The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas: The Story of Dublin Dr Pepper by Karen Wright | 2006 | State House Press | Paperback $16.95
The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas is the story of Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Co., a David-Goliath case study of the world’s first Dr Pepper bottling plant and the only one that has always used pure cane sugar in spite of compelling reasons to switch sweeteners. The book traces the story from the founder’s birth through the contemporary struggles of a tiny independent, family-owned franchise against industry giants.
This is a slim volume, clocking in at just about 175 pages, so it didn’t take long to get through. Which is a good thing, because I don’t think it would have held my interest any longer than the few hours it took to read it. Not that it is a boring book! Rather, it’s just very interest-specific.
I do have some family ties to Erath County, and I think my interest in genealogy and associated obscure little local histories made this a good book for me to pass the time with. I’ve also been a long-time Dublin Dr Pepper fan, if one can be a “fan” of a now-defunct subspecies of a particular soft drink.
Unfortunately, Dublin Dr Pepper is no more. This book was released a few years before the industry giant Dr Pepper Snapple Group forced the bottling plant to cease production due to branding issues + distribution violations. The bottling plant still exists and still produces cane sugar soft drinks of various vintage flavors, but it ain’t the same stuff that I grew up with.
Some of my fondest memories involve Dublin Dr Pepper. There was one particular BBQ joint in my grandparent’s small town that made the best brisket and potato salad, perfectly accompanied by a little glass bottle of the good stuff.
If you don’t care anything about the Erath County, Texas area, or the families of the people profiled in this book, or the history of Dr Pepper in its home state, you can safely skip this particular title. However, if a little micro-history of a particular foodstuff in a particular time and particular place appeals, I can definitely recommend that you try to find a copy of The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas.
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Publication information: Wright, Karen. The Road to Dr Pepper, Texas: The Story of Dublin Dr Pepper. Buffalo Gap, Texas: State House Press, 2006. Print.
Source: Purchased for home library.
Disclaimer: I am not compensated, monetarily or otherwise, for reviews of books or other products.