What Is Vernors - Exactly?

So, I realized this morning that many visitors to my blog may have absolutely no clue as to what Vernors is, exactly. I thought I would take a moment to enlighten those not yet on the bandwagon.

Officially deemed America's Oldest Softdrink by the Soda Museum (http://www.sodamuseum.bigstep.com/generic.jhtml?pid=7) , the people that make Vernors call it "ginger soda." With a much stronger flavor then traditional ginger ale, but none of the alcohol of a typical ginger beer. This pop is highly carbonated and can cause one to sneeze repeatedly if gulped too rapidly.

The best story I found about the history of the making of Vernors comes from this site: http://www.angelfire.com/tn/traderz/vernors.html

The owner of this site comments that Detroit pharmacist James Vernor concocted a drink of about 19 different ingredients (including ginger and vanilla) within an oak barrel. Fortunately for us, Mr. Vernor was called off to the Civil War and left his drink to age within the barrel. When he returned, he tasted his mixture and was astounded by the deliciousness. He began selling the new drink in his soda fountain (located at 233 Woodward Ave. for those interested in visiting the site). Gradually, popularity for the drink grew and Vernors became available in other parts of Detroit, Michigan, and the Great Lakes area. The Vernor family owned and operated the bottling plant until 1966.

I suggest anyone interested read this history, it's facinating.

Today, the Vernors brand is owned by Dr. Pepper/7-Up Inc. and has limited distribution throughout the country, according to the above mentioned fan.

I have seen other articles citing Schwepps as the owner, but still need to confirm that fact.

Here is where the injustice lies. There are several web sites that sell Vernors, but their prices are exhorbitantly high. Look at this brief comparison:

www.vernors.com - $15.49 per 12 pack
www.beveragesdirect.com/products/vernors/ - $13.99 per 12 pack
www.amazon.com - $12.00 per 4 six packs