- **1/14/11 Update **- Vernors contacted me; but gave me the date of 1896 which was for the original Vernors formulation. Vernors may never have been discovered if it weren't for the Civil War.  Before the Civil War, James Vernor, a Detroit pharmacist, was trying to duplicate a popular ginger ale imported from Dublin.  He formulated a new drink with 19 ingredients, including ginger, vanilla and other natural flavors.  In 1862 he was called off to war, so he stored the secret mixture in an oak cask in his pharmacy.  Four years later he returned and discovered that his mixture had become a zippy, zesty, gingery-flavored concoction.  For quite some time downtown Detroit was the only place that you could get this delicious beverage.  Word started to spread and other soda fountains began asking for the zesty drink.  By 1896 it had reached Cleveland, Toledo and Buffalo.  Today Vernors is part of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.  I was unable to find a release date for Diet Vernors.  I have contacted the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. and will update this review if and when they respond. The Diet Vernors of today is barrel-aged for 3 years.  There are no calories and 25mg of sodium per 12 oz. can.  Diet Vernors is sweetened with Aspartame.  The slogan on the can reads "A Michigan original since 1866".  The Diet Vernors of today is much better than the Diet Vernors I remember from years past; however, it just doesn't have the carbonation and zippy, zesty, strong gingery taste that regular Vernors has.  It just misses that mark. I have not had regular soda for years because of the sugar, so I will continue to drink Diet Vernors.  It's still a tasty soda...but just falls short of the taste of regular Vernors.

LindaOH

Madison, OH