Early 90s Clearly Canadian bottle- from Wikipedia site.
I just received some feedback from a slew of pages on my memoir draft. One of my mentor’s comments referred to a drink I spoke about twice in the draft. Once was when I said a Bartles & James wine cooler tasted a little like it (I was just a kid). And then also when I speak about how we had a shelf in the fridge full of the fizzy beverage– my step-dad had worked as a driver for a local distributor and bottling company when we lived in Tulsa, and well, since Clearly Canadian was so good, he often took a case or two for us.
Back then, Clearly Canadian came in glass bottles– it was carbonated, flavored water that came in many fruity flavors. I think there was a blackberry. If there was, that was my favorite.
Clearly Canadian. Wow. It came out so naturally when I was writing the memoir, almost automatic. I didn’t even really, really think about the drink since 1994 or so. It seemed to vanish from existence. I thought maybe it was a regional thing in Oklahoma and we just didn’t have it when I moved back to PA. Of course with a name like Clearly Canadian I knew it didn’t come from OK, just thought maybe there weren’t distributors back East. It seemed that in the late 90s, bottled flavored water had become hot, and I sometimes wondered if I’d ever see Clearly Canadian again. And then, I’d forget about the drink I once loved, again.
At any rate, tonight, I did a little research. From Wikipedia, I found that it is from British Columbia, and that it was very popular in the 80s and early 90s– but there was little other info. So, I went to a primary source- www.clearly.ca. Then, I found that Clearly Canadian is making a comeback. It’s now in plastic bottles, too.
According to the story on the website– and by the way I must say from my e-commerce expertise it’s a great informational website and also makes me thirsty- Clearly Canadian was one of the first ‘alternative beverages’ being released in 1998. In 2006, the brand decided to rebrand and take Clearly Canadian to a new level. Looks like there are now 11 flavors, and that there is also an energy-water line as well as some heatlh foods. Looks like things are going well!
I love Canada. Everyone I have ever met from my neighbor to the North was been awesome. So, of course they’d make a great product!
I did a Beverage Locator search on their site and it looks like my local Coors distributor, I mean, beverage distributor, L.T. Verrastro offers it. I have never seen it in Northeast PA, but I will have to ask our rep– Verrastro services the on-site deli we have at my office. I WANT TO TASTE IT AGAIN.
So, this is my little tribute to Clearly Canadian. One of the best things that this memoir-writing process has been being reuinted with old friends– and yes, that includes soft drinks.
I, too, used to drink this lovely beverage…also, in Mississippi, we had a similar drink called Mystic Water, I think it was…I drank that, too. But, for me, nothing compared to the delicious taste of a Yoo-Hoo, growing up. Despite the fact that, now, I wouldn’t touch the stuff, with the empty edge of Clearly Canadian bottle taped to the end of a 10-foot pole, to save my life. I also used to think Ginger Ale was alcohol. Oh well, kids, huh? I enjoy your blog.
Hey TKlee! Thanks for stopping by. Oh man, I loved Yoo-Hoo, too. Funny you mention the alcohol thing with the Ginger Ale- the first time I had a wine cooler, I thought it tasted like a Clearly Canadian! I guess fizzy stuff as kids just makes us think of the “big people” drinks… haha. Thanks again for reading.
I was trying so hard to remember the name of this drink today, that i loved so much as a young teen and i found your site! THANK YOU so much.
My girlfriend and I were trying to think of this for the past month and neither of us could remember Clearly Canadian. Wow, brings back memories. It was SO in back in the 90s to drink this stuff. I’m surprised that the store shelves don’t sell them anymore considering that they were the pioneers in flavored water. All we see nowadays are the big companies like Gatorade, Coca Cola, Pepsi and various other brands with their versions of the water.
Give me back some of that CLEARLY CANADIAN, PLEASE!!!!!
I just wanted to leave a comment to let you know that I appreciate the fact that I am not the only one in America who remembers this water. I would just like to say that it was the best tasting water that I could think of and my favorite would have to be the peach all though they were all good and that was the only way I would drink water why can’t people just leave well enough alone I need this water to come back badly to the great state of Texas
Thanks for all the comments on this post! I wish it was still available in the US, too.