A blog entry that sparked interest from the PR folks at Cheerwine itself. I got a few goodies out of this post, too, including T-shirt, cap and two cases of the delicious drink.

1. A (School Girl) Crush On Cheerwine « http://culturepie.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/a-school-girl-crush...
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A (School Girl) Crush On Cheerwine
July 30, 2009 by wlharrod
(photo courtesy of bevnet.com)
1 of 4 1/8/12 9:27 PM

2. A (School Girl) Crush On Cheerwine « http://culturepie.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/a-school-girl-crush...
North Carolinians worship it so much that they buy it in bulk, store it in their basements, and serve it
at their barbecue joints. Meet Cheerwine a.k.a. local celebrity.
My fan following all started as an infant, right out of the womb. I’ve been a fan of cherry flavor in
everything since I was little – cherry in my cough medicine, cherry in my ginger ale, cherry in my lip
balm, cherry in my cherry cordial ice cream, etc.
Did I mention I’ve been allergic to cherries since birth? I break out in (cherry-shaped) red bumps
around my chin area.
As the first drink (and almost favorite drink) I’ve experienced in North Carolina, Cheerwine meets my
cherry fizz needs, and here’s a secret: If I close my eyes to pretend Cheerwine contains wine, I feel
dangerous.
When my boyfriend handed me my first can of Cheerwine, it was like the start of a friendship. But,
one of those long-distance friendships that are only fun when one or the other is in town. You see,
Cheerwine, produced out of Salisbury, North Carolina, is only distributed in certain cities in select
Southern states. Obviously, I’ve yet to locate the drink in Louisville or Lexington. Woah! Hold on to
my bourbon balls! Now a permanent fixture on Brother Jimmy’s BBQ menu in New York City,
Cheerwine lives as far from the South as possible. It’s cool. Wherever barbecue resides, Cheerwine
follows.
I like Cheerwine because it lacks in the generic flavor of Sprite, but is not quite so exotic that it
demands acquired tastes (as such foreign soft drinks can do). Could sales have been better if the term
“wine” wasn’t in brand “Cheerwine?” Yes and no. Think about Root beer. Commonsense tells moms
and dads kids can safely order Root beer, and hopefully Cheerwine, too. But the term “wine,” may
spice up its appeal to women as a cherry cocktail in a can.
Still in Kentucky and fantasizing about Cheerwine, I pretend I’ve dropped my can of Cheerwine when
I read the bottling company dates back to 1917, and wasn’t trademarked until nine years later. Lewis
Peeler started Carolina Bottling Company and initially sold mint soda before coming up with the
Cheerwine concoction. He added cherry flavoring to the mint soda, thus creating a cheery, cherry
drink.
When I see the sign, “Welcome to North Carolina,” I will pull over to the nearest gas station in search
for my cherry fix. Until then, I may order a six-pack online, even though I’ve heard shipping costs
more than the actual product. After all, I’m still (and forever) star struck.
Cheerwine slogans throughout the years:
“Full of good cheer.”
“It’s A Carolina Thing.”
“On all occasions, it’s good taste.”
“Now That Would Be Different.”
“It’s Time to Zag.”
“It’s, like, something else.”
“Protecting Your Right to Drink…” Follow
2 of 4 1/8/12 9:27 PM

3. A (School Girl) Crush On Cheerwine « http://culturepie.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/a-school-girl-crush...
“The Cherry Different Soft Drink”
“It’s A Soft Drink.”
“Best Used with A Hammock”
“It’s Time for Cheerwine”
Official site of Cheerwine http://www.cheerwinecorp.com/
Cheerwine History http://www.blakescheerwineoldies.com
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4. A (School Girl) Crush On Cheerwine « http://culturepie.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/a-school-girl-crush...
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