What are soft drinks?
The term soft drinks refers to refreshing drinks that don’t contain any alcohol. Usually, soft drinks contain carbon acid which adds to the refreshment factor of the beverage. Sugar is one of the most common ingredients of soft drinks, although many producers offer alternatives with sugar substitutes by now.
The history of soft drinks
Sweetened, non-alcoholic beverages with refreshing effect have probably existed for a long time. However, commercially, they were first offered in the 17th century. By mixing water, lemon juice and honey, the lemonade was invented. In 1676, the Compagnie de Limonadiers was founded in Paris, whose employees walked through the streets with tanks on their bank and offered lemonade to thirsty people.
It took a little longer before the first drinks with carbon acid conquered the market. In the 17th century, first experiments to capture sparkling spring water failed miserably, however it led to a new wave of scientists exploring the topic.
The break-through came at the end of the 18th century. It’s assumed that Thomas Henry, a pharmacist from Manchester, was the first person to succeed at the production of carbonated water. At the same time, the Swiss jeweler Jacob Schweppe was working on a device which would soon lead to his fame: In 1783, the released the first artificially carbonated water under the name Schweppes.
It took almost another 100 years before Schweppes released its first flavoured water. The famous Indian Tonic Water was first released in 1870 and soon resulted in the invention of the first long drink: The gin tonic was born. In the same year, Schweppes put the first ginger ale on the market.
The invention of tonic water and ginger ale inspired many entrepreneurs in the following decades to create new softdrinks. The most important soft drinks include (besides the ones already mentioned) cola, bitter lemon, ginger beer, energy drinks and fruit juices. Many modern soft drinks contain .besides sugar and carbon acid, a dose of caffeine.
Soft drinks and mixed drink – an introduction
As discovered in the 19th century, soft drinks are not only refreshing, they are also wonderful flavouring agents in mixed drinks of all kinds. Here a little overview on some popular combinations:
• Tonic Water: Gin Tonic, Vodka Tonic, Soft Serbian, Apple Tonic
• Cola: Rum and Coke, Long Island Iced Tea, Roy Rogers, Pina Colada, Cuba Libre, Cola Whisky
• Ginger Ale: Vodka Ginger Ale, Pomegranate-Ginger Fizz, Horse’s Neck, Moscow Mule
Softdrinks at Gustero
At Gustero, you can find countless aromatic soft drinks that are perfectly suited for the creation of tasty mixed drinks. Our selection features absolute classics like Schweppes Tonic Water as well as young, up-and-coming brands that mix up the world of soft drinks. Try, for example, the aromatic Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water or the refreshing Thomas Henry Bitter Lemon. Deliciousness guaranteed!
