Seriously, What Are The 23 Flavors In Dr Pepper Supposed To Be?

As a card-carrying Texan, I'm a Dr Pepper gal through and through. While I opt for the diet version of the popular soda these days, I'm no less nostalgic for and intrigued by the original's 23 secret (or maybe not so secret) flavors. To say the blend is shrouded in mystery would be an understatement. The only other product to garner such interest in the secrets it keeps is KFC and its 11 secret herbs and spices. (Spoiler: The only relevant secret ingredient in that chicken is MSG.)

But, the enigmatic ingredients in Dr Pepper are a bit murkier. The only thing we know for certain is that it's absolutely, positively not prune. The speculation to that effect was so widespread that the pop giant buckled and listed a flat denial in their FAQ page. The ingredients they do give are carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, artificial and natural flavors, sodium benzoate, and caffeine, which is less than helpful.

A common list going around online also lists amaretto, almond, blackberry, black licorice, caramel, carrot, clove, cherry, cola, ginger, juniper, lemon, molasses, nutmeg, orange, plum, pepper, root beer/sarsaparilla, rum, raspberry, and vanilla. But, it also lists prune, so it's of questionable validity. Others ad apricot, birch, cardamom, allspice, coriander, wintergreen leaves, gentian root, cinnamon, star anise, and even tomato to the list.

To add mystery to intrigue, the original formula from the notebook of inventor and pharmacist Charles Alderton of Old Corner Drugstore in Waco, Texas, where he invented it, surfaced at some point. It contained the recipe for something called "D Peppers Pepsin Bitters." The problem? It's freakin' illegible. Seriously — was this guy a pharmacist or a doctor? It's bad.

And then, there's Dublin Dr Pepper. That's Dublin, Texas. I tasted the infamous cane sugar version made in the tiny town an hour from where I grew up before the drink went out of production. It tasted different and better than the Dr Pepper I was used to. The cane sugar version is likely closer to the original since it doesn't contain high-fructose corn syrup. The Dublin plant was also one of the original bottlers and always claimed to be using the original sugar recipe. So, is modern Dr Pepper even Dr Pepper anymore? Are different generations debating about different versions of the soft drink? This might be more confusing than the debate about where Dr Pepper got its name.

Fans continue to speculate and even experiment with their own blends. But, the reality is that we may never know. As such, there are only two questions left to answer: Do you care if the one you make at home tastes the same? And, do you really have the time and patience to make it yourself?