Mixed Soda Name?

April 25, 2007 9:10 PM

What do you call the drink that results from mixing a little bit of every drink in a fountain machine at a restaurant/similar establishment?

If you have a specific name for it, where and when do you remember first hearing it?

posted by comwiz to food & drink (149 comments total)

How about Wrong Island Iced Tea?

I'll be here all week, folks!
posted by dhammond at 9:12 PM on April 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

Swamp Water. Pretty sure I call it that becasue that's what my dad called it.

Our family mix:

60% Orange Crush
20% Sprite/7Up
20& Coke/Pepsi

Mmmm good.
posted by tiamat at 9:12 PM on April 25, 2007

In my childhood (Washington, DC, late70s - 80s) the only name I heard for this vile creation was a "Suicide"
posted by toxic at 9:13 PM on April 25, 2007

We call it a "suicide" here. I remember hearing it at some pizza party at Round Table when I was a kid.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:13 PM on April 25, 2007

I've heard it called a suicide, but only online somewhere a year or so ago. Wikipedia agrees so it must be true.
posted by ALongDecember at 9:13 PM on April 25, 2007

Another vote for Swamp Water (Southwestern Ontario, childhood in the early 90s).
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 9:16 PM on April 25, 2007

Wikipedia says, without citation:

A beverage made by mixing many soft drinks together, usually from a soda fountain, is variously known as a suicide, graveyard, sewage, pop bomb, swamp water, tornado, kamikaze, garbage soda, hurricane, or atomic bomb.

posted by cerebus19 at 9:18 PM on April 25, 2007

We called it Suicide in the early-mid-'80s, in the suburban Midwest. I mainly remember drinking it from those tall, red plastic glasses you'd only see at pizza places, which also always had plastic checkered red-and-white tablecloths.
posted by lisa g at 9:19 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water. And as an aside, Mountain Dew was always 'Panther Piss'.
posted by maxpower at 9:24 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp Water, British Columbia, 70s, 80s. Believe my parents also used this term when growing up.
posted by acoutu at 9:25 PM on April 25, 2007

My kids called 'em Suicides. Their kids call 'em Suicides. My great grandkids seem destined to call them the same.
posted by paulsc at 9:28 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, late 80's, Southern California. I heard it from the friend who introduced me to the recipe.
posted by contraption at 9:29 PM on April 25, 2007

Another Swamp Water, Manitoba, late 80's to early 90's. First heard upon visit to Chuck E. Cheese's after learning of their DIY soft drink fountain. This was completely unheard of at the time, for me. Heck, this was before free refills at McDonald's!
posted by utsutsu at 9:30 PM on April 25, 2007

Another vote for "Suicide." The boys in my circle would make a game out of seeing how much they could drink of the concoction, they sometimes added salt or Tabasco to the vile brew as well.
posted by snowleopard at 9:30 PM on April 25, 2007

"Suicide drink", southern California growing up in the early-to-mid-90s.

One time, we took a few more liberties with our suicide drink than were appropriate (I don't remember what was in there, but there were several things that weren't sodas, and I want to say some leaves from the yard) and mixed it up in a Pepsi can, and my friend's mom drank a sip of it because we left it lying around after we were done playing around. Barfing ensued, and she refused to believe we hadn't premeditated it. Oh, memories.
posted by crinklebat at 9:30 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, in suburban Minneapolis in the 80s. Learned the technique and the term from my dad. Yum!
posted by vytae at 9:30 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, eastern NM in the late 80s. Learned it at the roller skating rink.
posted by sugarfish at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide too - New England in the 90s.
posted by cajo at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2007

A graveyard. I was so young I can't remember when I first heard it. We also used graveyard to describe a snowcone made with every flavor of syrup.
posted by peep at 9:33 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, mid-80's, north central Texas.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 9:33 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, late 80's, southeast US. First heard it from friends from school, no idea where we were at the time.
posted by ml98tu at 9:34 PM on April 25, 2007

Just to be clear... Swamp Water, as it is properly called, should not contain nasties like leaves or non beverage liquids.

It is not vile but is in fact, awesome to the max.
posted by utsutsu at 9:35 PM on April 25, 2007

Oh, and with pop, I can't say I ever knew people did this on purpose. I always used it to refer to that drink you get when you order a Coke, but it tastes like Coke, Diet Coke, root beer, and orange drink because the fountain machine is crappy and leaks flavors into other flavors.
posted by peep at 9:36 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, Canada, 1980s.
posted by barnone at 9:36 PM on April 25, 2007

(Want to point out that at the time, I thought the idea was totally gross. Now, I mix and match sodas at the fountain all the time. Yum!)
posted by ml98tu at 9:36 PM on April 25, 2007

suicide is the most common term i've heard... and i guess the time period is pretty much now.
posted by MadamM at 9:37 PM on April 25, 2007

Another vote for suicide, from Michigan.
posted by pullayup at 9:38 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, southwestern Ontario, mid-90's (perhaps it's a Canuck thing?)
posted by thisjax at 9:39 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide - Northern California in the early '80s.

Just today, in fact, my friend who grew up in Texas in the '80s referred to it as a Hurricane.
posted by puritycontrol at 9:41 PM on April 25, 2007

Are you serious? I thought that "graveyard" was the only word for this. I grew up in Eastern Washington. FWIW.
posted by rossination at 9:42 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, Pittsburgh 1990s
posted by matkline at 9:42 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp Water, Victoria, Vancouver ISland, BC, Canada; 1970's.

First heard it from my friend Donald F. (2 years older than me) whose father was a Mountie who had his leg shot off ("Don't ask him about his leg when you go over there," my mother often warned us). Donald F. also introduced me to war comics (Sgt. Rock), the term "dyke", and Japanese aircraft carriers. I remember tenting in his back yard and the smell of the moldy canvas. Jennifer P. was not allowed to share a tent with us. One summer she tried riding her Apollo ten speed over a jump while wearing an orange hockey helmet. Jennifer didn't make it and slammed face first into the asphalt. We could see her front tooth embedded in the pavement like a crushed marshmallow.

While playing war, my sister accidentally walloped Donald F. in the mouth with the chrome rod from a wall-mounted vacuum cleaner (it was supposed to be a bazooka). It was the first time I ever saw him cry. He barely finished school and now works as a tinker and a handy-man.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:46 PM on April 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Bug juice (college, Baltimore, 1978). Yecch!
posted by Quietgal at 9:47 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, BC, 90s.

It looks as though the nomenclature is Canadian though (leaving aside vytae from Minneapolis).
posted by ssg at 9:52 PM on April 25, 2007

At BLT Burger in NYC it's called a "Pop Bomb".
posted by nicwolff at 10:03 PM on April 25, 2007

We called it suicide and we were expat kids in Seoul, South Korea (circa 90s).
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:04 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide. Late '70s/early 80's - Southern Illinois. I never heard of it referred to anything else. When my daughter was little, she called it the same thing.

It was the drink when you went roller skating.

God, I'm old.
posted by Space Kitty at 10:04 PM on April 25, 2007

swamp water. vancouver, bc, mid 80's.

Oh, and with pop, I can't say I ever knew people did this on purpose.

I did it on purpose. I think it's gross now, but it was pretty awesome at the time.
posted by juv3nal at 10:07 PM on April 25, 2007

Chiming in with suicide--So-Cal early 80's(although my brother and I were bored at a Bar Mitzvah reception once and put EVERYTHING on the table into a cup of the already nasty punch: sugar, salt, pepper, saccharine, a glob of cake frosting...we called it Sneezy Crofu and tried to get our father to drink it).
posted by brujita at 10:10 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide in Mississippi
posted by Mr. Gunn at 10:12 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water. Vancouver, BC, 1980s.

But I like your Wrong Island Iced Tea, dhammond!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:13 PM on April 25, 2007

We called them suicides in North Dakota in the 80s. I remember first hearing it at the baseball diamonds during little league, so I was very young.
posted by atomly at 10:14 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide in Arkansas in the mid to late 80s, early 90s. Most commonly ordered at little league baseball games.
posted by jedicus at 10:18 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. I remember hearing it first from a friend when I was a kid (early '90s) and again when I worked concession stands (late '90s, early '00s).
posted by smorange at 10:19 PM on April 25, 2007

Never had them all together, but frequently had Mountain Pepper (= Mt Dew + Dr Pepper) as the drink of choice.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:23 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide. I was in elementary school in the mid-80's.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 10:26 PM on April 25, 2007

Why is everybody from Canada, especially BC in this post? Weird.

Anyway, in Nova Scotia corner stores sold something like this and it was called Cape Breton Brew.
posted by stray at 10:28 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, Manitoba, late eighties childhood.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:29 PM on April 25, 2007

Perhaps this drink is more popular in Canada than in other parts of the world.
posted by acoutu at 10:36 PM on April 25, 2007

It was called "mud" by my peers — rural western Washington state, '80s — or maybe that term was only used for a mixture of Coke and Sprite (or other cola + clear mixtures).
posted by hattifattener at 10:37 PM on April 25, 2007

I always knew it as "kamikaze". But, I am comparatively young.
posted by lhall at 10:38 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, early '80s Southern California (small town). I first encountered the term at the local movie theater, where they were a pretty common order, though I don't remember if it was actually on the menu or just something that was informally offered.
posted by camcgee at 10:40 PM on April 25, 2007

Another vote for calling it a suicide. Ft. Collins, Colorado, late '70s/early '80s. I specifically associate it with the roller rink, for some reason -- we'd always order them there, but never anywhere else, it seems.
posted by scody at 10:44 PM on April 25, 2007

Another Canadian for swamp water (wow, that sounds like some sort of political slogan)...Toronto, ON, '90's.
posted by ilana at 10:47 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide, Southern Cal, 1980s & 90s
posted by FergieBelle at 10:47 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water. (Kootenays, BC 70s/80s) And man, there's a lot of Canadians in this thread... :)
posted by Savannah at 10:48 PM on April 25, 2007

Hmm, we called it a "Purple Dragon," circa 1990, northern California.
posted by blahtsk at 10:59 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water. Canada again; 80's.
posted by painquale at 11:22 PM on April 25, 2007

I invented this myself before discussing it with my peers. I think I started with something simple like lemon lime and orange before I just maxed it out and poured everything in. Always at weird chain restaurants or Chuck E Cheese's.

Even in adulthood I occasionally do one when I go get a sandwich meal.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:23 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water, BC, 80s.
posted by synecdoche at 11:29 PM on April 25, 2007

I hope we solved whatever problem this involves.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:30 PM on April 25, 2007

Suicide in Missouri in the 80's. Though we tended to use it to refer to sno-cones more than drinks themselves.
posted by zeugitai_guy at 11:36 PM on April 25, 2007

Swamp water. Victoria, BC, again, 1970s and 80s.
posted by solid-one-love at 11:37 PM on April 25, 2007

Chiming in with Suicide, in Oklahoma in the 80s.

Swamp Water was an entirely different concoction altogether, consisting of a lime-y, Sprite-y technicolor turquoise Polynesian lagoon-colored drink that you could get at places like Sonic (which was founded in Oklahoma) and other super small town drive-ins.

Unfortunely, Googling "swamp water", "swamp water sonic" and "swamp water dixie drive in" (located in Perryton, TX, where I used to drink them all the time) reveals nothing but a really bad bartender's recipe.

However, the Wikipedia entry for Sonic refers to the blue drink as "Ocean Water." I find that to be pure blasphemy.
posted by Brittanie at 11:45 PM on April 25, 2007

I recall hearing it called an "Around the World" in high school.
posted by drinkspiller at 11:46 PM on April 25, 2007

Actually, rereading this thread, it just occured to me that my dad was the one who introduced this concept to me, as a girl. He always called it a Suicide. He grew up in California late 50s-early 60s, so that seems to be where he got the name. But even after that, Suicide was always ther terms my friends and I knew.
posted by Brittanie at 11:50 PM on April 25, 2007

My dad also used to call Mountain Dew "Mountain Douche".
posted by Brittanie at 11:55 PM on April 25, 2007

I seem to recall it being 'jungle juice' around here.

(Related aside: when we got old enough to raid the folks liquor cabinet, our desire to take little enough that it wouldn't be noticed necessitated taking a little from several bottles, the resulting concoction was called 'rocket fuel'. Really taught me to hate gin.)
posted by The Monkey at 11:58 PM on April 25, 2007

I can vaguely remember calling it a suicide when I was in grade school in western Washington in the early 80s, maybe. I think of it as a graveyard now, which I picked up at a summer program in Santa Fe in the early 90s. The kids in the program were from all over, though, so I have no idea where it came from.
posted by hades at 12:01 AM on April 26, 2007

Graveyard. Western WA, 80s.
posted by lovecrafty at 12:17 AM on April 26, 2007

We called it Swampwater. Michigan. 1970s.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:46 AM on April 26, 2007

Strangely, we did this in the university cafeterias in residence, but I don't remember anyone ever calling the drinks anything besides whatever was mixed in it. 2001, Ontario.
posted by chrominance at 12:59 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Colorado ca 1990s
posted by moift at 1:11 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Arizona, grew up in the late 80s-00s
posted by !Jim at 2:08 AM on April 26, 2007

Graveyard. Rural eastern Washington in the 1990s.
posted by Amanda B at 2:22 AM on April 26, 2007

On the snow cones sold by the PTA at my El Paso, Texas, school in the '80s, this was a 'rainbow'. But my dad (b. 1954, raised in Utah) heard us describe said delicacy and said, 'Suicide', and this is the term I use at the soda fountain now.

But it's only a suicide if it has every drink you can get in it. Otherwise it's just knowing what you like.

And brujita: 'Sneezy Crofu' definitely gets my nomination for this month's Best Metafilter Band Name.
posted by eritain at 3:07 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, southwestern Virginia, mid-80's. It tasted kinda like mud. But if someone asked "How is it," you say "Tastes great!"
posted by infinitewindow at 3:41 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide. Smalltown Indiana, 70's.
posted by donpardo at 3:46 AM on April 26, 2007

50/50 Iced Tea and Lemonade can be....

-Arnold Palmer
-Bug Juice
posted by zenja72 at 3:52 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp Water. Ottawa, ON Canada. 70's & 80's.

Go Sens!
posted by smcniven at 3:53 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Florida, late 80s, early 90s.

(Mountain Dew is called 'rocket fuel.')
posted by cmyk at 4:00 AM on April 26, 2007

Graveyard and suicide, from a former theater concessions stand girl, first heard during the 90s.
posted by messylissa at 4:10 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide. I first heard this in Ohio in either '78 or '80. Curiously, I recently found an explicit reference to it in a movie, Kenny & Company, from 1976 (and California).
posted by kimota at 4:13 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, late 90s, Kansas City.
posted by candyland at 4:19 AM on April 26, 2007

make that "late 80s"
posted by candyland at 4:19 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, early 80's, Atlanta, GA.
posted by hazyjane at 4:41 AM on April 26, 2007

According to google, we all now have our online identities associatated with suicide. Just think what CNN would do with that.

In any case, Texas, mid- 70's it was called a suicide.
posted by michswiss at 5:25 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Georgia, 1970's
posted by TedW at 5:29 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp water, Ontario, mid to late 60's.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 5:30 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Oklahoma, 1970's
posted by daveleck at 5:39 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp water, Ontario, mid 80's.
posted by KathyK at 5:44 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide in & around Atlanta, 80's and 90's.
posted by jmd82 at 5:48 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide -- southeastern Virginia in the 80's and 90's.
posted by fallenposters at 5:52 AM on April 26, 2007

Even as a lad, I always found the term "suicide" to be far too dramatic a term for mixing soda together.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 6:13 AM on April 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

Suicide. Suburbs south of Baltimore. Late 70s-early 80s.


Even as a lad, I always found the term "suicide" to be far too dramatic a term for mixing soda together.

Hey, it's hard to be a badass when the most hardcore beverage you can get your grimy little hands on is soda.
posted by desuetude at 6:22 AM on April 26, 2007

In Germany, 50/50 Coke and orange Fanta is called "Spezi." It's really good and for a long time I assumed it was a German brand of soda, and was frustrated I could never find a can of it in a store, and whenever I asked a shopkeeper whether they sold it, they explained to me that it was just coke and Fanta mixed, but my German is very bad, so all I could understand was that they were telling me no and saying something about Coke and Fanta, which I took to be "we don't have Spezi, but we do have Coke and Fanta" which I could see for myself. Very frustrating. Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share my pain with y'all.
posted by escabeche at 6:35 AM on April 26, 2007

bomb, Minnesota, 1980s-90s.
Never heard these suicide and graveyard words. Hm. In my circle, we did this most often with the Dairy Queen Mr Misty flavors.
posted by whatzit at 6:38 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, southern Texas, 1980s.

I wish someone would compile all this data into a handy graphic.
posted by fiercecupcake at 6:47 AM on April 26, 2007

The consensus seems to be swamp water in Canada and suicide in the US, but swamp water has always been the familiar term to me. FWIW, iced tea and lemonade is not an Arnold Palmer, it's a half-and-half. And bug juice is that brightly colored artificial drink that you make from a powder and get at summer camp, and is so named because once you leave the pitcher out on a picnic table, it will acquire new ingredients.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:51 AM on April 26, 2007

We don't have a word for it at all in the UK (to my knowledge), but then we have only just gotten a fast food place where you serve yourself drinks from a dispenser (Subway). Everywhere else all drink filling is done behind the counter so we never had the chance to experiment with different mixtures.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 6:52 AM on April 26, 2007

What the hell!!! We called it a graveyard in New Jersey in the 90s. I've never heard it called a suicide until today.
posted by infinityjinx at 7:06 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide. Northeast Texas, mid to late seventies and early eighties.
posted by bradth27 at 7:14 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, suburban Jersey Shore, early 80's at a slumber party.
posted by booksherpa at 7:18 AM on April 26, 2007

Following lisa g - we called it a Suicide in the suburban Midwest of the 90's. Mostly in tall red glasses at my brother's pizza place (which did, indeed, have checkered tablecloths).
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 7:21 AM on April 26, 2007

During my '80s Rust Belt childhood, I heard both Suicide and Swamp Water. I've also heard Swamp Water used to describe, specifically, a root beer and fruit soda mixture.
posted by box at 7:30 AM on April 26, 2007

Having grown up in New York City with few opportunities to mix up my own fountain soda, I never had a name for this. Sometimes on a trip to Long Island with it's exotic Seven Elevens I was able to do this and I called it a Dr. Pepsi, no matter what went into it. Everyone else I've ever met has called it a Suicide. I've never asked a Canadian what they call it.
posted by Divine_Wino at 7:33 AM on April 26, 2007

Add another to "suicide" -- gotten at the roller rink, Pizza Hut, and KFC. I grew up in rural Iowa. Man, I can't believe how ubiquitous this drink is!
posted by parilous at 7:34 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide - 80's in Kalamazoo Michigan
Round De' World - 00's in Bermuda
posted by jasondigitized at 7:44 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Midwest Roller Rink...

Is there an echo in here?
posted by schyler523 at 7:47 AM on April 26, 2007

In Boston in the early 90s, it came pre-made as "OK Cola"
posted by one_bean at 7:55 AM on April 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

Swamp water, Alberta, 70's and 80's. We still call a mixed drink made with the dregs of every bottle at the house party a "swamp water".
posted by some chick at 8:06 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp Water, Southern Ontario, '80s. I love regional names for everyday things! Chesterfield! Pop!
posted by mrmcsurly at 8:09 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp water. Calgary, Alberta, Canada; mid-90s.
posted by ruwan at 8:11 AM on April 26, 2007

Across the Board, 8th St. Playhouse, late '80s.

(Different but related: Coffee, brewed with tea instead of water, and with a couple of NoDoz crumbled into it is called Bren Brew.)

If you mix up a lot of different kinds of alcohol from your parents' liquor cabinet, the resulting mixture is called Monster Soup. (Clear Monster Soup mixes well with sodas. Brown Monster Soup results in copious vomiting.)
posted by bink at 8:12 AM on April 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

Suicide, little-league baseball refreshment counter, Tennessee, 1980s
posted by zachxman at 8:19 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp Water. Ottawa, ON Canada. 70's & 80's.

Ditto all of that.
posted by kmennie at 8:35 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp water; Victoria area; '90s. Never knew that was a Canadianism.
posted by smably at 8:51 AM on April 26, 2007

Definitely a suicide. First heard (by me) in Nebraska in probably the late 1980s.
posted by dead_ at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, and of course if you only mix 2 kinds of drinks together, it's an attempted suicide.
posted by IndigoRain at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2007

OK soda.
posted by Ruki at 8:56 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, mid-80s, Louisiana. Of course, any single drink was a Coke, regardless of brand.
posted by m0nm0n at 9:09 AM on April 26, 2007

Another vote for suicide.
Also a Midwestern suburbanite, 80's, roller rink. Damn there are a lot of us here. Is this what fitting in feels like?
posted by selfmedicating at 9:27 AM on April 26, 2007

I'll chime in with another "graveyard", I never knew there were other names for it. I grew up in Portland, Oregon 80s/90s but my parents were from rural New York and Pennsylvania so I don't know where we got the name from.
posted by sweetmarie at 9:37 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Roller Rink or Pizza Place (red cups, checkerboard, etc), Northeast Texas, early 80's
posted by Big_B at 9:43 AM on April 26, 2007

On the World of Coca-Cola tour in Atlanta, you get a chance to sample the various sodas that they market around the world. When I was there, the tour guide had us try the “International Suicide,” which was a mixture of every variety.
posted by ijoshua at 9:48 AM on April 26, 2007

late to the party, but in Detroit we called it a Suicide.
posted by indiebass at 9:57 AM on April 26, 2007

My friend (whose mother owned a diner) always insisted that there was a particular mixture of Coke, Sprite, and root beer that would taste exactly like cream soda. seemed germane to this discussion
posted by misterbrandt at 10:07 AM on April 26, 2007

We called it tornado or hurricane in Houston/southeast Texas in the late 80s/early 90s.
posted by katemonster at 10:29 AM on April 26, 2007

This is a great thread

Suicide, Minnesota, pizza parlor, early 90s
posted by craven_morhead at 10:46 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide. When I managed a daiquiri bar in college, people would order them there. Ew, 15 flavors of frozen beverages all mixed together.

This was Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Mid 1990s.
posted by pyjammy at 10:47 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide.

Mid 1990s, greater Seattle area.
posted by lorrer at 10:55 AM on April 26, 2007

Swamp Water, Toronto, mid-80s.

Also made with slurpee, and occasionally supplemented with gummies, sour keys or gob-stoppers.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:00 AM on April 26, 2007

A Suicide,

A Maximum Suicide contained Diet Coke, Tab, Diet Fresca, Coffee, Creamer, or other non appropriate ingredients.
posted by Megafly at 11:13 AM on April 26, 2007

Suicide. Late-80s New Hampshire.
posted by Greg Nog at 11:13 AM on April 26, 2007

suicide!!! Mid-eighties, California. The particular sodas mixed did not matter. As a kid, I always thought it corresponded to some adult cocktail -- in fact, I've ordered a 'suicide' a couple times at a bar.

google, however, doesn't really seem to think this exists. so maybe the bartender was just trying his best to make me not look like an idiot. (and hell, when someone orders a suicide, you can pretty much put whatever into it).
posted by fishfucker at 11:20 AM on April 26, 2007

I never knew this sort of thing had a name. Y'all suppose it's the same for mixing every flavor of Slurpee too?
posted by sperose at 11:26 AM on April 26, 2007

Here to represent the late 60's/early 70's (man do I feel a little old). In Louisiana/Mississippi we called them suicides but I also think I've heard them referred to as kamikazes.
posted by Carbolic at 12:01 PM on April 26, 2007

Hurricane. 80s/90s Pennsylvania

Never heard suicide until a few years ago, in Boston.
posted by ThePants at 12:04 PM on April 26, 2007

I also think I've heard them referred to as kamikazes.

and that would be the cocktail name i was looking for.

So i guess we also called them both.
posted by fishfucker at 12:12 PM on April 26, 2007

Growing up I heard it called a "suicide" about 90% of the time, and a "tornado" about 10% of the time. I assumed the "tornado" people weren't from 'round here.

I can't say I've heard it referenced in at least 15 years before today. How odd.
posted by Ynoxas at 12:46 PM on April 26, 2007

In Bermuda late 70's, early 80's (and still to this day) it's called a Round De World
posted by snatchos at 1:11 PM on April 26, 2007

Swamp Water, NWOntario, late 70s-early 80s. Though it was rare as I couldn't imagine actually requesting it and I almost never went anyplace that had a do-it-yourself soda machine.

Now, I'll make it sometimes when I'm getting a fountain Diet Coke - I put a tiny bit of regular Coke and some Root Beer or Dr Pepper in at the end - fools me into thinking I'm drinking a whole big Coke without all that many calories. Yum!
posted by marylynn at 1:45 PM on April 26, 2007

Swamp water, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

YOU called it Swamp Water in Saskatoon?

But, but, WE called it Swamp Water in Regina!

Maybe we have more in common that can bridge the gap between our two solit -- nah.

(I have a suspicion, by the way, that the name may have spread through the 7-Eleven chain. And I never heard it called a "suicide" until I started seeing it in books about the history of Coca-Cola.)
posted by evilcolonel at 3:41 PM on April 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

one more for the minority graveyard. rural oregon. 70s & 80s. but I also want to be on record as having always thought the idea revolting (and prpbably against the rules)
posted by dipolemoment at 5:09 PM on April 26, 2007

Suicide, Nevada, 90s.

On the World of Coca-Cola tour in Atlanta, you get a chance to sample the various sodas that they market around the world.

I just wanted to say that I love the World of Coca-Cola tour. Some of those international sodas are pretty darn good.
posted by naoko at 6:08 PM on April 26, 2007

suicide, rocket fuel when you're doing it with liquor instead of soda.
posted by kdar at 6:42 PM on April 26, 2007

At the Barrington Park District Ball Park Concession Stand, it was called either a Suicide or a Grand Slam, depending on... actually, I don't know what it depended on. Some people just called it a Grand Slam.
posted by me3dia at 7:28 PM on April 26, 2007

Late to the game, but suicide here too, 1970s Indiana. My pop, who undoubtedly gave that to me, is from Michigan.
posted by the dief at 5:45 AM on April 27, 2007

i worked in a toronto movie theatre in the late 1990s, and we called it an "ALL DRESSED". we were being ironic, though.
ps, did you know germans mix orange juice and beer for breakfast? delicious!
posted by twistofrhyme at 9:43 AM on April 27, 2007