Carbonated water is available in pretty much all groceries here in the US Midwest, but usually as a specialty drink. San Pellegrino and Perrier as “exotic” European bottled waters (despite cheap prices), Topo Chico and other aguas con gas in the Hispanic/Mexican aisles and tiendas. Maybe $1 for 500 ml, less than $2 for a full liter, but it’s still considered unusual. (It was an eye-opener to take Spanish language/culture classes and discover that carbonated waters were the norm elsewhere.)
That said, I find it hard to guzzle a liter of San Pellegrino in less than a day, but can down a 2 liter of soda in minutes. I think it’s the root of carbonated water’s niche popularity in the US- in general, we prefer drinks we can guzzle with abandon (juice, agua sin gas, sweet sodas), while carbonated waters seem to only be sippable.
We have that, but also cheapass seltzer in 2L soda bottles. Which I suppose is as expensive as soda so there’s not much point in adding packets to seltzer except as an experiment.
However, soda flavoring is specifically formulated to offset the taste of carbonation, which is part of the reason is doesn’t taste as good flat. It should be simple to reformulate it for non carbonated water. I’ve had coke flavored ices and they taste great.
In many smaller grocers or convenience stores, they’re not to be found at all, and even in the big ones, carbonated waters are usually found in the alcohol mixers section – at least in my part of the country. There are the imported brands, but also the garden variety Faygo and Canada Dry. These are usually sold as “club soda” whereas the imported stuff is sold as “mineral water” or “sparkling water.” In certain parts of the country, I imagine the commercial stuff would be sold as “seltzer.” Strictly speaking, there are some differences, in that club soda has some additional mineral content added, etc. In restaurants that don’t sell mineral water, you can usually just ask for plain old “soda water” which the bar wand dispenses (soda without syrup).
Interestingly I recently came across a Canada Dry Club Soda fountian dispenser. I’m guessing that the Club Soda dispenser simply didn’t have a syrup line connected to it, whereas the rest of the soft drinks worked normally. But… club soda has added (non-sodium) salts.
In any case, I have no problem putting away 2L of homemade sparkling water in a single day. Since I don’t really drink soda-pop, it’s either beer or bubbly water, and the bubbly water is a lot more healthful and has a lot fewer calories!
I have one and use one all the time. It has taken off since 2008, for sure. But yeah-
But they give it to you at half price if you return the empty.
Still, way cheaper than buying soda.
After the morning caffeinated cola , I switch to plain carbonated water the rest of the day, sometimes with a lime or lemon wedge. It’s what I order in restaurants for dinner if they have a bar. If I say I am the designated driver it is sometimes free.
I hava a soda stream and drink carbonated water all the time, as in whenever I am thirsty instead of plain water.
I have started using ‘water enhancers’, or whatever you want to call them more and more lately l. Its odd because I an not much for pop. I do love a rye and coke though.
Reading this old thread I was thinking it odd that everyone was talking as if carbonated water in your home wasn’t a thing. And I guess it wasn’t in 2008.
That being said, as much as I would like some coke flavouring to put in my soda water I expect it would taste awful, carbonation or no. I know some people actually prefer pepsi, and someone somewhere must actually prefer RC. Pretty much all the off brand colas I’ve had have been spectacularly awful.
There is an A&W root beer drink mix and a cherry cola mix.
They both work well for making homemade popsicles.
But you can do what I do and put drink mix in unflavored seltzer/club soda if you need the carbonation.
The Walmart blackberry lemonade makes an excellent carbonated drink! Really tasty!
I would explode with all that carbonated water/ drinks.
I’m not used to carbonated drinks. Never drank many.
I had a little 7-up today and thought I’d die.
I think generic colas are so cheap I imagine that’s why the flavors aren’t as varied as the fruity flavors, in the mixers.
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