Everything you need to know about these fizzy favorites.
Published on December 17, 2020
Have you hopped on the SodaStream trend yet? There is increasing interest in on-demand carbonated water for a number of reasons: It saves you money, reduces your carbon footprint, and helps to satisfy your soda cravings.
The term "carbonated water" is really an umbrella phrase that can refer to a number of fizzy beverages, including seltzer water, club soda, sparkling mineral water, and tonic water. If you didn't know there was a difference between these drinks, you're not alone. Here, you'll learn the difference between the different types of carbonated water and how to use each of them for cocktails, sodas, and more.
What Is Seltzer?
Jack Andersen/Getty ImagesSeltzer is the simplest form of all carbonated waters, so we'll start there. Seltzer water is simply water that has been injected with carbon dioxide. It's the base of so many favorite drinks, like our beloved LaCroix.
You get seltzer water when your at-home soda maker injects carbon dioxide into distilled water. Use seltzer water as a base for homemade sodas by adding soda syrups like this strawberry soda syrup from Chef John or trying this homemade cream soda recipe. It can also be used as a substitute for club soda in cocktails.
What Is Club Soda?
Club soda is water that has been injected with both carbon dioxide and added minerals like potassium bicarbonate and potassium sulfate. These minerals give the drink a bit of a salty taste, helping to enhance the flavor of the water.
Club soda is most commonly used as a mixer in cocktails thanks to its enhanced flavor from the minerals. Try it in a classic cocktail like the Tom Collins or this non-alcoholic punch.
What Is Sparkling Mineral Water?
Sparkling water is made from natural spring water, meaning it has naturally occurring minerals like magnesium, calcium, and sodium. Sometimes these minerals will give the water a bit of a natural effervescence, but most sparkling mineral water sold commercially has added carbon dioxide.
Depending on the mineral content of the water (it can differ based on where the water is from), sparkling mineral water can taste salty like club soda or even bitter. You'll find that different sparkling mineral water brands will have their own unique flavors. Use sparkling mineral water any way you would use club soda, or drink it on its own to enjoy the unique mineral makeup.
What Is Tonic Water?
Gin and Tonic | Photo by France C.Made famous by the classic Gin and Tonic, tonic water is carbonated water that's made with added minerals and one special ingredient: quinine. Quinine is a compound found in the bark of cinchona trees. It is responsible for the bitter taste often associated with tonic water. You'll likely also find bottled tonic water with added sugar or flavoring to improve the taste.
Because of the quinine, it's unlikely you'll want to drink tonic water by itself. However, it pairs well with lime and gin, hence the drink. you can also try it in other cocktails and mocktails like this prickly pear tonic and lime or this watermelon gin and tonic
Related:
- Does Sparkling Water Really Hydrate You?
- How to Make Infused Water
- Browse our entire collection of Drink Recipes.
Whether you’re making a highball or topping off an Aperol Spritz, sparkling water might just be the most all-purpose mixer in your cocktail-making arsenal. But not all of the bubbly stuff is created equal. Using club soda versus seltzer is an important consideration that can affect the cocktail you’re making.
Club soda, mineral water, seltzer, and tonic water all have varying flavor profiles and carbonation levels that will impart different qualities to a drink. These are the most common types of carbonated water, including some of the most common brands, and when you should reach for each as a cocktail mixer.
Club Soda
The main component of the ubiquitous Vodka Soda and the choice of most bartenders as a sparkling element, club soda includes added minerals like sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate, resulting in fine bubbles and a minerally and slightly saline taste that makes it a closer match to sparkling mineral water than to seltzer. Bartenders love the salinity for the way it enhances many cocktails. Popular brands include Fever-Tree, Canada Dry, Polar, Seagram’s, and Q Mixers.
Seltzer Water
Seltzer is simply plain water that has been carbonated, or injected with carbon dioxide. Its flavor is neutral, but popular brands like Polar, Vintage, Bubly, La Croix, and Hal’s typically come in a wide variety of flavors, from lemon-lime to hibiscus. Hard seltzer, meanwhile, is made with an alcoholic base such as fermented cane sugar. Club soda is the most common component in bubbly cocktails, but you might swap in seltzer if you’re watching your salt intake, as the former contains about 75 milligrams per can.
Sparkling Mineral Water
Consider sparkling mineral water seltzer’s cousin who studied abroad. Bottles like Perrier and Badoit include naturally occurring bubbles from sources like springs and wells; sometimes additional effervescence is added artificially. Flavor profiles and bubble sizes will vary based on the terroir and the minerals naturally present in the source: Natural springs in the Italian Alps give San Pellegrino a touch of salinity, while a limestone spring in Mexico gives Topo Chico its bouncy bubbles and what some consider a slightly citrusy taste. Because of its higher price point, mineral water is usually sipped solo, but Texans swear by Topo Chico for Ranch Water, a cocktail of tequila, fizzy water, and lime juice.
Tonic Water
You can use most sparkling waters interchangeably in a pinch, but that’s not the case with tonic water. Made with a base of soda water, the mixer gets its characteristic bitterness from the addition of quinine, a compound that comes from the bark of the Central American cinchona tree, once beloved for its antimalarial properties. Companies like Schweppes and Canada Dry usually add high-fructose corn syrup to balance the bitterness; you might instead try premium brands like Fever-Tree, Q Mixers, and Fentimans, which employ less-processed sweeteners like cane sugar and agave. Tonic water is a natural match for gin and vodka, but you can use it any time you want to give a drink a bitter, bracing quality. Switch up your G&T with a White Port & Tonic or a Summer Tonic, a refreshing mix of rum, amaro, and aromatic tonic water.