What Is Scotland's Irn-Bru Soda?

When in Scotland, do as the Scots do and enjoy a bottle of A.G. Barr's Irn-Bru. It's rumored to be a hangover cure and some consider it to be "Scotland's other national drink" (per NPR). For over a century, it outsold Coca-Cola in Scotland, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The drink is so uniquely Scottish it even has its own registered tartan (per Scotish Registrar of Tartans) inspired by the drink's bright orange color and blue brand colors. The distinctive shade comes from iron or "ammonium ferric citrate," according to Atlas Obscura. Irn-Bru's advertising boasts it is "made in Scotland—from girders," (per YouTube).

While there is no mistaking the iconic orange hue, the flavor is hard to describe. Reddit attempted to describe it with answers ranging from "bubble gum, but not quite. Maybe banana?" to "Ambrosia from Mount Olympus itself." Some of the more vivid descriptions came when representatives from a Scottish children's charity gave kids from the Ukraine their first tastes of Irn-Bru. One kid commented it tasted like, "salty with banana," while another exclaimed, "sugary, no salty!" (per YouTube).

Not only is the flavor a mystery, but so is the recipe. Irn-Bru makers A.G. Barr claimed the original secret recipe contained 32 flavors. Apparently, only three living people know it including A.G. Barr company chairman Robin Barr, his daughter Julie Barr, and one other top secret A.G. Barr board director (per The Scotsman). Rumor has it the three never travel together, but that isn't Irn-Bru's only mystery. 

The Irn-Bru brand is part legend dating back to is origins in 1901, per A.G. Barr., when in 1901, workers re-building the Glasgow Central Station needed an alternative to beer. A.G. Barr created the soft drink with plenty of caffeine and sugar to get the steelworkers through the day. "'Iron Brew' was born and a long history of it getting Scots through tough situations began," per A.G. Barr.

A drink this strong requires a lot of horsepower — literally. Clydesdale horses used to deliver it. One of these large workhorses could carry as many as 70 dozen bottles, according to The Scotsman. In fact, the world's largest horse at the time, Carnera, delivered Irn-Bru. He stood 6-feet and 6-inches tall at his shoulder and weighed around one ton (per Falkirk Herald).

Over the years, Irn-Bru adapted to changes in regulations and society. The original name was "Iron Brew." However, following World War II, British legislation required accurate ingredient names and labels. The soda was renamed "Irn-Bru" to get around the fact it isn't actually brewed, per Atlas Obscura. More recently in 2018, A.G. Barr changed the formula to cut the sugar content nearly by half in response to a government levy on high-sugar drinks that was coming into effect at the time. Some were so concerned that they started stocking up on OG Irn-Bru, and 8,000 people signed the "Hands Off Our Irn Bru" petition (per Reuters). Other brand adaptations include soda stream and a sugar-free Irn-Bru.