The Little Soda That Could by Michael and Cheryl Nelson
The story of Sarsaparilla in Columbia
If you asked someone about the unique features that set Tuolumne County apart from the rest of the country, few people would know to add sarsaparilla soda alongside Yosemite National Park. For the last 10 years the little soda label of Columbia Soda Works has been chugging along and gaining steam. Sarsaparilla has been around long before Mike and Cheryl Nelson came to Tuolumne County. However, to the best of their knowledge the cousin of root beer never was available in a ready to drink bottle in this county. The Nelsons have been employed at most of the businesses in Columbia for the past several decades with a love for the ol’ 49er town and the history that it offers. The most memorable job was working behind the bar at the Jack Douglass and St. Charles Saloons in the 1970’s for Tom Cornett. They poured many a beer and ice-cold sarsaparilla into frosty mugs to parched visitors from all over the world. It was during those times that the Nelsons became familiar with the little bottles of sarsaparilla extract from the Jack Douglass Extract Company that were for sale in Columbia establishments.
In the early 1980’s the Saloons changed hands and the Jack Douglass Extract fell by the wayside. The Nelsons maintained an interest in the product, and launched their own Columbia Diggins Extract Company in 1997. To promote their new venture with a gold rush theme, they purchased a spring wagon, turned it into a chuck wagon and painted their business name, “Columbia Diggins Extract Co.” on the wooden side. They took this wagon to many fairs and rodeos to sell their extract as fountain syrup and to pour it as a soda for their patrons. At that time, Summit Beverage Company was distributing their fountain syrup to Tuolumne County businesses. Pat Hedwig, former owner of Summit convinced the Nelsons to go one step further and bottle a ready to drink sarsaparilla soda. He assured them that he could sell it. Pat set them up with Fred and Tony Varni of 7up in Modesto. The Varnis’ amazingly agreed to the first 500 case run, an extremely small amount in such a competitive, fast-paced, market.
The Nelsons went to work, did lots of research, contacted agencies, got help from friends, and created Columbia Soda Works, Sarsaparilla Soda. “All we really cared about was to make enough soda for the town of Columbia,” says Mike. “That is how it went for quite a few years.”
Summit Beverage Co. closed their doors a few years ago and now Stanislaus Distributing, Blue Dog Distributing, and Real Soda in Los Angeles are all selling the little sarsaparilla we know and love. You can find Columbia Soda Works Sarsaparilla in nine other states in top groceries like BevMo, Raley’s Market, Fred Meyer Groceries and Nugget Markets.
Columbia Soda Works is celebrating their 10th year of being in business and have scheduled the Sarsaparilla Roundup/Festival to commemorate this anniversary. The Nelsons are inviting friends, family, and the public to help celebrate. “It could possibly be the only event of its kind on the planet happening right here in Tuolumne County!” says Cheryl Nelson. Highlights of the party will be a pasta feed until the food runs out and free sarsaparilla, music, and several noteworthy contests for the public to participate in for prizes, including junior and senior league belching contests, a sarsaparilla culinary cook-off contest with a sweets division and an entree division, and a sarsaparilla song/jingle contest to challenge all those songwriters out there.
The Sarsaparilla Roundup/Festival takes place June 6th at 5 p.m. at the Jack Douglass Saloon in Columbia. Come celebrate the “little soda that could!”
For more information call Cheryl at 532-1850 or e-mail diggins1@att.net.
