15 Popular Drinks From the 1970s You Forgot Existed

Here's a nostalgic journey through the fizzy, fruity, and forgotten drinks that defined the 1970s.

Alyana Aguja
January 25, 2026
6 min read

15 Popular Drinks From the 1970s You Forgot Existed — Jonny Caspari from Unsplash

The 1970s were an era of wild experimentation in beverages, from diet sodas to dessert-like cocktails. People craved color, novelty, and a touch of luxury in every sip. This list revisits 15 once-popular drinks that captured the spirit of the decade before fading into history’s glass.

1. Tab

Before the diet drink craze of today, Tab was the soda that made watching your figure feel glamorous. Introduced by Coca-Cola in 1963, it dominated the 1970s as the go-to beverage for those counting calories. With its pink can and saccharin-sweet taste, it became an icon of disco-era dieting culture. Although it fell out of favor once Diet Coke arrived, Tab remains a nostalgic sip of the decade’s obsession with thinness and style.

2. Harvey Wallbanger

The Harvey Wallbanger was a cocktail so famous in the 1970s that it spawned T-shirts, posters, and even a cartoon mascot. Made with vodka, Galliano, and orange juice, it was sweet, sunny, and perfect for the bright, carefree vibe of the era. Bartenders loved its flashy golden hue and the smooth kick from Galliano’s herbal flavor. It was more than a drink; it was a symbol of 70s cocktail culture and unapologetic fun.

3. Tang

Though Tang debuted in the 60s, it reached peak popularity in the 1970s when NASA astronauts drank it in space. The powdered orange drink promised futuristic convenience and instant refreshment. It was the household staple of busy parents and sugar-hungry kids. The space-age marketing made Tang more than a beverage—it was a symbol of progress and possibility.

4. Cold Duck

Cold Duck was the sparkling wine that screamed sophistication in the 1970s dinner party scene. A blend of red wine and champagne, it had a fruity flavor and festive bubbles that made it feel fancy on a budget. Its deep purple hue and sweet taste made it a favorite at suburban gatherings. Though it later fell out of style, it captured the spirit of affordable luxury that defined the decade.

5. Boone’s Farm Wine

Boone’s Farm was the colorful, fruity wine that introduced a generation of young drinkers to alcohol. With flavors like Strawberry Hill and Apple Wine, it was cheap, sweet, and dangerously easy to drink. College students and teenagers loved it for its candy-like taste and low price. While it’s still around today, its popularity peaked in the 1970s when it embodied youthful rebellion and lowbrow charm.

6. Grasshopper

The Grasshopper was a dessert cocktail that made after-dinner drinks taste like mint chocolate heaven. Made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream, it was rich, green, and irresistibly retro. It was often served in martini glasses with chocolate shavings for flair. Though too sweet for modern tastes, it was once the height of ’70s indulgence.

7. Fresca (Original Formula)

Fresca was a sparkling citrus soda that became a sensation for dieters before “zero sugar” was trendy. Originally sweetened with cyclamate and later saccharin, its crisp flavor and adult marketing gave it a chic appeal. The drink’s pale grapefruit tang made it stand out among cola-heavy choices. Its 1970s version is remembered for its refreshing taste and carefree sophistication.

8. Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling made a global comeback in the 1970s when tropical cocktails dominated bars and lounges. A mix of gin, cherry brandy, and citrus, it offered exotic escape in every glass. Travelers and home bartenders loved its pinkish hue and layered flavor. It embodied the jet-set fantasy of sipping something foreign and exciting without leaving home.

9. Pepsi Light

Before Diet Pepsi took over, there was Pepsi Light—a lemon-flavored cola aimed at health-conscious consumers. Its distinct citrus twist and saccharin sweetness made it feel lighter than the original. Marketed toward women, it came in bright, feminine packaging that reflected ’70s advertising trends. The drink fizzled out as other diet sodas took its place, but it was an early experiment in calorie-friendly cola.

10. Pink Squirrel

This creamy cocktail looked more like a milkshake than a mixed drink. Made with crème de noyaux, crème de cacao, and cream, the Pink Squirrel was a favorite in supper clubs and swanky lounges. Its bright pastel color made it perfect for the playful 1970s aesthetic. Though it’s rarely ordered today, it remains a sweet reminder of the era’s love for dessert-like cocktails.

11. Mateus Rosé

Mateus Rosé was the bottle you’d find on nearly every 1970s dinner table. Its squat, curvy shape and slightly sweet, fizzy pink wine made it a social phenomenon. Celebrities drank it, and hosts used the empty bottles as candle holders. It represented a stylish, continental lifestyle that many Americans aspired to during the decade.

12. Teem Lemon-Lime Soda

Teem was Pepsi’s answer to Sprite and 7Up, a crisp lemon-lime soda that thrived in the 1970s. It had a clean, bright flavor and was often used as a mixer in parties and picnics. Despite its loyal following, it disappeared when Slice and later Sierra Mist replaced it. For those who remember it, Teem was the soda of summer afternoons and simpler times.

13. Brandy Alexander

The Brandy Alexander was the elegant cocktail that bridged the gap between dessert and nightcap. Combining brandy, crème de cacao, and cream, it was smooth, rich, and indulgent. It appealed to both men and women who wanted something sophisticated but not too strong. Its creamy texture and nutmeg garnish made it a symbol of the retro cocktail class.

14. Hi-C Ecto Cooler (Predecessor Flavor)

Before it was rebranded for the 1980s Ghostbusters craze, the original Hi-C citrus flavors were all the rage in the 1970s. Kids loved the sugary orange and tangerine taste that came in colorful cartons. Parents liked that it was “fortified with vitamin C,” even if it was mostly sugar. It became a nostalgic lunchbox staple for an entire generation.

15. Tom Collins

A true classic of midcentury cocktail culture, the Tom Collins enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1970s lounge scene. Made with gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water, it was crisp and refreshing without being heavy. It was a staple at bars where people preferred conversation over chaos. Though it predates the decade, the Tom Collins epitomized the balance and simplicity that drinkers craved amid the disco dazzle.