Skip to content
TrueNorthBriefQuick, clear answers for curious Canadians
Food

Mountain Dew

What is mountain dew?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Type Citrus-flavored soft drink[1]
Creators Barney Hartman; Ally Hartman[1]
Origin Tennessee[1]
Decade 1940s[1]
Original use Mixer[1]
Acquired by Pepsi-Cola company[3]

Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored soft drink brand created in Tennessee in the 1940s by Barney and Ally Hartman, originally as a mixer. Pepsi-Cola acquired the brand in 1964, expanding its distribution across the United States. [1] [3]

Context

Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored soft drink brand created in Tennessee in the 1940s by beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman, originally developed as a mixer [1]. Pepsi-Cola acquired the brand and production rights in 1964, after which distribution expanded more widely in the United States [3]. The drink was developed after the Hartmans could not find their preferred lemon-lime soda for mixing [1]. The name 'Mountain Dew' was used before the soft drink as slang for moonshine or whiskey [4]. Different sources disagree on the place and date of the original formula, with some saying Tennessee in the 1940s and others mentioning Marion, Virginia, or 1948 [2] [3] [5].

Documented claims

  • Mountain Dew was first marketed in Marion, Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Johnson City, Tennessee. [3]
  • The drink was developed after the Hartmans could not find their preferred lemon-lime soda for mixing. [1]
  • The name 'Mountain Dew' was used before the soft drink as slang for moonshine or whiskey. [4]

Questions and answers

What is the actual flavor of Mountain Dew?

Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored soft drink, originally created as a mixer in the 1940s [1].

Why do hillbillies like Mountain Dew?

The name 'Mountain Dew' was used as slang for moonshine or whiskey before the soft drink existed, which may explain its association with hillbilly culture [4].

Is Mountain Dew Canadian?

Mountain Dew was created in Tennessee in the 1940s and acquired by Pepsi-Cola in 1964, so it is an American brand [1] [3].

Sources

  1. When was Mountain Dew invented? How did it get its name? — contact.pepsico.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. The History of Mountain Dew: Beginnings — mahaska.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Johnson City, Marion or Knoxville: Where did Mountain Dew begin? — wjhl.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. The Unknown History of Mountain Dew — historyoasis.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Who Invented Mountain Dew? - Taste Cooking — tastecooking.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Food