15 Drinks From the 1960s That Vanished From Shelves

The 1960s was a decade of radical change, and that experimentation extended straight into the American pantry. As science and space-age marketing took hold, beverage companies launched a flurry of neon-colored sodas, powdered mixes, and “futuristic” juices meant to captivate the youth. While some brands like Gatorade became legends, others fizzled out as quickly as a psychedelic light show. Whether they were victims of changing health standards, corporate mergers, or simply flavor profiles that were a bit too “far out” for the long haul, these drinks are now relics of a bygone era. Join us as we pop the cap on nostalgia and revisit 15 forgotten thirst-quenchers.

1. Teem Soda

In the crowded soda wars of the 1960s, Teem entered the scene as PepsiCo’s answer to the growing demand for lemon lime refreshment. Its branding leaned into bold color and clean design, standing apart on store shelves lined with glass bottles. Positioned against rivals like 7 Up, it offered a citrus flavor that many consumers described as sharper and more assertive. Despite a steady regional following, corporate priorities shifted in the 1980s when PepsiCo began promoting Slice as its new citrus flagship. Teem’s production quietly declined in the United States, and the once-prominent soda gradually faded from view. What remains is a small but loyal group of fans who still remember its distinct taste and vintage charm.

2. Wink

Marketed by Canada Dry as the “Sassy One,” Wink was a grapefruit-based soda that debuted in the early ’60s. It was distinct because it contained actual fruit pulp, giving it a cloudy, authentic look that was ahead of its time. The flavor was crisp, tart, and less sugary than your average pop, making it a favorite mixer for adults as well as a refreshing treat for teens. While you might still find a stray bottle in very specific regional pockets or international aisles, its days as a mainstream supermarket staple are long gone. It was the quintessential “cool” drink of the suburban patio era.

3. Like Cola

In the early 1960s, Like emerged as 7-Up’s bold experiment in low-calorie cola. Marketed with a crisp red-and-white can, it promised “lightness” and health-conscious appeal in an era dominated by sugary sodas. The formula relied on saccharin to keep calories down, making it one of the first attempts to bring a diet cola to a mainstream audience. Despite innovative marketing, the taste never quite matched the iconic flavor of traditional colas, and regulatory restrictions on sweeteners in the late 1960s further limited its reach. The brand was later reformulated and rebranded, but it never achieved lasting popularity, leaving a nostalgic footnote in soda history.

4. Gatorade (Original Glass Bottle Formula)

While Gatorade obviously still exists, the 1960s version was a different beast entirely. Developed at the University of Florida in 1965, the original formula was sold in glass bottles and had a much more medicinal, salty profile than the fruit punch flavors we know today. It was purely functional, designed to keep athletes from collapsing in the Florida heat. When it first hit commercial shelves in the late 60s, people weren’t sure what to make of the “lemon lime” concoction that tasted like sweat and citrus. It eventually evolved into the sweet, neon colored giant it is today, but the original glass-bottled “thirst quencher” has vanished into history.

5. Simba

In the late 1960s, Coca-Cola tried to break into the lemon‑flavored soda market with Simba. This citrus beverage was Coke’s answer to the growing popularity of tangy, refreshing soft drinks. Packaged in bright, eye‑catching cans, it aimed to appeal to young, adventurous drinkers seeking something different from classic cola. Despite its bold branding and distinctive flavor profile, Simba struggled to find a foothold against established lemon‑lime competitors. It was eventually discontinued in the early 1970s. Although short‑lived, Simba is remembered as one of Coke’s more curious experiments in expanding beyond its cola roots.

6. Beep

Beep was a breakfast staple for many families in the mid to late 1960s. It was a unique blend of orange, apple, apricot, and prune juices, marketed as a complete morning beverage. The name was short, snappy, and perfectly suited to the Space Age aesthetic of the decade. It wasn’t quite a juice, and it wasn’t quite a soda; it lived in that middle ground of “breakfast drinks” that were popular before pure orange juice became the standard. While it had a dedicated following in the Midwest and parts of Canada, changing health trends and a preference for 100% juice led to its slow disappearance from the American morning routine.

7. Tab

While Tab survived for decades, the specific 1960s experience of this drink was something unique. Launched by Coca-Cola in 1963, it was the company’s first foray into the sugar-free market. The original formula used cyclamates and saccharin, giving it a very specific, sharp aftertaste that fans grew to crave. The iconic pink cans were designed to appeal to fashion-conscious women of the sixties who were looking to “keep tabs” on their weight. It was a cultural juggernaut that defined the early diet soda era. However, as newer sweeteners were developed and Diet Coke eventually took the throne, the original Tab brand was slowly sidelined until it was officially retired from shelves forever.

8. Mountain Dew

Long before it was associated with video games and neon green mountain biking, Mountain Dew in the 1960s was a completely different brand. Originally marketed as a mixer for whiskey, the early ’60s bottles featured a cartoon hillbilly named Willy and the slogan “Ya-Hoo! Mountain Dew.” It was a clear, lemon-lime drink that leaned heavily into Appalachian folk culture. Pepsi purchased the brand in 1964 and began the slow process of pivoting away from the “moonshine” aesthetic toward the high energy citrus drink we know today. The original “hillbilly” jugs and the specific, less neon formula of the early sixties have completely vanished from the modern market.

9. Hires Root Beer

In the 1960s, Hires was the gold standard for root beer. It was famous for using real bark and herb extracts, giving it a complex, spicy flavor that modern corn syrup sodas rarely achieve. During this decade, Hires was often found in heavy glass bottles that felt more like a craft beer than a soft drink. It was the quintessential beverage for 1960s burger joints and drive-ins, often served in frosted mugs. As the beverage industry consolidated, Hires was bought and sold multiple times, eventually losing its dominant shelf space to brands like A&W and Barq’s. The original, rich flavor profile of 1960s Hires is a frequent point of nostalgia for soda purists.

10. Choc-ola

If you lived in the Midwest during the 1960s, Choc-ola was likely a staple of your childhood. It was a chocolate-flavored soda that sat somewhere between a chocolate milk and a dark cola. Unlike its rival, Yoo-hoo, Choc-ola had a slightly richer, more cocoa-forward profile that many fans preferred. It was often sold in distinctive yellow cans that became a common sight at high school sporting events and neighborhood grocery stores. The brand peaked in popularity during the mid sixties before facing stiff competition from national dairy brands. While there have been small-scale attempts to revive the brand in recent years, the widespread availability of 1960s Choc-ola is a thing of the past.

11. Aspen

Toward the very end of the 1960s, PepsiCo began testing a clear, apple-flavored soda called Aspen. It was meant to be a sophisticated, refreshing alternative to the heavy colas and neon-colored fruit sodas of the era. The branding was crisp and clean, featuring mountain imagery and a “natural” aesthetic that appealed to the burgeoning environmental and health movements of the late ’60s. It had a unique, tart flavor that tasted more like sparkling cider than candy. While it had a loyal following during its test phases and early rollout, it struggled to find a permanent place on the shelf and was eventually pulled to make way for more mainstream citrus flavors.

12. Welch’s Fiesta Punch

Welch’s is synonymous with grape juice, but in the 1960s, they went all in on the tropical trend with Fiesta Punch. This was a non-carbonated, ruby red blend of pineapple, orange, and grape juices designed to be the centerpiece of any 1960s suburban gathering. It was sold in large, 46-ounce tin cans that mothers would open with a flourish at birthday parties. The marketing featured “fiesta” themes with colorful streamers and upbeat music, positioning the drink as an instant celebration in a glass. As consumer tastes shifted toward 100% pure juices and carbonated fruit sodas in the 1970s, the “punch” category became crowded, and the specific Fiesta blend was eventually retired.

13. Fresca

While Fresca is still available today, the version that took America by storm in 1966 was a cultural phenomenon in its own right. Launched by Coca-Cola as a sophisticated, sugar-free grapefruit soda, it was marketed with a “cold as ice” theme that felt incredibly modern. The original 1960s formula relied on cyclamates, giving it a distinctively crisp, dry tartness that lacked the cloying sweetness of other sodas. It was famously the favorite drink of President Lyndon B. Johnson, who even had a “Fresca button” installed in the White House. When cyclamates were banned in 1969, the formula had to change, and while the brand survived, that specific, biting 1960s “blizzard” taste vanished into history.

14. Tang

Tang first hit the shelves in 1957, but it didn’t become a true cultural icon until the 1960s, when NASA picked it for the Gemini and Apollo space missions. Billed as the drink of the future, it was the perfect “instant” beverage for a decade fascinated by speed, technology, and progress. American mothers eagerly stocked their pantries with the bright orange powder, thinking that if it was good enough for astronauts like John Glenn, it was good enough for their kids. The 1960s version was known for its tart, slightly metallic flavor and its ability to transform plain water into a glowing neon orange treat in seconds.

15. Squirt

While you can still find Squirt today, the 1960s version was a cultural icon in its own right. During this decade, Squirt was famous for its “cloudy” appearance, which was marketed as proof that it contained real fruit oils and pulp. The 1960s glass bottles featured the iconic “Little Squirt” mascot—a stylized, bubbly character that represented the drink’s carbonated personality. It was a favorite mixer for adults and a bracing, tart alternative to sugary colas for kids. The advertising in the mid-sixties focused heavily on the “dry” quality of the drink, positioning it as the ultimate refresher for hot summer afternoons. The specific, heavy glass bottles and the charming Little Squirt character are the parts of the brand that have largely vanished into the vault of nostalgia.

• Tags:
• Nostalgia
• 1960s
• vintage soda
• Food History
• retro drinks