Our First Taste of Swig’s Famous Sodas
Rock Hill has a new hotspot, and it’s not another coffee shop or brewery. It’s Swig, the self-proclaimed “Home of the Dirty Soda,” and it just opened its doors yesterday.
The buzz around this place has been growing, so my wife and I decided to head over for the grand opening festivities to see what the hype was all about. We were lucky enough to score our first round for free.
But before I get into what we drank, you might be asking the same question I was: What on earth is a “dirty soda”?
What is a “Dirty Soda,” Anyway?
Don’t let the name throw you off; there’s no actual dirt involved. A “dirty soda” is essentially a gourmet, customized soft drink beverage.
The concept is simple but addictive: take a base soda—usually a staple like Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, or Mountain Dew—and “dirty” it up by adding various flavored syrups, fresh fruit purees, and, most crucially, creams (coconut cream and half-and-half are the most popular).
The result is a drink that is richer, creamier, and far more flavorful than anything you’d get out of a standard vending machine. It’s less like grabbing a pop at a gas station and more like ordering a non-alcoholic mocktail or a liquid dessert.
The Utah Origins
While dirty sodas are just now taking over the rest of the country, they have been a cultural phenomenon in the Mountain West for over a decade.
The trend originated in Utah. The widely accepted history is that, because a large percentage of Utah’s population is Mormon—a faith that prohibits the consumption of “hot drinks” like coffee and tea—a unique culture developed around elaborate, cold, caffeinated beverages.
Swig is widely credited as one of the pioneers of this craze, starting in St. George, Utah, back in 2010. They turned the simple act of getting a soda into a drive-thru destination experience.
Our Swig Experience
I ordered the Raspberry Dream. This starts with a Dr. Pepper base, which is then mixed with raspberry puree and coconut cream. The coconut cream really smooths out the bite of the Dr. Pepper, and the raspberry gives it a fresh, fruity finish. It’s incredibly creamy but still refreshing.
My wife went the fruity route with the Hula Girl. This is a brighter, tarter combination using Sprite and lemonade as the base, flavored with mango, pineapple, and strawberry, and finished with coconut cream. It’s like a tropical vacation in a cup.
The Verdict
The drinks were definitely tasty and a fun change of pace from the usual afternoon coffee run. The Rock Hill location seems off to a great start. We will probably be going back soon; there are just too many intriguing combinations on that menu to stop at just two.
If you want to browse the overwhelming number of options before you go, you can check the drink ingredients here: https://swig.com/menu