland Market. The World Market chain has signed on to carry them locally as well as at pretty much all of their national retail locations.

Each flavor is packed with an interesting twist: the Noble Cane Cola has hints of fig, the Jean Lafitte Ginger Ale has hints of cucumber, the citrus in Satsuma Fizz is fairly subtle, and the Praline Cream Soda could probably take the place of your dessert.

Find out more at drinkswamppop.com.