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What in the world is a 'dirty soda'? I had never heard of this before until reading a recent article from The Cut. Apparently, a Dirty Soda is a popular drink in Utah comprised of soda, milk or creamer, and your flavor additives of choice. Popularized by The Mormon community, Dirty Sodas are essentially their form of 'mocktails', as Mormans can't have alcohol or 'hot drinks' like tea or coffee.
While the beverage has been popular in Utah for a while, Tik Tok seems to have taken an interest in the drink after Olivia Rodrigo was featured on the Swig instagram page - a popular Dirty Soda soda shop in Utah. They're a staple in the state known for their interesting flavor additives like cotton candy, chai spice, and lavender. Initially, the concept of dirty soda sounded gross to me. My midwestern sensibilities were not having it. On further investigation, however; I realized it's essentially just a melted root beer float. Who doesn't enjoy going to Culvers on a hot day and letting their ice cream get a little melted? Swig's signature drink "The Founder" can be replicated for you to try by adding coconut cream coffee creamer and sugar free coconut syrup to Diet Coke. Add a splash of lime and you now have an official dirty soda!