Minnesota Candy Stores Serve Up Hilarious Cabbage Water Soda

Someone once said, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

And that's exactly what a specialty candy store with three retail outlets in Minnesota did.

Let me explain.

Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop has retail store locations nationwide, including in Bloomington, Stillwater and Spring Lake Park.

The store has all sorts of candy -- retro, bulk "penny candy," chocolates, candy bars, holiday confections and all things sugary and decadent.

It's an oasis for the sugar addicted among us.

And whether you call it "SODA" or "POP," Grandpa Joe's probably has it.

Grandpa Joe's also carries beverages in a bunch of weird, fun flavors or shapes and sizes you'll never find in a regular grocery store. Everything from a "1919 Root Beer 5-liter Pony Keg" to a "Yoo Hoo Chocolate Drink 2 pack" in 12 ounce bottles.

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Stick with me -- the story gets sweeter.

Now Grandpa Joe's has been around since 2012 when a guy in Pittsburgh named Christopher Beers founded the candy store. The name Grandpa Joe's was inspired by the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" book by Roald Dahl and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" films.

In the story, Grandpa Joe was Charlie Bucket's grandfather who goes with him to the chocolate factory after Charlie gets a Golden Ticket.

They were poor folk who didn't have much.

In fact, Charlie complains about the family's dinner menu in the original Willy Wonka film.

They're so poor, they're forced to make dinner out of the water used to boil cabbage.

With me so far?

The internet has had a heyday with Grandpa Joe's and the "cabbage water" line. There are a ton of memes out there.

And the fact that the candy store carries a wide variety of weird and wonderful glass bottle sodas prompted lots of comments like, "The store ought to sell cabbage water!"

Well, now you CAN buy cabbage water from Grandpa Joe's.

Introducing Cabbage Water Soda from Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop.

And what does Cabbage Water soda taste like?

Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop asks, "what if the cabbage soup diet had bubbles?"

Yum.

Grandpa Joe's describes it as "part pop-culture parody, part mad science experiment, and 100% pure chaos in a bottle."

Double Yum.

"It’s not about the flavor (though we promise it’s drinkable) -- it’s about the legend. The myth. The meme."

Grandpa Joe's is no stranger to weird soda flavors.

They've previously rolled-out "Dill Pickle Pop," "Ketchup Soda" and the mack-daddy of them all, "Hot Dog Water Soda."

In fact, all those flavors are still available -- at least online.

And good news -- if you want to pick up some Cabbage Water Soda, they do stock it at the three Minnesota retail locations in Bloomington, Stillwater and Spring Lake Park.

Although, you should really call ahead and make sure they have some if you're going to drive some distance to one of the retail locations.

Or you can always have it shipped from the online store.

And with holiday gift-giving fast approaching, it could be a cool gift for that Willy Wonka fan on your list.

Or a fun prank on your own Grandpa Joe at the holiday dinner table.