1. The base
Every dirty soda starts with a base — Coke, Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, root beer, lemonade, or sparkling water. At Thirst we stock 28 bases, including caffeine-free and zero-sugar options.
The Utah original
What is a dirty soda?
A base soda, flavor shots, real fruit, and a swirl of cream — the drink Utah invented, and the one we've been perfecting at Thirst since 2016.
The anatomy of a dirty soda
2. The flavor shots
This is where it gets fun. Syrups like coconut, vanilla, raspberry, peach, and lavender transform the base. We carry 28 flavor shots, and you can mix up to four in one drink.
3. The fruit & purees
Fresh lime, strawberry puree, mango, pineapple — real fruit turns a good dirty soda into a great one. Frozen fruit keeps it cold without watering it down.
4. The cream
The 'dirty' part. A splash of half-and-half, coconut cream, or sweet cream swirled in last gives a dirty soda its signature cloudy look and smooth finish.
Four builds to try first
Order these as-is at any Thirst, or use them as a starting point in our drink builder.
The Classic
Diet Coke + coconut + fresh lime + cream
The combination that started the Utah dirty soda craze.
Raspberry Dream
Dr. Pepper + raspberry + vanilla + cream
Sweet, smooth, and our most remixed build.
Tropical Storm
Sprite + mango puree + pineapple + coconut cream
Tastes like a vacation. Caffeine-free.
Peachy Keen
Lemonade + peach + strawberry puree
Bright and fruity — a kids' favorite.
Pair your dirty soda with fresh-fried beignets or warm pretzel bites — or bring the whole bar to your event with Thirst Catering.
Dirty soda questions
What is a dirty soda?
A dirty soda is a fountain soda 'dirtied up' with flavor syrups, fruit purees, and a splash of cream. The style was popularized in Utah in the 2010s and has since spread across the country.
Where did dirty sodas come from?
Utah. Specialty soda shops opened across the state in the early 2010s, and the dirty soda became a Utah original — Thirst opened in downtown Salt Lake City in 2016 and has been mixing them ever since.
Are dirty sodas caffeinated?
Only if the base is. Choose Sprite, lemonade, or sparkling water with fruit and cream for a fully caffeine-free dirty soda.
Can I get a dirty soda without dairy?
Yes — coconut cream is our most popular dairy-free option, and plenty of builds skip cream entirely and go all-in on fruit and purees.
Thirst in the news
City Weekly — Best of Utah · 2022
Best Dirty Soda Shop: Thirst Drinks — "Utah's most beloved beverage broker"
The New Yorker · 2024
The Unexpected Pleasures of a Dirty Soda
Tasting Table
Here's Why There Are So Many Soda Shops In Utah
The Salt Lake Tribune · 2024
Utah's iconic 'dirty soda' has gone national. Why, and why now?
The Salt Lake Tribune · 2024
More of Utah's 'dirty sodas' are coming to the Salt Lake City airport — along with other new shops, restaurants
FOX 13
Thirst serves up happy drinks and treats
KUTV · 2020
Salt Lake City soda shop adapts to thrive amid coronavirus
KUTV
All KUTV coverage of Thirst Drinks
KUTV Taste Utah
Taste Utah Bytes: Thirst Drinks in Salt Lake County
KUTV Inside the Story
Teen entrepreneur opens his fourth business, complete with flavored soda
ABC4
U of U college student opens successful soda shop in Salt Lake City
ABC4 · 2026
Thirst will give away free energy drinks with any purchase on Sept. 30
ABC4
U of U student-founded business opens location in Vivint Smart Home Arena
Daily Utah Chronicle · 2017
Ethan Cisneros: quenching Salt Lake City's thirst
Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
Thirst Drinks: a soda mixology store serving superior customer service
Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
Thirst Drinks now on campus
Female Foodie Podcast
Ethan Cisneros, founder of Thirst
Female Foodie
How Thirst Drinks founder Ethan Cisneros built a soda empire
Utah Business · 2026
Utah dirty soda shops: Swig, Thirst, Bevvy, Soda Retreat, Pop'n Dot, Sizzurp, Fiiz, Quench It
Utah Business · 2022
How the Thirst NFTs project began
SLC International Airport
Thirst — official airport dining
Visit Utah
Utah: Home of the 'Dirty Soda'
Utah Stories · 2026
Why Utah loves dirty soda: the story behind the state's sweetest craze
St. George News · 2022
"We want to give Swig a run for their money": Thirst Drinks and Wetzel's Pretzels open in St. George
KSL
Thirst donating percentage of sales to Red Cross Friday
Yahoo News · 2026
Thirst will give away free energy drinks with any purchase on Sept. 30
Deseret News · 2022
Swig, Sodalicious: The 'dirty soda' war that could consume the West
ABC4 Everything Utah
Why is Utah so obsessed with dirty sodas? It may be traced back to LDS health guidelines
Bake Magazine
Wetzel's Pretzels partners with Thirst on co-branded location in Utah
Tooele Online
Tooele gets Thirst
KSL · 2022
"We want to give Swig a run for their money": Thirst Drinks-Wetzel's Pretzels opens in St. George
Yahoo News
A visit to Thirst will help LA fire relief efforts
Deseret News · 2022
The Soda Wars: Which Utah soda shop is the best?
Facebook — Utah Restaurant Reviews · 2023
Locally owned Thirst Drinks in Bountiful treats teachers