Carbonation is not a new process. It dates back to at least the 17th century. While natural carbonation is a process that occurs, artificial carbonation owes its existence to the work of Joseph Priestley (1733–1804), an English chemist and theologian. In 1767, he invented the means through which to infuse water with carbon dioxide. In doing so, he provided the basics for all future forms of beverage carbonation.
During his lifetime, Priestly isolated and characterized oxygen, carbon dioxide and six other gases – a record that still stands today. Yet, Priestly did not apply his findings in a commercial endeavor. Several individuals in the centuries following him did work to establish a practical and commercial use of this discovery and Priestly’s invention. Among them were:
- Thomas Henry (1734–1816): An apothecary in Manchester, UK., he is said to have produced the first large amount of carbonated water using an apparatus based on that developed by Priestley
- William Henry, (1774–1836): A chemist, like his father, Thomas, he established what is now known as Henry’s Law.
- Jacob Schweppe (1740–1821): He was the first to figure out how to produce beverage carbonation on a commercial scale. This is referred to as the “Geneva-System.” It spread with Schweppe to England as carbonated mineral water became popular
The interest in carbonization continued to grow, spreading to North America.
The Popularity of Beverage Carbonization Spreads
In the early 19th century, Yale chemistry professor Benjamin Silliman (1779–1864) began to sell seltzer water – carbonized water commercially. In 1809, he opened a seltzer or soda water bar in a hotel near the New York Stock Exchange. He promoted it as a heathy drink. It was viewed as a “restorative.”
The 1800s saw a proliferation of soda fountains. They began to pop up all over the United States. These carbonated beverages included a variety of flavors. They ranged from citrus to grape to orange. Flavors emerged as soda jerks mixed fruit syrups, chocolate syrup, eggs and citrus juices with carbonized water to produce flavors that appealed to customers who were less concerned with their health than with taste and socializing. During this time, particularly between 1860 and 1900, some of today’s most popular brands of soda were invented.
Beverage carbonization quickly became the norm in the United States. In fact, soda fountains remained popular into the 1950s. Every movie on growing up before and during this period includes at least one scene of a popular hangout and its soda fountain. While soda fountains no longer are the norm, the consumption of carbonated beverages remains popular.
Why People Enjoy Beverage Carbonation?
Today, 200 plus years after the discovery of carbonization, fizzy pops remain popular. For some, it is a matter of taste. They enjoy the sensation it has in their mouth. Others like the specific taste of carbonated drinks. While people no longer consider such drinks as healthy tonics, companies continue to produce them making a profit as they do so. As a result, beverage carbonation continues to produce a variety of drinks palatable to and enjoyed by both young and old alike.
