W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery => Topic started by: John Kokas on November 11, 2017, 12:39:27 PM
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One of the things I really miss from Maine is Moxie soda. Picked up several cases on the way home from FWW but alas it's almost gone. I can get it through Amazon or Walmart but the price with shipping was crazy. So just for grins I googled Moxie and discovered that Moxie is being bottled under license by the Catawissa Bottling Company, Catawissa PA, (just across the Susquehanna from Bloomsburg). So now I can pick some up on my trips to State College and not feel deprived anymore. Yippee......... :)
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I can go to the local publex here in Florida and get ur as well. Cracker Barrel was the only place I could find it down here.
Mike
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The Catawissa Bottling Co. is a step back in time. It's a very small operation owned by several members of the same family, and all their employees are related somehow. The equipment used for bottling is antique, to the point that they have to make their own parts. In addition to bottling Moxie, they also produce Big Ben's sodas, most notably birch beer in a variety of colors. Indeed, during the nation's bicentennial back in 1976, they sold cases of mixed red, white and blue birch beer. Big Ben, by the way, was the grandfather who started the business in 1926 and developed the formula for the birch beer. They've been at it since Prohibition, so they know what they're doing, and unless things have changed recently, if you buy soda by the case, that case is wooden! I think they finally gave up on returnable bottles since most folks apparently couldn't be bothered to return them. The bottling is a sideline for them nowadays; most of their effort is in wholesaling and distributing soda and beer to taverns and other retail outlets.
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Without offense to my Maine friends, there are several things that I can't buy here in Virginia. Moxie being one of them, Australian Vegemite being another. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, but one is either raised on it and loves it....... or....... well, that is why I travel North with cases of Cherry Coke or Dr. Pepper. It's a childhood thing.
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BIll B. -- What? No Cheerwine?
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Though Birch Beer was a drink of choice growing up, Moxie reminds me of the cough syrup I detested in the same growing up era. IMHO.
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Though Birch Beer was a drink of choice growing up, Moxie reminds me of the cough syrup I detested in the same growing up era. IMHO.
Back in my childhood, the hometown doc would mix his own cough syrup. It had a taste similar to Moxie, although uncarbonated. The first time I had a Moxie, it brought back that memory.
Jeff S
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Regarding Moxie, Catawissa was a Washington State counterpart, Orca Beverage of Mukilteo, near Seattle. We got a nice tour of the plant from the manager, who really rolled out the red carpet for us when I told her I was a member of the Moxie Congress. She said had they known of our visit ahead of time they could have made a Moxie run for us. Both of these bottlers use cane sweetener, not corn. My wife will drink the cane Moxies but the corn sweetened only as a last resort.
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In my early childhood '41 - '45 I remember liking Moxie but when we moved back to Maine in 1949 I tried it and it tasted like burnt Birch Beer flavored pop! Swore of it at that time. P.S. I was 11 at the time.
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After looking at the Moose Brook bridge, it reminds me of the fellow who was walking along the deck counting the spaces between the timbers.
Not paying close attention, he walked of the unfinished end, falling into the brook.
Moral.
When you are out of slits, you are out of pier.........................................
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Ira,
And I though I invited whimsy and tomfoolery.
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After looking at the Moose Brook bridge, it reminds me of the fellow who was walking along the deck counting the spaces between the timbers.
Not paying close attention, he walked of the unfinished end, falling into the brook.
Moral.
When you are out of slits, you are out of pier.........................................
Ira,
Was he attacked by moose trout, once he fell in :o??
Jeff S.
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No, but the donut he was munching on became thoroughly soaked hence the first DUNKIN DONUT.
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Ira, Oh No!
Now we will either have to rewrite the history on the origin of Dunkin Donut's, or get a corrected version from Bill Reidy who, I have it on good authority, knows the true history of Dunkin Donut.
;D
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I remember getting Dunkin Donuts at a new shop in Glen Bernie, MD IN 1964. I also knew that it was owned by a husband and wife team and they cleared $25,000 their first year, this while I was an electronic engineer grossing ~ $7,500 a year. Granted that they worked their hides off! I especially liked the original donut with the "dunking" handle!
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I'm sayin' nothin' about Dunkin'!
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(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/20180822_140855_010_zpsbageoyej.jpg)
Is Jason savoring the Moxie after a hard day's work? :o
Jeff S.
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I'm not sure that one "savors" a Moxie...
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Oh yes you do Ed! I savor each and every one. For those who would be interested, I am bringing a case of original recipe Moxie to FWW. The stuff in the cans is corn syrup sweetener and a slightly different recipe. My bottler in PA still makes it according to the original recipe with cane sugar and in glass bottles the way it used to be. You can easily taste the difference. 8)
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I think there's a state law about importing Moxie into Maine.
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Oh Wow! A possible new career path for my retirement - Moxie Bootlegger :o
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Oh yes you do Ed! I savor each and every one. For those who would be interested, I am bringing a case of original recipe Moxie to FWW. The stuff in the cans is corn syrup sweetener and a slightly different recipe. My bottler in PA still makes it according to the original recipe with cane sugar and in glass bottles the way it used to be. You can easily taste the difference. 8)
John,
Would that be the Catawissa Bottling Co.?
Jeff S.
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Right on the money Jeff, my favorite beverage (non-alcoholic) distributor. They also make a mean birch beer.
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Multiple colors of birch beer, no less! Red, white, blue, caramel, clear and beer-color.
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John
In the new language = beverage expediter.
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Oh yes you do Ed! I savor each and every one. For those who would be interested, I am bringing a case of original recipe Moxie to FWW. The stuff in the cans is corn syrup sweetener and a slightly different recipe. My bottler in PA still makes it according to the original recipe with cane sugar and in glass bottles the way it used to be. You can easily taste the difference. 8)
John,
Would that be the Catawissa Bottling Co.?
Jeff S.
Everyone knows the best Moxie comes from Pennsylvania. It's just like drinking a Guinness n' Dublin me boyo!
Catawissa Bottling Company produced the Moxie brand of soda under license from 1945 to 1967. In 1978, the company again contracted to produce Moxie, which it continues to produce to this day in addition to selling Moxie collectibles and paraphernalia.
So ya'all are drinking that fake Moxie in a can! Maybe you'll get the bridge and all that track done faster with REAL Moxie like Popeye with his spinach! ;D
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We sell the real stuff up at the Sheepscot General on Townhouse Rd. in Whitefield. I don't think it comes from PA but it is made with cane sugar.
Steve
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Steve,
Does it come in a bottle?
Jeff S.
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According to my info, only Catawissa still makes Moxie the old way and in glass bottles. The main Moxie plant in Mass. only does cans. Now is there another independent bottler up in New England who makes it the old way? Would be interesting to see if Moxie could become the official railroad beverage. It does cover the time period of the railroad, and moxie ice cream floats are really good!
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YES, Moxie as the official beverage of the WW&F! Make available at official functions such as the Ice Cream Social (but be sure to have other options available as well).
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I did observe conductor Jason enjoying a can today as his first class steam train waited on the lower yard turntable lead for our second class train to arrive and discharge passengers before his train could take the platform...
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Perhaps Jason should be the official museum spokesperson for Moxie. ::)
Jeff S.
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I know where to get a Moxie T-shirt for him. How about a calendar pic for next years WW&F calendar and send a copy to the Moxie folks - who knows maybe a corporate sponsorship!
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Why not a photo of all the Moxie lovers at FWW? :o We could stand in front of #9 holding our bottles/cans of Moxie.
Jeff S.
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My wife Sue and I had a tour of another Moxie bottler - Orca Beverage of Mukilteo, Washington. The manager told us if we had requested ahead of time, they would have run Moxie on the bottling line. To my knowledge the Mukilteo and Catawissa Moxie products both use cane sugar. Sue will drink those but usually not the local corn-sweetener produced offering.
I like them all.
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Jeff,
Though some might think it a bit corny, I really like your idea of a group picture. I really think we might get some sponsorship or a donation from all of this. How about a "Moxie" boxcar for a photographers special consist?
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A talented member could always Photoshop the Moxie logo onto 309 in a train consist.
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Grab a Moxie and a smile.
Or I'd like to teach the world to Moxie?
https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/28/coca-cola-acquires-moxie-soda-beloved-in-maine/ (https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/28/coca-cola-acquires-moxie-soda-beloved-in-maine/)
It's the real thing.
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You beat me, Ed. I just saw the story on boston.com:
https://www.boston.com/news/business/2018/08/28/coca-cola-acquires-moxie-soda-beloved-in-maine
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Hmmmm……. I know for a fact that Coke has a corporate sponsor program. Preserving heritage and cultural identity (hmmm), isn't that what we are doing? Sounds like the museum and Moxie are heading the same way.
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I just heard a segment about Moxie on NPR:
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/01/643922040/coca-cola-buys-moxie-soda
For the railroad connection: they interviewed people in the Railroad Pub in Lisbon Falls.
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My wife Sue and I had a tour of another Moxie bottler - Orca Beverage of Mukilteo, Washington. The manager told us if we had requested ahead of time, they would have run Moxie on the bottling line. To my knowledge the Mukilteo and Catawissa Moxie products both use cane sugar. Sue will drink those but usually not the local corn-sweetener produced offering.
I like them all.
Hmmm.... Combining information various replies here, it seems that Coca-Cola bought Moxie from Cornicopia Beverage. I saw a bottle of Moxie in the local Cracker Barrel store/restaurant. It says "Bottled under the authority of Cornicopia Beverage Co., Bedord, NH, Bottled by Orca Beverage Incl., Mukilteo WA www.orcabeverage.com" So does that mean that Orca is using the corn syrup recipe? And why is this bottled under the authority of the old owner? Is it possible that this bottle is 4 years old?
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So does that mean that Orca is using the corn syrup recipe?
The Orca website says:
For many, the brands of sodas we bottle are the brands that you may remember from the past. All are made with pure cane sugar and all come to you in long neck glass bottles with convenient twist off bottle caps (crowns).
See this page (bottom right):
https://orcabeverage.com/
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I am pleased to hear that Orca is bottling Moxie with Cane Sugar. That now makes two bottlers for Moxie (Orca and Catawissa) that do it right. Let's keep supporting those local bottlers.
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Locally (to Alna) the Moxie bottled by Orca is available at the Sheepscot General Store & Farm (98 Townhouse Road, Whitefield) about 15 minutes from Sheepscot.
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Actually, I am relieved that Orca is making Moxie the right way. Looks like I'm no longer needed to bootleg Moxie from PA. Good thing - Those Revenuers are getting faster and faster cars and it's only a matter of time before they catch up to my hot rod truck. :o ::) ;D
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I swear Orca Moxie tastes more like Coca Cola Moxie than it does Catawissa Moxie. It's a blend between the two, but almost like 2/3rds Coke, 1/3 Catawissa.
And on another note, The Way Way Store in Saco, Maine sells Catawissa Moxie by the case ($30 for 24 bottles) or by the bottle ($2.5 per bottle or so). How they get it I have no clue.
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Interesting observation Dante. I know from speaking directly with the Catawissa owners that the syrup they use to make their Moxie has the same ingredients and proportions that was used back in 1923. (year of the bottling agreement) If your claim of a different taste from Orca is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, then someone is "cheating" on the formula. Now as far as $30/case for Catawissa Moxie, that is actually very reasonable considering the cost of transportation these days. Since cheap Diesel is now over $6.25/gal here in PA, I would not be surprised that prices will be going up again.
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The Catawissa Moxie is $18 a case at the bottling plant, so $30 for a case in Saco isn't that bad (I was charging $25 a case when I made 2 trips in April that essentially paid for my gas to\from the plant).
I think the Catawissa Moxie uses a little bit less of everything. It tastes more subdued than either of the alternatives. Not as sweet, and certainly not as bitter. It's something I can drink even when it's warm, which is not something I can say about the Orca or Coke varieties.
The only difference between the Orca\Cornicopia Moxie and the Coca Cola Moxie (other than the bottle\can difference) that I can discern is the cane sugar\corn syrup. The Orca doesn't have the same cloying mouthfeel that the Coca Cola version has.
(*note: I can't seem to find the corroborating evidence to suggest this is actually the case, but bear with me for a short story.)
Supposedly at some point in the soda jerk days when Moxie was still popular, the formula was tweaked to either increase the amount of genetian root extract (the thing that gives Moxie it's "distinctively different" taste) or cut the sugar levels of the drink. This had an adverse affect on it's popularity. I think the Orca\Coke uses this stronger ratio than the Catawissa version does.
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I brought two cases of Catawissa Moxie to SWW2023, and they were gone in two days. Clearly I need to bring three cases next time!
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I was able to get Moxie at the hardware store in Minnetonka,MN
Pure Cane Sugar. $2.50 a bottle last week.
Bottle by Orca Beverage Inc. in Mukilteo, Wa. Under authority.
Have no opened it yet - waiting for a special occasion.
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Bill/Russ,
Thanks for bringing the Moxie to SWW. Since my travels are quite restricted right now I'm glad to see that someone has picked up the torch and is carrying it on for me. Looks like I'll have to transfer the Moxie Bootlegger moniker to one of you two as I get more retired.