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I was raised in Port Huron, MI, about 50 miles north of Detroit. Hudson’s was always a good shopping trip. Went to college and worked in Detroit from 56-62. In 99 was in downtown Detroit about 6 blocks from where I had worked and if it hadn’t been for the “Jolly Green Giant” at the city/county building I would not have recognized where I was!!

Note: Reed’s is Ginger Beer; Vernor’s is Ginger Ale.

When I first arrived in MD in 1972 Strohs-The beer that made Detroit famous!-was considered a premium beer!!

Vernor's is now owned by Dr. Pepper (after American Consumer Products, United Brands, A&W, and Cadbury Schweppes.) We contacted C-S and were told that all we had to do was ask our local emporium to carry it because they will distribute it anywhere. In the real world that is not as easy as they made it sound. Local emporiums are typically part of a chain and thus buying decisions are made higher up the chain. A request from just one store out of who-knows-how-many won't get past the cutting room floor.

It is available for sale online but at a typical cost of $10 a sixpack plus shipping. I might like it but not THAT much!!

It's still good but it is not the same stuff that it was years ago. They now age it in oak for 3 years instead of 4 and use that pervasive sweetner HFCS instead of real sugar. HFCS may be ~~cheap~~cost effective, but in general anything sweetened with it now doesn't taste like it did when they used real sugar (which in Michigan came from sugar beets.. ;-) A review I read of it now called it an "emaciated version of a product that once was".

I'll just continue with my present supply chain - when I visit my Sister in Ohio I stock up - in cans of course since the plastic bottles lose their carbonation - and when she heads this way for a visit on the way to or from visiting my Nephew-her-Son in the lieberal lala land of Massachusetts she delivers some. I still have 2 12 packs left in my stash from my last trip West. Summer and Boston Cooler season is approaching!

And Strohs-The beer that made Detroit famous! is now owned by Pabst and the Detroit brewery was blown up in the '80's.. ;-) But calling Stroh's a premium beer when offered for sale on the East coast is akin to calling Rhinegold a premium beer if you could find it in Michigan... ;-)

And the Rhinegold Brewery in Orange, NJ has gone the way the Stroh's plant did...