Moxie, the soft drink with moxie

Created in the 1920s as Moxie Nerve Food (touted to cure everything from nervous exhaustion to loss of manhood), the soft drink is celebrated today by Mainers with a taste for something other than Coke, Pepsi or root beer. Correspondent Nancy Giles looks back at how Moxie's marketing blitz created a sensation – and a plucky dictionary entry.

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[the_jazmin]

I live over on the West coast as far away from Maine as you could get and still managed to find a bottle of Moxie at a nearby fruit stand. To me, it tastes like root beer candy and I love it!

[plankface]

The “halitosis to hangnail” guy is adorable….he smiles with his whole face. 💛❤️🤍💙

[fourtyfivefudd]

I live in NY and it’s rarely sold around here. You might find it in places like Craker Barrel or cute old town stores, but when I do find it, I always buy all their product. Way better than other drinks. Not as much chemicals either. It’s got a real weird bitter root taste. It can be an acquired taste but it’s real good. That’s why it’s “distinctively different” I even got a moxie hat I love it that much

[birdwife]

im from massachusetts and always been a big moxie fan myself. if you haven’t tried it do so, everyone should at some point.

[n.d.]

I've only ever seen Moxie in novelty type stores or candy centric shops. Now I have to try it

[sneaks]

I’m a New Englander at heart and can attest, it’s still “a thing” here. (Although, it’s an acquired taste)!!

[helenryan]

My parents and I tried Moxie while on vacation in Maine when I was a kid. We thought it was terrible. We brought some home as a joke and gave it to my cousin. The look on his face when he tasted it was priceless.

Later I lived in Massachusetts for a time and remember it being sold in the grocery stores there. Some New Englanders really like it.

[drewconway]

All of the older men interviewed for this story have great voices—they should be on radio

[appnzllr]

It's also bottled in Catawissa, PA. A great drink. The Catawissa Bottling Company is close to Knoebel's Amusement Park - the best amusement park in the USA. Free parking. No entrance fee.

[barrerasnomas]

I’m was born and raised in Los Ángeles and I love this soda!!! I get mine at Galco’s soda pop store in Highland Park since it was featured on a Huell Howser episode.

[antmagor]

So I live in Maine and in case those descriptions of the flavor that you saw in the video are confusing you here’s what I think it taste like. If I had to sum it up it taste like licorice. Black licorice to be exact. I say this because I had Moxy before, didn’t really care for it. Then later in life I had a black licorice jellybean and that’s exactly what it reminded me of. I’ve developed a taste for it in the years sense, but when my friends from out of state ask I basically say it’s a licorice flavored soda.

[InifinityM]

I'm from Oregon and a friend a mines from Massachusetts sent me some of this drink. When I drank this drink for the first time, I fell in love with this drink! Now I ask my friend to send me more Moxie when he has the chance to send the drink in the mail!

[kevinj]

My grandmother in PA used to serve Moxie to my sister and I in the 1960s and 1970s. I haven’t drank or seen it since. I will look for it when I visit PA next month.

[JohnnyAngel]

It is hard to describe. The young woman got close by saying it had a bit of "cough syrup" flavor. It is definitely an acquired taste.

[miraveta]

I'm from Connecticut but spent my childhood summers and winters in Maine never knew moxie was a Maine drink but damn its my favorite soda. Either you hate it, love it, or "its an acquired taste".

[seththomas]

I had Moxie about 10 years ago in Pennsylvania and I thought it was good.

[floydblandston]

Moxie is Root Beer + Evil, and I love it. : D

[tobechukwuolumba]

Energy is the definition of moxie, for example, workouts when you are at the gym. Sounds like a good drink that competed in the 1920s against Coca-Cola.

[MelvisVelour]

Nothing better than watching someone from away (aka a Tahrist from the Flat Lands yaknow) trying this stuff for the first time...endless amusement...like watching them try and navigate a roundabout...yaknow...

[vioisme]

I had my first moxie in the early 80s around 4 years old..damn it was strong now I love it.