Soda water is a generic name for naturally or artificially carbonated water that is slightly alkaline and meant to mimic naturally occurring mineral water. Carbon dioxide dissolves into water to produce carbonic acid, which neutralizes some of the alkaline additive.
While alkaline sparkling water has been collected and bottled at natural mineral springs for millennia, it was only in 1767 that Josephy Priestley, an English chemist, produced artificially carbonated water first by supending a bowl of water over a tank of fermenting beer (alcoholic fermentation produces as waste carbon dioxide), and then by dripping sulfuric acid into chalk and dissolving the gas into a bowl of water. Inventors like J.J. Schweppe and Anyos Jedlik took this process and commercialized it, producing early forms of soda water.
Today, soda water can be part of a dispensing gun (usually along with soft drinks), or be produced in a soda siphon, which relies on disposable pressurized carbon dioxide cartridges. Soda siphons are generally seen as a better solution than a soda gun, due to the real probability of off flavors being imparted by the lines that feed the gun.
Some popular cocktails containing Soda water
- The Monte Press — Amaro Montenegro, Bitters, Soda water, Lemon-lime soda
- First Rodeo — Gin, Bianco Vermouth, Peychaud's Bitters, Grapefruit juice, Soda water, Simple syrup, Lemon juice, Orange peel
- Barnes Stormer — Apple brandy, Rum, Sorel liqueur, Bitters, Soda water, Ginger syrup, Lemon juice
- My Dear Quarantine — Gin, Pear liqueur, Soda water, Lemon juice, Orange juice, Simple syrup, Lemon peel, Cardamom
- Lillet-St. Germain — Aromatized wine, Elderflower liqueur, Soda water, Lemon juice, Orange
- Colonel Grey — Bourbon, Earl Grey Tea Syrup, Lemon juice, Soda water, Lemon peel
- Bufala Spritz — Bianco Vermouth, Bison grass vodka, Galliano, Soda water
- Safety Dance — Dry vermouth, Bianco Vermouth, Soda water, Lemon juice, Tea syrup, Lemon peel
- Gilded Paloma — Tequila, Soda water, Grapefruit juice, Pineapple juice, Lime juice, Cinnamon syrup, Grapefruit peel
- Mistaken Ray — Light rum, Gin, Jamaican rum, Bitters, Falernum, Crushed ice, Soda water, Lime juice, Honey syrup, Passion fruit syrup, Pineapple juice