Ulysses S. Grant was President, the population of America hovered at 39 million, and the telephone was still a pipe dream, when in 1870 J. Herman Pine hung out a confectionery shingle on 8th Street above Walnut in Philadelphia and, along with his brother, sold their first batch of what they called ‘Pine Brothers Glycerine Tablets.’ In an attempt to relieve his own sore throat and those of his family members, Mr. Pine, a former German confectionery maker, determined that by combining the soothing natural qualities of glycerin with the healing properties of gum acacia, he could sooth and mitigate the mild discomfort of a sore throat. Add in some natural flavoring and a sweetener and voila, Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops were born. “I have discovered something,” Pine wrote, “which will give quick throat relief to thousands afflicted as I was.” He added,”Perhaps I won’t make much money out of this. But I can make people happy, and that’s more important than money.” Mr. Pine was being unduly modest, as his “discovery” would become one of the most successful, most delicious and most unique throat lozenges in the world. Nor has the recipe changed appreciably since it was first introduced to the public over 140 years ago.
Pine Bros has such a beautiful story. The old school idea of the America Dream at it’s finest. Before Victoria Knight-McDowell, creator and former owner of Airborne picked up Pine Bros, they had been long unheard of. In 1930 Life Savors Company had picked them up and they had transferred hands, changed marketing, changed original recipes and then were made overseas. Victoria Knight-McDowell picked them up from where they were forgotten and brought them back to life in the spirit of Mr. Pine. Through much effort and time, the original recipes were found and her company 3 Sisters Home Products? created a exciting and yet classic look to the packaging. Once again, ‘Made in America, and made to make people happy again, just like Mr. Pine had originally wanted.
I was given the chance to try two of the recipes for Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops. The Original, which is Natural Honey and Wild Cherry; both of which were wonderful and worked great on the mornings I woke up with such a sore dry throat I could barely swallow. The fall and winter air seeps in and steals away any moisture in my house. We were asked which was our favorite between the two and unanimously my family favored the Wild Cherry. They are so good that they’re somewhat addicting, especially the texture of them which is ‘softish’ as they say. You aren’t supposed to chew them because they work better if you use them as lozenges but it was a little hard for me, I admit, it almost became a habit to roll them on my teeth. Thankfully they’re all natural! Other flavors coming soon are Lemon Citrus and Licorice (black) and I have a deep peculiar love for black licorice so I can definitely see myself hoarding these into my purse.
Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops are safe for children 3 and up. However you must consult a doctor for any child under three. I don’t suggest that any child under three get them, not because of the ingredients, but because although they are soft-ish they are not soft enough to be chewy and could be a choking hazard. Otherwise, I’m really glad they’re naturally good for little ones because nothing is worse than having a child crying because of a sore throat you can’t do much about and you can only give them so many ice-cream and Popsicles. However, if you have an allergy to nuts, be aware that these are manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts.
The ingredients of the Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops are:
The Original – Natural Honey
Active Ingredients (per drop): Glycerin 62mg.
Purpose: Oral demulcent.
Inactive Ingredients: Gum Acacia, Sugar, Honey, Corn Syrup, Water, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Carnauba Wax.
Wild Cherry Flavored
Active Ingredients (per drop): Glycerin 62mg.
Purpose: Oral demulcent.
Inactive Ingredients: Gum Acacia, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Colored with Elderberry Concentrate, Carnauba Wax.
One of the pretty hilarious things about Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops is their spokesperson, Rudy “Tutti” Grayzell. I can only explain him by posting this picture and this link where you can find videos, bloopers and fan answered questions.
The Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops are great. They work wonders on a sore throat and this is the perfect season for them to have came back. They’ve definitely put a smile on mine, and my families, face and I’m thankful to present them as a fantastic American made product. I’ve tried a lot of things for sore throats and I’ve never come across anything like Pine Bros. You will really be impressed if you give them a try.
Connect:
You can connect with Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops on their Facebook Page and/or @PineBros on Twitter. You can also join the Good Deed Club and receive a free Rudy “Tutti” love poster!
Purchase:
You can buy Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops at CVS or check out their store for Online Sales.
The Giveaway: How would you like to win a pack of Wild Cherry Pine Bros Softish Throat Drops? I have 8 packages I am going to give away to 4 readers (2 per winner)!
To enter the giveaway please follow all of the directions below! If you don’t follow the rules, you can’t win!
