Exploring the World One Drink at a Time since 2005
Naturally carbonated waters, from volcanic springs, were well known throughout history and prized for their unique properties. The effervescing nature of the water was an attractive quality and was thought to be a natural tonic. The problem was that capturing and transporting these mineral waters was costly. Only a few places stocked mineral waters, with pharmacies being the most common. […]
When you think about the fortified wine called sherry, the soda fountain probably doesn’t come to mind, but it should. People have done a great job sanitizing the evils of the soda fountain from our collective mind, but just like bars, soda fountains in the 1800s had a large repertoire of drinks including spirits and fortified wines. I’m sure you […]
Acid Phosphate is a cool ingredient to work with since it provides a pure sour taste without added flavours, like the oils in lemon or lime contribute. It also enhances flavours because it contains salts of calcium, potassium and magnesium. This means it can either crank up the flavour profile of a strong drink or enhance a more delicate flavour, […]
We all know the history of alcohol’s prohibition, but did you know that the soda fountain also had its own prohibition? When I was writing Fix the Pumps, and detailing the effects the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 had on the soda fountain, I wondered what effect pulling all those drugs from circulation had on the mood of […]
The soda train keeps on rolling and this time it stopped in Antwerp for the 2013 edition of the Belgian Bar Show. The show is a fun 2 day event with presentations spread through out each day. I was the opening act for Ian Rum-Ambassador Burrell, on Tuesday. Below you will find a slightly modified edition of my presentation. So […]
Print Edition is now available on Art of Drink for $10.95 plus it included a free eBook edition – Fix the Pumps This past October marked the 4th year I’ve been posting on Art of Drink, this being the 459th post. Last year I decided that I should do something a little more cohesive like write a book. Deciding on […]
Everything has been finalized for the San Francisco Jerk Off, the first ever soda jerk competition. The competition is being held on September 23rd starting at 9:00PM at The Tempest in San Francisco and is the closing event at SF Cocktail week, so expect it to be great. The winner of the Jerk Off will get $500 plus the title […]
The Phosphate was the defining category of drink during the soda fountains golden era (1875 to 1906) and the Wild Cherry Phosphate was the most popular, but not far behind in popularity was the Chocolate Phosphate. That’s right, chocolate soda. This wasn’t an egg cream or chocolate milkshake this was a carbonated drink that combined a chocolate syrup with acid […]
Fix the Pumps tells the real history of the soda fountain, starting with its invention, through its golden era of creativity and into its dependence on patent medicine and narcotics. The history of the soda fountain is as vibrant as any other period in American history. Fix the Pumps provides a wealth of information on techniques employed by soda jerks. […]
Carbonated beverages are a resounding success, with Americans drinking 13 billion gallons (58 billion litres) of soda-pop every year. That’s about 3 quarts (3 L) per person, per week. Americans account for about half of the worldwide consumption. Considering that the US is only 5% of the world’s population, it’s safe to say Americans love their soda. Drinks are one […]
A simple highball that is easy drinking, but still interesting. The spicy character of real rye whisky compliments the spiciness of the ginger. It was like they were made for one another.
The Scotch and Soda is a very popular drink for those neophyte imbibers who appreciate the flavour of Scotch, but don’t enjoy it enough to drink it neat or on the rocks. Obviously, you can use any type of Scotch you would like, but for most people, a blended type like Johnnie Walker Red or Black and Famous Grouse do […]