If you’re familiar with Scotland—or perhaps are familiar with Gaelic DuoLingo—you’ve probably heard of Irn Bru. Irn Bru is a fizzy drink that’s very popular in Scotland. It’s more popular than any other soda brand. It’s said to be the best hangover cure. In my entry on Drinks You Should Try in Scotland, I share a few extra factoids about Irn Bru.
Can I describe to you what Irn Bru is like? Well, it’s been a few years, but I’ll give it a go. The best way I can describe the taste is bubblegum. I know fellow Americans are thinking “bubblegum soda? Pass”. When I bought an Irn Bru and tried it for the first time, I felt the same—until I finished the bottle and was a little sad.
I also managed to sneak a wee bottle back to the States once and brought it into the office for coworkers to sample, along with other Scottish goodies. The collection of reactions was: yes, it does taste like bubblegum; but like bubblegum-flavored medicine; not as fizzy as American soda; and one person saying, “Oh, this tastes like dick”. There was also a comment on just how much sugar was in it: a small airport bottle had 5 servings and 10 grams of sugar per serving. (Note: this was in 2015 before Irn Bru changed the recipe to have less sugar). But I still think you have give it a try if you have the chance.
All this to say: Irn Bru, while others might think it strange, has a place and home in Scotland. The Scots love their Irn Bru. If you know that, then you’ll be just fine going into this edition of Huv Ye Seen It.
It’s a cool 30 seconds, so you definitely have time for it!
*Side note for those doing the DuoLingo Gaelic course: Irn Bru is not a Gaelic phrase. It’s the name brand of the fizzy juice.