What is tonic water?
Tonic water is a soft drink that contains quinine and carbonic acid. To be allowed to carry the name tonic, the drink has to contain at least 15 mg quinine per litre. In Germany, Austria and several other countries, the maximum permitted amount is 85 mg quinine per litre. Most tonic waters on the market contain between 50 and 70 mg per litre – distinctly more than bitter lemon and bitter orange, which lie at around 30 mg per litre.
What is quinine?
Chemically speaking, quinine is a compound from the group of quinoline alkaloids. In its pure form, quinine is a white powder that is difficult to dissolve in water. The name quinine is derived from the cinchona tree, from which it is gained. This tree is native to Venezuela, particularly the Andes region.
Today, quinine is obtained through the bark extraction of cultivated trees in Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malaysia. The bark of the cultivated trees has a quinine content of up to 15%.
What made quinine especially popular in the 17th century is its medical effect. After the cinchona tree bark was observed being used by Native Americans as treatment against shivering from the cold, its effects against malaria were soon discovered.
The history of tonic water
The British army had already been using quinine pills on their expeditions to prevent and fight malaria infections, which had become a common problem amongst soldiers. Unfortunately, these pills were almost inedible due to their bitter taste, which didn’t help with the morale of the troops. In India, the British finally came across a special trick: Diluted with sugar, lime juice and water, quinine was much easier to consume. In 1870, Schweppes released its Indian Tonic Water and revolutionized the soft drink market forever.
Popular uses of tonic water
Tonic water itself doesn’t contain alcohol; however, mixing it with alcoholic drinks is very popular. The most well-known combination is without question the “gin tonic” or “gin and tonic”, which first arrived on the scene in the 17th century. The mixing ratio depends on the recipe and can lie between 1:1 and 1:3. Typically, gin tonic is served on ice and garnished with a lemon or lime wedge.
Tonic water at Gustero
At Gustero, it’s our priority to offer you a large selection of high-quality tonic waters – as each tonic water represents a unique character and adds different flavour nuances to various mixed drinks. If you want to play it safe, you can always go with the Schweppes Indian Tonic Water – it is used to make thousands of drinks all around the world every day. Are you more adventurous and would like to try something new? Then we recommend trying one of our more modern brands, for example Thomas Henry or Fever Tree. The Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water is a great example of tonic water that will fit great in any mixed drink while adding a wonderful unique twist.
