The soft drink originally called “Brad’s Drink” was Pepsi. Pharmacist Caleb Bradham created it in 1893 at his drugstore in New Bern, North Carolina, initially serving the beverage from a soda fountain.
Bradham renamed it Pepsi-Cola in 1898. The name was associated with dyspepsia, an old medical term for indigestion, reflecting his hope that the drink would be refreshing and aid digestion. The “Cola” portion referred to its cola-style flavor; despite a common misconception, pepsin was never an ingredient in Pepsi.
The original recipe included sugar and vanilla, among other flavoring ingredients. Pepsi began being sold in bottles in 1904, and its early marketing emphasized energy and refreshment. “Brad’s Drink” therefore refers to the early name of the beverage that became Pepsi, not to a separate soft drink or a brand owned by Coca-Cola.