View source for Ale-8-One

{{short description|Regional ginger-ale soft drink}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}{{Infobox beverage
| name = Ale 8 One
| image = Ale-8-One logo.svg
| image_size = 220
| caption = Official Ale-8-One Logo
| type = [[Soft drink]]
| manufacturer = Ale-8-One Bottling Company, Inc.
| origin = {{USA}}
| introduced = July 13, 1926 ({{Years or months ago|1926}})
| flavor = [[Ginger ale]], [[List of lemon-lime drink brands|lemon-lime]]
| variants = {{Unbulleted list|Ale-8 Zero Sugar|Caffeine Free Ale-8 Zero Sugar|Cherry |Cherry Ale-8 Zero Sugar | Orange Cream Soda | Strawberry Watermelon |  Blackberry|Peach| Roxa-Cola}} Pawpaw
| website = {{URL|https://ale8one.com/}}
}}

'''Ale-8-One''' pronounced as A Late One,<ref>https://ale8one.com/heritage/family-secret</ref> colloquially '''Ale-8''', is a [[ginger]]-ale [[soft drink]] bottled by the Ale-8-One Bottling Company in [[Winchester, Kentucky]], United States. It is distributed primarily to brick and mortar retailers in [[Kentucky]].<ref name="trendy">{{Cite news |last=Chellogren |first=Mark R. |date=July 31, 1994 |title=Trendy soft drink has local public following |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaVFAAAAIBAJ&dq=ale+8+one+winchester+ky&pg=PA3&article_id=6781,3840960 |publisher=[[The Portsmouth Daily Times]] |page=A4 |via=Google Books |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

==History==
The formula for Ale-8-One was developed by soda bottler G. L. Wainscott in the 1920s.<ref name=kye>Walton, p. 11</ref> Wainscott, who had been in the soda business in [[Winchester, Kentucky]], since 1902, had developed Roxa-Kola, his previous flagship product, in 1906. In creating the formula for Ale-8-One, Wainscott drew upon his knowledge of [[ginger]]-based recipes acquired in northern Europe.<ref name=kye />

Wainscott began bottling Ale-8-One in 1926, and sponsored a naming contest for the drink. "A Late One" was chosen as the winning entry, suggesting that the product was "the latest thing" in soft drinks, and shortened to "Ale-8-One".<ref name=kye /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Family Secret - Ale-8-One |url=https://ale8one.com/heritage/family-secret/ |access-date=2018-12-03 |work=Ale-8-One |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1935, Wainscott purchased a livery stable in Winchester and converted it to a bottling factory to expand his operation.<ref name=kye /> Upon Wainscott's death in 1944, half of his company stock went to his wife; the other half was divided among his employees.<ref name=kye /> When his wife died in 1954, her stock was left to her brother, Frank A. Rogers.<ref name=kye /> Rogers bought the remaining company stock in 1962 and incorporated the Ale-8-One Bottling Company.<ref name=kye /> He named his son, Frank Rogers Jr., manager of the new company.<ref name=kye />

The Ale-8-One Bottling Company constructed a new plant in Winchester in 1965.<ref name=kye /> It ceased production of Roxa-Kola in 1968 and by 1974, had halted production of all its other drinks to focus on Ale-8-One.<ref name=kye /> The company remains under the control of the Rogers family.<ref name=kye />

A limited edition reissue of Roxa-Kola was released in November 2023, and re-released for a long term run in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last=Woosley-Collins |first=Hannah |date=September 29, 2023 |title=55 years later, Ale 8 teases return of Roxa Kola |url=https://www.wtvq.com/55-years-later-ale-8-teases-return-of-roxa-kola/?fbclid=IwAR23nCWX7A4JaXH35G8gI3Ew3KidYhTAqVkH4V4RM5cVsD94CVLoaF77jtE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929185729/https://www.wtvq.com/55-years-later-ale-8-teases-return-of-roxa-kola |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |access-date=September 29, 2023 |work=[[WTVQ-DT|WTVQ]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ale-8-One Revives Roxa Kola, The Retro Flavor That Started It All |url=https://www.wdtn.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/658384795/ale-8-one-revives-roxa-kola-the-retro-flavor-that-started-it-all/ |access-date=Sep 28, 2023 |website=WDTN |date=28 September 2023 |publisher=EIN Presswire / Newsmastics}}</ref>

==Composition==
The Ale-8-One recipe is a closely guarded family secret.{{r|trendy}} Reportedly, only former company president Frank A. Rogers III and his son, current president Fielding Rogers, know its exact composition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://atasteofkentucky.com/2017/06/29/about-ale-8-one/|title=About Ale-8-One|date=2017-06-29|website=A Taste of Kentucky|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref> Scientific studies have proven that Ale-8-One has less [[caffeine]] than [[Coca-Cola]], [[Pepsi]], or [[Mountain Dew]].{{r|trendy}}

==Variants==
In 2003, the company announced limited distribution of Diet Ale-8,<ref name=variants>{{cite web|title=Varieties|publisher=Ale-8-One Bottling Company|access-date=June 23, 2023|url=https://ale8one.com/beverages/varieties/}}</ref> its first new product since the introduction of the original Ale-8 in 1926. Diet Ale 8, which was renamed Ale-8 Zero Sugar in 2020, contains 44&nbsp;mg of caffeine and no sugars. The diet variety is sweetened with a mixture of [[acesulfame potassium]] and [[sucralose]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2018}} Caffeine Free Diet Ale 8 (now Caffeine Free Ale-8 Zero Sugar), sweetened with [[Splenda]], followed in March 2011.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In 2018, Cherry Ale-8 was released. It was first available exclusively in fountain drink form, then it became available in bottles.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/38272433/cherry-ale-8-one-on-sale-in-louisville-may-25-at-only-one-location|title=Cherry Ale-8-One on sale in Louisville May 25 at only one location|publisher=[[WDRB]]|date=May 24, 2018|access-date=September 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>Motsinger, Carol (April 12, 2018). [https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2018/04/12/ale-8-one-cherry-release-new-spin-its-beloved-soda/509954002/ "After 92 years, Ale-8-One will release a new spin on its beloved soda"]. ''[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]''. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref><ref>Henry, Morgan (April 24, 2018). [https://www.wtvq.com/2018/04/24/cherry-ale-8-available-end-week/ "Cherry Ale-8 to be available by end of the week"]. [[WTVQ-DT]]. Retrieved September 18, 2018.</ref> A zero-sugar version of Cherry Ale-8 became available in 2020.{{r|variants}} In April 2019, Ale-8-One announced a new orange cream soda flavor to be available in early May of that year.<ref>Walters, Alexia (April 4, 2019). [https://lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/2019/04/04/ale-8-one-to-release-orange-creme-flavor/ "Ale-8-One To Release Orange Creme Flavor"]. [[WLEX-TV]]. Retrieved April 4, 2019.</ref> In May 2022, Blackberry Ale-8 was released to the public, in a bottled form. In May 2023, Peach Ale-8 was released as a limited edition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-19 |title=Ale-8-One to release seasonal peach flavor |url=https://www.lex18.com/news/ale-8-one-to-release-seasonal-peach-flavor |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX) |language=en}}</ref> In July 2024, StrawMelon Ale-8 was released as a limited edition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-12 |title=StrawMelon Ale-8 |url=https://ale8one.com/product/strawmelon-ale-8-12-pack-bottles/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website= Ale-8-One Bottling Company |language=en}}</ref> In August 2025, PawPaw Ale-8 was released as a seasonal edition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-02 |title=Paw Paw Ale-8 |url= https://ale8one.com/product/pawpaw-ale-8-12-pack-bottles/ |access-date=2025-08-02 |website=Ale-8-One Bottling Company |language=en}}</ref>

==Availability and distribution==
[[File:A bottle of Ale-8-One 1.jpg|thumb|A bottle of Ale-8-One]]
For much of its history, Ale-8 was only available in central and eastern Kentucky. In April 2001, the Ale-8-One Bottling Company expanded its distribution to areas of southern [[Ohio]] and southern [[Indiana]] through an agreement with [[Coca-Cola Enterprises]]. Later, distribution expanded to [[East Tennessee]] and western [[Virginia]].{{When|date=August 2024}} It is also available in some parts of [[West Virginia]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In July 2015, Ale-8 announced plans to expand distribution into [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]].{{Update inline|date=August 2024}}

===Nationwide distribution===
In 2016, [[Cracker Barrel]] began distributing the drink nationwide in all of its locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/31468349/ale-8-one-will-now-be-available-nationwide-in-cracker-barrel-stores|title=Ale-8-One will now be available nationwide in Cracker Barrel stores|date=14 March 2016 |publisher=[[WDRB]]|access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/2892077/ale-8-one-ky-soft-drink-to-be-carried-in-cracker-barrel-stores-nationwide/ “Ale-8-One: Kentucky Soft Drink To Be Carried In Cracker Barrel Stores Nationwide“]. ''Inquisitr'' (March 15, 2016). Retrieved June 10, 2017.</ref> In 2017, [[The Fresh Market]] began distributing Ale-8 and Diet Ale-8 in their stores in the eastern and Midwestern United States.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Other products==
In 2006, the Ale-8-One Bottling Company introduced Ale-8-One Salsa, which was available as an experimental product, but became a permanent item at [[Kroger]] stores and on the company's online store. The salsa was inspired by a [[Sullivan University]] student who won a contest commemorating the company's 80th anniversary by making a salsa dish with Ale-8-One as an ingredient.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ale-8-One Offers Salsa|work=[[The Harrodsburg Herald]]|date=October 12, 2006|page=12C|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1TczAAAAIBAJ&dq=ale-8-one&pg=PA38&article_id=1337,5113434|via=Google Books}}</ref> Shortly after,{{When|date=August 2024}} Ale-8-One Barbecue Sauce was introduced.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==See also==
* [[Craft soda]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

'''Works cited'''
*{{cite encyclopedia |last=Walton |first=Riley Rogers |chapter=Ale-8-One |editor=John E. Kleber |others=Associate editors: [[Thomas D. Clark]], [[Lowell H. Harrison]], and James C. Klotter |title=The Kentucky Encyclopedia |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-1772-0 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&q=%22ale+8+one%22&pg=PA11 |access-date=27 May 2019}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://ale8one.com/}}
* [http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/ale-8-one/ Review on BevNET.com]
* Sauceman, Fred (September 30, 2005). [https://web.archive.org/web/20070228190701/http://www.wets.org/index.cgi?CONTEXT=cat&cat=10071 "Kentucky's Ale-8-One Soon to Turn 80"] WETS-fm Public Radio site.
* Lomax, Rebecca (July 18–24, 2002). [https://web.archive.org/web/20060528105828/http://www.citybeat.com/2002-07-18/diner.shtml "The Latest Thing."] (Cincinnati) ''CityBeat''.

{{Ginger ales}}
{{Citrus drinks}}

[[Category:Ginger ale]]
[[Category:Citrus sodas]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Kentucky]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1926]]
[[Category:American soft drinks]]
[[Category:Winchester, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Culture of Kentucky]]
[[Category:Cuisine of the Southern United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Kentucky]]