mountain dew

Mountain Dew is a citrus flavored soft drink, produced by PepsiCo. It was first marketed locally in 1948 and across the United States in 1964. In the U.S. and New Zealand, Mountain Dew has a higher caffeine content than other drinks, like Pepsi or Coca-Cola. However, Mountain Dew marketed in Australia and Canada--as well as several U.S. states--has no caffeine added at all. In Europe, Mountain Dew is available in the following countries:

Iceland (since 2002)
Finland (since 2002)
Poland (since 2002)
Norway (since 2005)
Switzerland
Germany (only at a few gas stations, and Subway restaurants)

A version of the drink was marketed for three years in the UK during the late 1990s. However, it is believed (more of an urban myth) that Mountain Dew is actually illegal (its American formulation at least) to sell in the UK due to its high caffine content and excessive artificial ingredients. Mountain Dew was originally marketed as "zero proof moonshine" and had pictures of hillbillies on the bottle. Today's marketing target is radically different. The drink is mainly marketed to people in the 20-30 year old demographic group, and Mountain Dew advertising creates a connection between the drink and extreme sports. Recently, Mountain Dew has used the characters from Spy vs. Spy in commercials that feature them fighting over the drink.

Flavors

Mountain Dew
Diet Mountain Dew
Caffeine-Free Mountain Dew (confirmed available in eastern Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Vermont, North Carolina, Provo, Utah, and parts of Ohio)
Diet Caffeine-Free Mountain Dew (confirmed available in eastern Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Virginia and Michigan)
Mountain Dew Code Red (Cherry flavored, introduced in 2001)
Diet Mountain Dew Code Red
Mountain Dew LiveWire (Orange flavored, introduced in summer 2003 as a limited-time product -- but brought back again for summer 2004)
Mountain Dew Baja Blast (Lime flavored, available exclusively at all Taco Bell stores starting in summer 2004)
Mountain Dew Pitch Black (Black grape flavored) - limited edition flavor for Halloween ; released in August 2004
Mountain Dew Electrocution (Wild Berries flavored) - to be released for the 2005 Easter season.

Historical meanings

Mountain Dew was originally southern and/or Irish slang for moonshine (homemade whiskey), or poitn as it is called in Ireland. An 1882 song from Ireland "The Rare Old Mountain Dew" (Words by Edward Harrigan. Music by Dave Braham) begins:

Let grasses grow and waters flow

In a free and easy way,

But give me enough of the rare ould stuff,

That's made near Galway Bay,

Come gougers all from Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim too,

And we'll give them the slip and we'll take a sip,

Of the rare ould mountain dew.

A 1947 version by Grandpa Jones (1913-1998) may be better-known to Americans:

There's a big holler tree down the road here from me

where you lay down a doller er two.

When you come round the bend and when you come back again

there's a jug full of good old mountain dew