Before Dirty Soda, There Was the Float: A Classic Worth Rediscovering

There's a new drink taking over social media. Maybe you've seen it, a cup full of ice, a flavored soda, a pour of cream, maybe a hint of coconut or a splash of something sweet. People are calling it a dirty soda, and they're obsessed with it.

And look, we get it. There's something about that combination of fizzy and creamy, sweet and cold. It hits differently.

But here's the thing: this idea isn't new. Not even close.

Long before dirty sodas had a name, long before they had a TikTok following, there was the float. And the float, done right, is still one of the most perfect combinations in the history of refreshment.

What Makes a Float Different

A dirty soda is clever. It's customizable, photogenic, and fun. We're not here to argue against it. Our shop, Wholly Cow Ice Cream & Coffee on Johns Island offers dirty sodas also.

But a float is something else entirely. A float is a philosophy.

Root beer, bubbling cold and a scoop of real Killa Vanilla ice cream. The moment the carbonation hits the cream, something almost chemical happens; the foam rises, the ice cream softens at the edges, the soda takes on a creaminess it didn't have before. You end up with a drink that's somehow both lighter and richer than either component on its own.

That's not a trend. That's physics. That's magic. That's a float.

Come Try One at the Shop

At our Wholly Cow Ice Cream & Coffee shop on Johns Island, we serve classic floats made with Sprecher artisan sodas bottled with craft and care, with Sprecher's legendary root beer being the obvious choice for the occasion. Rich, naturally sweetened, and full of real flavor, it's the kind of root beer that makes a float taste the way a float is supposed to taste. 

We also have dirty soda options on the menu for those who want to get a little creative with their cup because we believe there's room for both the classic and the new. Come in, try a float, try a dirty soda, and decide for yourself which side of history you're on.

(Spoiler: you can order both.)

Meet Great Greta — Taking Floats on the Road

Great Greta, our brand new Root Beer Float Cart; the newest member of the Wholly Cow catering family alongside Suzy, Awesome Alice, and Miss Maggie.

Greta is built for events, and she's pouring Holy City Root Beer on draft; small-batch, locally crafted right here in Charleston by Holy City Brewing. Real root beer, made in in small batches right here in Charleston. Float a scoop of Wholly Cow ice cream, on the Root Beer, watch the foam rise, and hand it to your guest.

A local brewery and a local ice cream company in one cup.

Great Greta is available for weddings, corporate events, festivals, community gatherings, and employee appreciation days throughout the greater Charleston area. She turns heads at every event and is talked about long after the event is over.

Dirty Soda Is the Trend. The Float Is the Original.

We love that people are discovering the joy of creamy, fizzy drinks. We love the creativity and the fun of it. Come into our shop, try something new, try something classic. We'll make you something great either way.

But if you've never had a proper root beer float made with artisan soda and real ice cream, you owe it to yourself. 

Since 1984