No, it’s not whisky… it’s Scotland’s other national drink, Irn-Bru. So, what’s yours? Coke?
Well, the story goes that Barr’s Irn-Bru, which was invented in the West of Scotland to keep the Irish immigrant navvies off the drink, sells more here than Coca-Cola.
And it is the only country to do so.

Irinically, the orange-coloured soft drink which advertisers will tell you is ‘made from girders’ is a favourite Scots’ hangover cure.
South Africa: Iron Brew
Surely some Scottish link here. After all when I was down in SA they sold a bar of chocolate called eet-sum-mor with a tartan wrapper.
They say this dark drink is rosy with vanilla tastes but us there enough sugar for a Scot’s pallate?
Visit https://www.sanza.co.uk/Sparletta_Iron_Brew.asp and www.southafrica.net and What’s new pussycat?
USA: Coca-Cola the real thing



Atlanta’s finest… coke, no not the model but she may very well be Georgian.
Originally produced as a medicinal drink for the temperance movement.
Ironic then that it’s now a staple mixer for cocktails and Cuba Libres.
If you like your Deep South, you’ll love The Promised Land, The Story of the Blues and The King of Kings and https://www.deep-south-usa.com
Czech Republic: Semtex
I love the Czechs’ sense of dark sense of humour.
The other Semtex, not this energy drink https://www.semtex-energy.eu, is also of Czech origin.
The Czechs also love their lukewarm, salty spa spring water which will take years off you and cure your aching joints.
Visit www.czechtourism.com and Hope springs eternal.
Caribbean: LLB
That’ll be Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters.
I can swear by Angostura after Porridge and Janelle settled my rum tummy in Tobago www.visittobago.gov.tt.
For more Caribbean fun… visit Let’s rumba in Barbados and My kiss with Rihanna.
Ireland: Cidona
The Irish get that… their legal age for drinking is 5.
Cidona https://www.britvic.com/our-brands/ireland/ireland-portfolio is apple juice.
While Cavan Cola which stopped in the 90s is much missed particularly in the Irish Midlands Monaghan’s country roads
I had it as a kid and it even had a head on it to look like Guinness!
1 thought on “Hungry and Thursday – Irn-Bru, Coke and other national drinks”