The Invention of Carbonated Water: An In-Depth Analysis

The Invention of Carbonated Water: An In-Depth Analysis

What is the story behind the invention of carbonated water? Did you know that it's among the most popular drinks in the world, with over 13 billion gallons sold annually? Recent statistics released by Statista showed that revenue generated from selling bottled water amounted to US$299,620 million in 2021. It's expected that the market is set to witness a tremendous growth of approximately 6.9% annually up to 2026. Learn everything about the invention of this refreshing drink here. Read on!

What is carbonated water?

Carbonated water is basically flavored water that has carbon dioxide added to it and sealed in a pressure bottle. The amount of carbonation usually varies with manufacturers. Nevertheless, its effervescent property has been popularized, which appears like bubbles inside the bottle when the seal is opened.

The Invention of Carbonated Water

'Fizzy' beverages are not a modern phenomenon. For centuries, carbonation has been a hallmark of many alcoholic beverages, including beer and champagne. According to records, the first sparkling wine was made in 1662 by the English scientist Christopher Merret. He made this discovery by adding sugar and molasses when performing the second fermentation process.

Joseph Priestly, another English Scientist, used Christopher's discovery and furthered the investigation process by adding carbonation to still water. Records show that he made his invention in 1767 at a brewery in Leeds, England. He did this by suspending a bowl of water over a beer vat.

Priestly, in his discovery, used sulphuric acid onto chalk over the beer vat and realized that the procedure infused water with carbon dioxide. After several scientific tests, he finally published a paper in 1772 summarizing his development while naming the process as "impregnating fixed air into the water," which led to the invention of carbonated water.

Using Priestly's research, Johann Jacob Schweppe, a Swiss amateur researcher based in Geneva, honed and created the first commercial, practical method of producing carbonated mineral water in the late 18th century. This led to the creation of the famous Schweppes Company in 1783. Jacob's process became a sensation that even King William IV of England recognized and developed a liking to Schweppe's sparkling drink.

With the remarkable milestones made in the invention of carbonated water, its introduction into mainstream society revolutionized alcohol consumption. In the past, people drank alcohol without using mixers or dilution. However, after discovering carbonated water, alcohol consumers began mixing their drinks, such as spirits, with sparkling water. This helped in regularizing alcohol consumption as a socially acceptable drink.

Even though the sparkling water of back in the days probably varied in taste with today's, several chemicals were incorporated into the mixtures to preserve the drinks for long. Notably, up until the 2nd World War, sparkling water was referred to as soda water within the USA. This was due to the presence of Sodium salts within the drink. This also explains why to date, a larger faction of Americans still describes fizzy drinks as soda.

Sparkling Water in The Contemporary Workplaces

Having a sparkling water dispenser within the office can help employees to be more productive. Indeed, these machines are great for keeping people well hydrated throughout the day. Moreover, they have functionalities that encourage healthier options being taken by employees in their daily life. Other benefits include

Reduction of Drink Costs

When an employer provides their employees with a sparkling water dispenser, there's a high possibility that a good percentage will drink from it instead of buying soda or bottled water. As a result, the employee's drink costs will be much lower than what they pay outside.

Healthier Option

Since sparkling water is a zero-calorie, sugar, and caffeine-free drink. Therefore, it's safe to say employees won't be consuming unwanted additives or chemicals. As a result, it's a much healthier alternative, especially if your employees drink a lot of coffee or soda throughout the day.

Encourages Healthy Hydration

Drinking lots of water is one of the best ways to stay healthy and vibrant throughout the day at work. Providing sparkling water will help employees stay hydrated while at work while reducing health risks.

Improves Employee Morale

With a sparkling water dispenser within the office, employees will be encouraged to take water breaks. This helps them to freshen up, leading to higher mental focus and performance throughout the day.

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