What were the original jelly bean flavors?

While there's no definitive record of the *absolute* first jelly bean flavors, here's what we know about the early days:

* Early flavors were likely simple and natural. Jelly beans were originally made with ingredients like sugar, molasses, and fruit juices. Common flavors would have been lemon, lime, orange, and cherry.

* The first commercial jelly bean maker was William Schrafft in 1845. His company likely offered a range of basic fruity flavors.

* The "jelly bean" name didn't come about until the 1930s. Before that, they were called "jelly drops" or "jelly babies."

The 1950s and 60s saw a huge expansion in jelly bean flavors. This was largely thanks to the efforts of companies like Jelly Belly, which introduced novel and unusual flavors like buttered popcorn and licorice.

So, while the original flavors were likely simple and fruit-based, it's impossible to say with certainty what they were. But we can imagine that they were delicious and reminiscent of a simpler time!