As with rum, there are as many Caribbean sodas as there are islands, but Jamaica’s Ting, Puerto Rico’s Coco Rico and Haiti’s Cola Couronne are among the most popular and recognizable examples of Caribbean-born and -bottled alcohol-free beverages. For Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans and Haitians, these sodas aren’t just great pairings for the local fare—they act as calling cards for Caribbean immigrants, offering a punch of tropical flavor and reminding them of home.

Contrary to its name, the drink isn’t actually a “cola” at all and is instead a tangerine-tinged sparkling fruit punch that’s syrupy sweet and heavy on the palate, with notes of oranges and pineapple. Cola Couronne was introduced in Haitian supermarkets by Brasserie de la Couronne, a soda manufacturer founded in Port-au-Prince in 1924 and partnered with Coca-Cola in 1927. For Worrell, the soda also carries a heady aroma that mimics the rich, sweet flavor. “It smells like when you walk into a Caribbean bakery and you smell the sweet breads,” she says. “It’s highly aromatic.” For Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans and Haitians, these sodas aren’t just great pairings for the local fare—they act as calling cards for Caribbean immigrants, offering a punch of tropical flavor and reminding them of home. Ting has also been known to be mixed with citrus vodka to create Ving, an alcoholic version of the drink. Tart and tangy with an underlying sweetness, grapefruit glimmers with amazing health benefits. Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system.

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It is Our policy to take all necessary steps to ensure that Personal Information held by Us is processed fairly and lawfully and We will take all necessary steps to implement this policy. All Our employees and contractors who have access to Personal Information are obliged to respect the confidentiality of that Personal Information. e) "Our", "Us", "We" means us, Refresco Beverages UK Ltd (Company Number 00161079). If You want to write to Us, Our registered office is at Citrus Grove, Side Ley, Kegworth, Derby, DE74 2FJ. The British also decided they wanted a bigger share of the Caribbean, so in 1654 Oliver Cromwell launched forces against Spain’s colonies. By 1655 they captured Jamaica and more than 300 years of British rule followed. It’s exactly what you want,” says Austin Hartman, owner of the brand-new Paradise Lounge in Ridgewood, Queens, of the drink. Hartman offers a Wray & Ting as part of his menu’s “Island Traditional” section, to great success: He estimates that he ran through 10 cases of Ting in his first full week of business alone. In a nod to the drink’s traditional serve, he also offers a full “rum shop experience,” complete with a 200 milliliter bottle of Wray & Nephew, a chilled bottle of Ting, and the glasses, fruit and ice required to make the drink yourself. Of course, one of the most popular ways to drink Coco Rico is to combine it with white rum and a lime wedge, or to use it in highballs in place of lemon-lime soda or coconut water. Many Caribbean sodas are ultimately added to rum to create a pleasant, easy-drinking mix that combines two of the region’s most beloved items. “Rum is the essential Caribbean spirit, so naturally it always gets combined with sodas because it’s easy and it tastes good,” Bennett says. “In the case of overproof and homemade ‘bush’ rums, sodas are sometimes employed as a chaser.”

In Puerto Rico, you’ll find lime-green bottles of Coco Rico, a clear, sparkling, coconut-flavored beverage that’s tangy and mildly sweet.Our astute readers already know that a drink celebrating virtually anything in Jamaica is going to be rum-based. After all, the British brought over rum production from Barbados. Other than finally abolishing indentured servitude, it was clearly the best thing they did. Ting soda is made from 100% Jamaican grapefruit with no preservatives. It is a lightly carbonated citrus drink. As with most soft drinks, these examples of Jamaican sodas have to be chilled to get the most satisfaction, as no one loves a room-temperature soda! Or even better leave the soda to chill in the freezer for a while until you get that slushy texture which is super delicious, especially with the Jamaican flavors, such as pineapple, or fruit punch. Jamaica joined the West Indies Federation, a political union of various British colonies in the Caribbean as the Empire fell apart in the 1950s. They also amended their constitution to permit greater self-government and a Prime Minister. By 1961 Jamaicans were dissatisfied with the Federation and passed a referendum to leave. This resulted in the passage of the Jamaica Independence Act by the UK Parliament. On August 6, 1962, the British government granted them independence and the Jamaican flag flew. This remarkable caribbean soft drink, Jamaican Ting, is a refreshing beverage straight from concentrate. Made from pure ingredients like grapefruit oil, you stimulating your taste buds at every sip. Grab yuh ting now.

Caribbean sodas are their own category of soft drink, different from the big brands available in the states. Often brightly colored and saccharine sweet, and varying from island to island, they offer teetotalers and tipplers alike a refreshing respite from the sun and the heat often found in Caribbean food. With flavors running the gamut from raspberry to coconut to banana to malted molasses, they’re the drink of choice for children heading home from school, as well as rum drinkers looking for something to mix. They’re also a part of each island’s distinct culture, and beloved edible ties to the islands, displayed in grocery stores, rum shops and Caribbean immigrant enclaves around the world. Like most rums (other than Rhum Acricole and Cachaca) Jamaican rum is made from molasses left over from the process of crystallizing sugar by boiling the juice. What makes it distinctive, as we talked about with the Kingston Negroni, is using pot rather than column stills. That results in a rum with a distinctive funkiness known as “Hogo”. The word comes from the French term Haut Gout that refers to meat a bit on the gamey side or any other strong yet desirable flavor. Overall, the redder a grapefruit is the sweeter it is, so Pink Ting is less tart than standard Ting. A generous dose of sugar helps island sodas stand up to the intense flavors of Caribbean cuisine—and this is especially true in Haiti, where dishes can be umami-rich, salty or intensely spicy. Bennett points to pikliz—a condiment made with cabbage, vinegar, bell peppers and fiery scotch bonnets, a must on any Haitian table—as an example of why Cola Couronne’s potent flavor is necessary. “You definitely want something refreshing when you’re eating that,” he says. Ting is a great beverage for the spicy Jamaican food. So if you have never tried Ting, give it a go!Over the years the Wray & Ting, partly by commercial effort, has become the unofficial national drink of Jamaica. It’s also a perfect addition to your warm-weather arsenal of highballs like the Mountain Suze or Finnish Long Drink. The Ting Conundrum