A big piece of Texas heritage, and one of the best kept secrets in the world, is now set to go up for auction. Or is it?
A listing for a recipe for "D Pepper Pepsin Bitters" was placed by Jack Weaver, an antique collector in Retreat, Virginia. The recipe takes up one page of the 360 page hand-written ledger book containing hundreds of formulas -- one purported to be the recipe for Dr Pepper soda.
"I learned it was available, so I talked with the person who owned it, and I bought it," said Weaver. "It should be where it is visible, to other people, rather than in my own private collection."
Weaver has placed the formula book up for auction along with his personal collection of Dr Pepper memorabilia.
Dr Pepper was created in the 1880's in Waco by Charles Alderton and is now owned by Plano-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group who says the formula up for auction is not the one that gives the soft drink it's distinctive taste.
Chris Barnes, a spokesperson for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, contacted NBC 5 Wednesday and said the formula being auctioned off "is not the original formula with those 23 flavors that make up the one of a kind taste of Dr pepper. It's not even a recipe for a soft drink, but a formulation for a digestive aid that happens to carry the name."
Barnes added "the real Dr Pepper formula remains a closely guarded secret, and it is safe and secure."
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Barnes said the artifact up for auction in Virginia was put up for auction in Dallas in 2009, but failed to find a buyer.
Click here to see the auction page for the formula book. The auction will be in Rural Retreat, Virginia on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18 at 9 a.m.
