Dr. Brown's sodas are kosher , are often sold in Jewish delicatessens and restaurants , and can also be found in specialty grocers and grocery stores that specialize in American food in Israel . ^[2] The flavor, derived from celery seed extract, is reminiscent of ginger ale but with a pronounced celery flavor that is more pungent or peppery than ginger ale.

Dr. Brown's Celery Tonic was, according to the company, first produced in 1868 in Brooklyn , New York. It was served in New York delicatessens starting in 1869 and sold as a bottled soda starting in 1886. ^[3] The Food and Drug Administration objected to its being called a "tonic", and in the 1900s the name was changed to Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray (soda). Cel-Ray was so popular in the 1930s among New York City's Jewish community that it earned the nickname "Jewish Champagne", Dr. Brown's briefly produced a diet Cel-Ray, but it was discontinued due to low sales. Other "celery tonics"/"celery sodas" were produced in the 1890s, but only Dr. Brown's celery product remains today.

Cel-Ray is mentioned in:

• the 1954 children's novel Half Magic , by Edward Eager which is set in the 1920s. The children are intrigued by the "celery soda" available at their local soda shop .
• the 1982 film Tootsie , not referred to as "Cel-Ray", rather "celery tonic" as the reason of what was spilled on the video tape and hence why a live performance of that day's show was required.
• the Seinfeld season eight episode " The Pothole " Jerry said that he bruised his lip drinking a Cel-Ray by bringing it up too fast.
• the book The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay as a favorite drink of Sammy Clay's father, the Molecule Man, or the World's Strongest Jew.
• the character of Billy Rose (played by James Caan ) in the 1975 film Funny Lady habitually drinks celery tonic, as an alternative to alcohol.
• It is used as a plot point joining assistant Harriet Smith and senator James Elton in the web series Emma Approved , written and directed by the makers of " The Lizzie Bennet Diaries ."
• in the 2004 novel Wake Up, Sir! by Jonathan Ames , it is the favorite drink of the narrator, the fictional writer Alan Blair.
• in the 2013 novel Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon , it is referred to as "Jewish champagne" and served at "a possibly make-believe Jewish delicatessen, Bagels 'n' Blintzes".
• in History of the World, Part II in Season 1 Episode 3, a vendor offers Stalin a celery soda.
• In the 1958 novel "Around the World with Auntie Mame" by Patrick Dennis, It's a favorite of H. Jules Goldberg.

• Cuisine of New York City
• Jewish cuisine
• Champagne soda

• Review at ExoticSoda.com
• A Toast to Cel-Ray at Nextbook