I've been getting sodas here since I was a kid, and it's always been a great experience. The flavors are classic, the quality never changes, and there's just something nostalgic about it. Every time I stop by, it feels like a little piece of my childhood all over again -- just good, old-fashioned soda done right. read more

The extra fizzy seltzer is my all time favorite drink. Opening the bottle and listening to the fizzing sound is so satisfying. Not every flavor of the sodas are a home run but the variety is fun and worth trying. We bought a 24 pack and picked a bunch to try. read more

I don't mean to rip off the Dos Equis World's Most Interesting Man bit, but . . . . I almost never drink soda, but when I do, it's usually Hosmer soda. Seriously, if I walk into a restaurant and they have Hosmer soda, my respect for that restaurant automatically goes up because I see that they have great taste. I have a self-enforcing rule (I'm pretty lenient with myself) that whenever a restaurant has Hosmer Ginger Ale, I have to order it. It just happened tonight at El Pollo Guapo. Hosmer Ginger Ale is the best. It's like the Ginger Ale you normally drink, except 827% better in every category that makes Ginger Ale enjoyable. And if I haven't been to a restaurant that serves Hosmer in a while, I will road trip to its stand alone store in Manchester to stock up. They have all the flavors! I get a 6 pack of Ginger Ale for special occasions and stomach aches, a couple Root Beer in case I want to make a float, some seltzers for my wife, and a few one-offs like Grape or Black Cherry. If you've never had Hosmer, order it next time you see it in a restaurant like Bear BBQ, El Pollo Guapo, Bird Code Chicken or Goldburgers. Or if you're a big soda drinker - road trip to Manchester. read more

Hosmer Mountain Bottling - My Super Bowl Ginger Ale - Specialty Food Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

See all

Over 100 years ago Hosmer Mountain was founded as a spring water delivery service in Willimantic. It went through a few changes of ownership until being purchased by Arthur Potvin in 1958 who started using the spring water to make his own sodas, all by trial and error. Since it's very close to where I grew up and live I have been here more times than I can count. Years and years ago there used to be a competitor, The Pop Shoppe, just up the street but when they closed (some time in the 1980s) Hosmer Mountain became the only game in town and even took some of the old plastic 'cases' that are still in use there today. The company is environmentally friendly and reuses or recycles all their glass bottles. Many of the soda flavors are unique and some even still use real cane sugar. There are over 30 different varieties and they even carry hard-to-find brands like Moxie and Cheerwine from time to time. This location is just the 'soda shack' and is the second location besides the bottling plant and spring in Willimantic. The family still runs the place and they supply a number of local restaurants and grocery stores. It's not uncommon to see their bottles in any number of local establishments because it is a quality, local brand. I'm not a big soda drinker but during the summer I'll stop in once a month or so just to keep some on hand. This is great stuff from a great company and you are sure to find something you like. Five stars! read more

See all

After having Hosmer at several local restaurants I decided to check out their Manchester warehouse to find their iced tea. It was small and rustic and cute. We decided to go for a 24 case, which came out to $22 after the drinks, deposits (refundable) and the small refundable fee for the cute red plastic case we carried it home in. We tried a variety of soda and iced tea and lemonade (they also have seltzer which we haven't yet tried). The soda is great, so was the tea which is the reason I went. They have a great variety of flavors and I love soda in a glass jar. If I was ever having a party I would definitely go here to stock up on favorites for my friends. The guy who worked here was super nice and helpful. I would definitely go back and buy another case when I need it. read more

See all

Great little place. The soda is made right in Willimantic, CT, but this is a distribution point only. Drinks: There's a whole bunch of flavors, and some of them are really good. My favorites are the orange dry, grape, sarsaparilla, root beer, birch beer, black cherry, strawberry and cream soda. I'd personally pass on the ginger ale, tea, pink lemonade and cherry cola. I haven't tried their blue cola and red cola (obviously attempts at recreating the two leading brands), as why not just get the original for that? The ginger beer is supposedly good, but I'd wager to say it's a love it or hate it kind of thing, so if you've never had a ginger beer, only get one at first. Most of the others are pretty good, I leave them somewhere in the middle. Price: Pricing is reasonable. If you pay attention you'll find COUPONS in the mail periodically (in that little flip-book that's shaped more or less like a checkbook, but opens left to right instead of top to bottom. See the pic I uploaded for an example). Insider Info: I recommend getting a whole case of mix-n-match flavors your first time, and then making a list, so you can keep record of how much you liked/disliked each flavor, and thereby maximize the tastiness next time! They offer "buy ten cases get one free" hole-punch cards. (or something like that). The calorie value on some of these is quite high (higher than other more traditional sodas even), so you may want to keep that in mind. Sarsaparilla, for those that don't know, is more or less root beer, but with sarsaparilla root flavor that adds a little "bite." I have a hunch that Barq's is a sarsaparilla enhanced root beer. So if your prefer a sweet root beer go for the standard root beer Hosmer offers, and if you want a little bite, go for the sarsaparilla. (Or just get both!) KEEP YOUR EMPTIES! - The used to have a deposit on the carrying cases, but I think it might be on the bottles now instead. Your first case will be more expensive than the rest as a result, but the next will be an even deposit swap. There's an option for DELIVERY, but I've never used it. www.hosmersoda.com read more

Hosmer Mountain Bottling - Watch the mail for coupons! - Specialty Food Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Great place! Check it out for some local sodas and seltzers. Some of the best you'll ever have

The birch beer is DELICIOUS & by far the best I have ever had! I won't lie, I have not tried the other flavors because there is simply no reason to stray from perfection. Kudos Hosmer, you certainly rock the local soda market hands down. If you ever have a chance to meet & chat with the owner Bill, it truly makes Hosmer that much better. He is SO passionate about his product, the quality & the process that it truly makes you want to support this small yet amazing family business that much more. read more

Great selection of locally made soda (the good stuff with real sugar). I like the Cream Soda the best. They often have new custom flavors too. The cost per case is pretty cheap especially when you come back and get bottle refunds (more than just 5 cents) read more

See all

Great homemade bottled soda. Been coming here for 14+ years and I have never need disappointed. A case with deposit is around $19. That's less than $1 per bottle for unique, homemade flavors. My favorite flavors are strawberry, root beer, ginger beer and cream soda. The deposit is $5 for a case and the only discount they offer is .25 cents if you pay cash. read more

This is the most awesome little Homemade soda place! This particular location, known as Hosmer Mountain Soda Shack (but was already typed into yelp as listed above, and since they had the right address, I left as is)....am surprised no one ever yelped this location as it is much more easily accessible, at least for Hartford people! I have never been to the ''original" location, which I imagine must be a much bigger place, this is just like a shack on the side of the road. But what a yummy shack, they have all the flavors here! So, what you do is you go and pay for your first case, and pay the bottle deposit fees, and then you get to pick out a whole case of all their yummy flavors! The Root Beer I'm told is voted 4th best in the nation (I love the root beer, the Orange Dry (not as sweet as normal Orange, altho they have that as well), Grape, the Ginger Ale is awesome, the Lemon Dry, the Pineapple are delish too!....Hubby loves the Strawberry, the Black Cherry, the Colas (red is like Coke, Blue is like RC). Anyway, you take your case and you have as long as you want to return them, and when u do, you only pay the cost of the new sodas, as you have already paid the deposits. If you ever decide to stop, they refund the bottle deposits at your last drop off. We are not really soda drinkers, but this stuff is so yummy, it's nice to have some one hand! Even in the frigid winter, it makes a nice treat! Their winter hours at this location are limited. Closed Sun/Mon. Tu/W/F they are open 12-6. Thursday is their one late day, they are open 12-9pm. Summer hours are same closing times, they just open at 10:30 am instead of noon. ----This place reminds me of a place we had in MA growing up called the Pop Shoppe. It was the same type of thing, and it was very fun as a kid to pick out the flavors! Same here, so if you have kids, they will enjoy the choices and have a good time here!---- read more

Just got back from Hosmer. All I can say is it lived up to all expectations. Bill was wonderful. He saw that we were first time customers. Treated us really well. Gave us a quick tour of the inventory. Offered us a taste of the soda. Fantastic customer service. This soda store is what it looks to be. A side of the road soda store. No frills, no crazy marketing. The product speaks for itself. Just had the energy drink and the Sarsaparilla. Factastic. Best I've ever had. I highly recommend doing what we did. Get the 24 pack of soda that you can pick all the different varieties. VERY inexpensive too. Save the bottles to get the deposit back on your next visit! Fantastic little place! read more

no coke, no pepsi .. hosmer. this is one of those relics from bygone days .. when people had seltzer and milk delivered to their doors.. well, the soda from here is unique and delicious and CT is lucky to have a few funky old school indy soda makers. Too many flavors to choose from - i usually mix a case of whatever sounds good - usually ginger beer, birch beer, root beer, sarsparilla .. you get the picture - i like my root beverages and they have many. read more

Hosmer Mountain Bottling - Specialty Food Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

theres a sign on the road that reads 15 miles to the soda shack! soda shack baby! one thing that ive found in southern new england is the amount of indy bottlers, and hosmer is one of my fav's this place is a mecca of soda. i chose two top shelf cane soda's, the cream, which is fine, smooth rich, good as a treat every so often, and the sarsaparilla, which, is now my favorite soda. one trick, pour it over crushed ice in a tall/tom collinseque glass, the head is delightful and yes, i am referring to the soda. rootie past root beer, like a guinness poured with a caring hand. anyway, this is about soda, and for 80 cents or so a pop, literally, you cant go wrong. read more

Hosmer is the good old days. We see the little shack on the side of the road and instantly our brains release endorphins for we know all is good and well with the world. Buy their sodas! read more

Had been looking for glass-bottled soda to add to my home poker game. Was going to pickup a 24-pack of Mexican Coke (around $22) and found Hosmer Mountain Soda just 20 minutes away. Visited their location and was very pleased with the results. You get a 24-pack (you can mix & match flavors) for around $11 plus a $5 bottle deposit fee (return your bottles the next time you come for the money back or buy again and you don't pay the $5 deposit again) So price-wise they're beating out the competition right there. Then comes the delicious bold flavors. My favorites thus far are: Root Beer Strawberry Grape They have strong, bold flavors and are really well-priced. We haven't tried all the flavors just yet. They have a Cola Red which is their version of Coke which is ok, but not as good as Coke imho. They also have a Cola Blue meant to be their version of Pepsi, just picked it up but haven't tried it yet. Got their Lemon-Lime and it tasted like Mountain Dew to me, which if that's your thing more power to ya, but wasn't for us. read more

A must-go. This place is legendary locally but I had never heard of it all the way out in NYC. They have about 20 different flavors of sodas and seltzers, all in beautiful glass bottles and their own boxes. Prices are totally fine. I got 2 cases full of the fizz, including some "high-fizz" seltzer bottles. There are multiple locations in middle Connecticut... I would definitely make a trip here any time it was on the way and I didn't have any Hosmer in the fridge. read more

Great flavors and great prices. Mix your own case. Flavors include, cola (one like coke, one like pepsi), root beer, saspirilla, orange, raspberry, black cherry, birch beer, lemon-lime, strawberry, grape, chocolate, cream, diet selection, seltzers, Red Lightening (their version of the energy drink) and spring water. I might have missed a few, but those are a good chunk of them. Get there frequent buyers card to eventually get a free case. read more

I could go on about Hosmer Mountain but I will quote my 66-year-old mom instead. "This is what soda tasted like when I was a little girl, and I had forgotten how it was supposed to taste until now." There you have it. read more

My family gets a case or two every year when we go on vacation. As the original reviewer posted, you mix and match your own case of soda from many wonderful flavors. Awesome rootbeer, cream soda and birch beer. The pinapple, orange dry and gingerale are also favorites. They also have amazing ginger beer that is only sold in 6 packs that I highly recommend. read more

I'm not a big soda drinker but the Soda Shack is an occasional guilty pleasure of mine. I LOVE their birch beer and hot ginger beer!

I'm not handing 5 stars out often but this place gets it right. No other words just simply they produce and deliver a solid product every time. In terms of price they are very reasonable. Love the black cherry. Great burp fuel. read more

What can I say, there really is nothing like it. I mean their Birch Beer is soooo good!! I wait every year to visit my in-laws in Glastonbury to get some Hosmer Mountain Birch Beer. I have also tried their Cream Soda and Orange soda which are both excellent! read more

We live about an hour away...my husband is in Manchester at least once a week and refills our case. My families favorites; orange dry, lime Rickey, pineapple, strawberry, birch beer and ginger ale! Old fashion pop and so good! read more

Has to be the best soda I have ever had!!! just amazing! very inexpensive but even if it wasn't, it's worth every single penny!!!!!!!! I love it! been drinking this soda since I was little! read more

Authentic. Reasonably priced. Wide variety. Local. Friendly people. Go out of your way to support this place, you won't be disappointed. It's great. read more

Old school pop-shop. The Birch Beer is the best I've ever had. Prices are good- look for coupons in the paper for an even better deal.

THIS IS REAL SODA. None of that horrible stuff you buy from the grocery store. Birch beer and Red Cola are my favorites. If you want a great soda, go here. It's sad how it was almost closed down a couple years ago. read more