In a world that seems to be dominated by the Big Two, Coca-Cola and Pepsi might have to make some room on the shelf for some of these underdogs of the soft drink industry. Whether you call it Soda, Pop, Fizzy-Drink, or Tonic, one thing that we can all agree on… they’re damn tasty!

There’s something to be said about enjoying a frosty carbonated drink in a genuine glass bottle. From the solid feel of the shaped glass to the ritualistic popping of the metal cap, it either swells you with memories of nostalgia or translates into a sense of high-end quality. And you know everyone swears that it tastes better from a glass bottle.

Maybe container material does play a role in perceived taste, but how much of it relates to the brand promise that a classic bottle represents? In that case, how does the brand promise in the overall packaging affect your decision to buy? In our limited observational research of the craft soda industry, three schools of brand-type emerged.

1. Turn-of-the-Century Heritage Brands.
2. 50′s Baby-Boomer Nostalgia Brands.
3. High-Design Contemporary Brands.

If you think these micro-brews don’t affect how the bigger drink companies position their products, have you noticed the throw-back labels on some of your favorite brands? How ’bout those all-natural Pepsi’s and 7Up’s with real cane sugar and real fruit juices? I think they’re trying to remind the public where they came from. Pretty much where these smaller soda bottlers are right now. Real ingredients and attention to quality.

What are some of your favorite hidden gems of the soda world? And what made you first decide to try them out? Flavor? Packaging? Branding? Tell us your answers at the bottom of this post.