The sweetener may be a sugarhigh-fructose corn syrupfruit juicea sugar substitute in the case of diet drinksor some combination of. Soft drinks are called «soft» in contrast with » hard » alcoholic dld. Small amounts of alcohol may be present in a soft drink, but the alcohol content must be less than 0. Unsweetened sparkling water may be consumed as an alternative to soft drinks. Soft drinks may be served chilled, over ice cubes, or at room temperature, especially soda. They are available in many container formats, including cansglass bottlesand plastic bottles.