Mountain Dew started out as a whiskey mixer in Tennessee, not a soft drink aisle regular, and the name is a direct nod to moonshine.
A 1940s whiskey mixer from Tennessee
Mountain Dew was created in the 1940s by brothers Barney and Ally Hartman, bottlers based in Tennessee, as a citrus soda designed specifically to be mixed with whiskey. "Mountain dew" was slang for moonshine at the time, and the drink's name, and its early hillbilly-themed branding, leaned directly into that connection.
From regional soda to Pepsi ownership
Mountain Dew stayed a relatively regional US product for years before PepsiCo acquired the brand in 1964, folding it into its portfolio alongside Pepsi itself. Under Pepsi's distribution muscle, it grew into one of the biggest-selling sodas in the United States, known for its bright green colour and citrus flavour.
More caffeine than most mainstream sodas
Mountain Dew carries noticeably more caffeine than most other mainstream sodas — around 54mg per 12 fl oz can, compared to roughly 34mg in the same size can of Coca-Cola. That's part of what built its reputation as a higher-energy soda option long before energy drinks took over that space.
Why it's harder to find on UK shelves
Despite its size in the US market, Mountain Dew has never become a mainstream UK supermarket staple. It's available, but mostly through specialist American import retailers rather than standard soft drinks aisles, which keeps it in the same "imported treat" bracket as a lot of other US snacks and drinks popular in our American candy and snacks collection.
Frequently asked questions
How did Mountain Dew get its name and start?
Mountain Dew was created in the 1940s by Tennessee bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman as a citrus-flavoured mixer intended to be drunk with whiskey — "mountain dew" was a slang term for moonshine at the time, which is where the name and much of the branding came from.
How much caffeine does Mountain Dew have compared to other sodas?
A 12 fl oz can of Mountain Dew contains around 54mg of caffeine, noticeably more than a same-sized can of Coca-Cola, which has around 34mg, making Mountain Dew one of the more caffeinated mainstream sodas.
Is Mountain Dew easy to find in the UK?
Not as a mainstream supermarket staple — Mountain Dew is far more of an everyday soda in the US, and in the UK it's typically found through specialist American import retailers rather than on standard supermarket shelves.