Love Dr Pepper? The Doc Will See You Now

“It’s not peppery enough!” says Broadsheet ’s resident pepper fiend of a new pepper soda hitting shelves and bar fridges around the country. But actually, The Doc is right on the money.

Pepper sodas, the most famous being Dr Pepper, were invented in the American south by pharmacist Charles Alderton around the same time as Coca-Cola, in the 1880s. While the new collaboration between Melbourne premium pepper brand Pep and Adelaide natural soda company Mischief Brew is a subtle nod to Dr Pepper in both name and flavour, “pepper soda is more than just the one people know,” says Pep co-founder Josh Gardiner.

“We used [Dr Pepper] as a starting point to say, ‘hey, there’s a world in which pepper goes into soda’. They have a complex, unique flavour profile. They’re often a blend of fruit and spices.

“For people opening [The Doc] thinking it’s going to be a pepper-forward drink, it’s not that. Pepper is just one of the singers in the choir.”

While the recipe for Dr Pepper has long been a closely guarded secret, Mischief Brew’s recipe for The Doc is not. The heat from single-origin black peppercorns from Cambodia’s Memot region sparkles rather than sizzles. Christmas spices, cherry, blackberry, Turkish rhubarb, burnt sugar and more round out The Doc’s impressive flavour choir.

“It’s a pretty cool list, and it’s all on the can,” says Gardiner, who was drawn to Mischief Brew through its collaborations with Saison Aperitifs and Mat’s Hot Shop. “They’re experts in the drinks space. They’re proud of what they put in their drinks and stand behind their quality.”

The Doc is a great alternative to Big Soda, and also works well mixed with your favourite dark spirit, amaro or vermouth. The prescription for the real pepper fiends? Get this bundle and crack a little extra pep on top.

The Doc is available in cases (RRP $70) and packs of four (RRP $16) at retailers around the country. It’s shipping everywhere now.

mischiefbrew.com.au
eatpep.com