Rich In History... Green River soda was introduced to Midwestern drinkers in 1919, just as Congress was passing the 18th Amendment establishing Prohibition. When Prohibition officially went into effect on January 16, 1920, some breweries turned to making a nonalcoholic drink call Near Beer, while others were churning out ice cream. The Schoenhofen Edelweiss Brewing Company of Chicago turned to Green River. The soda was poured into old beer bottles and sold in the market. It was an immediate hit. The soft drink was so popular that Al Jolson recorded a song written about Green River. Today, we celebrate Green River’s history! With an amazing visual appeal including its bright green color, the brand takes people back to a pleasant time in their life, in the 1950’s and 1960’s at a time of corner soda fountains and drive-in movies.