How did Cold Drinks become Popular? History of Cold Drinks

But have you ever wondered about where cold drinks come from, and how did they become popular worldwide? So grab a can of your go-to fizzy drink and prepare to be amazed as we delve into the rich history of cold drinks!

Cold drinks can be traced back to ancient times when people were drinking natural mineral water from springs and other sources for health benefits. First lemonade and other fruit-flavored drinks, mixed with honey and other sweeteners became popular.

However, it wasn't until the late 18th century that carbonated water was first invented, making it easier to produce modern soft drinks. Keep reading to find out everything about pop drinks.

Early Encounters with Cold Drinks

It all started back in 1798 when the term “soft drink” derived from “soda water.” In 1767, Joseph Priestly, an English chemist, natural philosopher, and multi-subject educator invented carbonated water when he first discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide (CO2) by suspending a bowl of water over a vat of fermenting beer in a brewery in his home county of Yorkshire in the UK.

Source: SodaParts

Later, in 1771 a chemistry professor Tobern Bergman invented another similar method, independently of Priestly. Sadly, suffering from poor health, he was trying to reproduce naturally effervescent mineral spring waters which were thought to at the time by many civilizations to cure disease.

Now, carbonated water is made by passing pressurized carbon dioxide (CO2) through water using a carbonator.  It may surprise you, but until the early 20th century, soft drink creation and soda manufacturing were handled mainly by local pharmacists because of their experience with chemistry and medicine.

When it comes to facts about soda, in 1835, the first bottled soda water was produced in the US. At that time, drugstores were popular gathering places in many towns and neighborhoods. Pharmacists played an important role in providing drinks that were both refreshing and medicinal.

At the same time, the selling of soft drinks had its modest beginning with the use of ice coolers or ice trade in the early 20th century. However today, most drinks are cooled by electric refrigeration for consumption on the premises.

The Rise of Modern Carbonated Beverages

The soda water sold by these early companies was mostly unflavored, unsweetened carbonated water without any soda ingredients, at that time it was called soda water or seltzer water. 

But it didn’t take too long for drink flavors and sweeteners to be added to the mix. In the early years of the 19th century, the first flavored syrups were created.

These ingredients including ginger and birch bark were chosen according to their health benefits. In fact, at the time many people believed that soda had medicinal benefits. 

But, it was the 1830s when these healthy flavors were overtaken by many fruit flavors and sweeteners. By 1865, soda drinkers had several options to choose from including orange flavor, apple flavor, black, cherry, lemon, grapes, and many more. 

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the carbonated soft drinks (CSD) industry expanded significantly. As mentioned earlier, in the initial days people bought their carbonated drinks from pharmacies with a ‘soda fountain,’ which ultimately became the social hub in every neighborhood. 

Later, in 1850 the first filling and corking machine was designed and a patent was filed for the crown bottle cap, which stopped carbonated beverages from losing their fizziness. Now it was much easier for companies to sell carbonated drinks for people to enjoy at home.

The Advent of Cola 

Who doesn’t know about Coca-Cola today? World’s largest beverage company to produce the most popular sodas in the world. But how was it invented?

It was 1886, the innovation and curiosity of Dr. John S. Pemberton, an Atlanta-based pharmacist led to the birth of  Coca-Cola. Since then, the company expanded to over 500 brands in more than 200 countries. 

Coca-Cola, in its expansion, developed four of the world’s top five nonalcoholic 

sparkling soft drink brands: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, and Sprite. Additionally, the company produces tab drinks, and they also own several other product lines with a portfolio of more than 3,900 beverages. 

These range from diet and regular sparkling drinks to still beverages, 100% fruit juices, sports and energy drinks, teas, coffees, milk, and soy-based beverages. 

Coca-Cola’s global strategy and sustainable growth gradually became a key component of its mission statement and company values. The company not only became an established company but also helped the cold drink industry to grow rapidly.  

Cold Drink Industry Today 

According to Duane Standford, editor of Beverage Digest, over the past 20 years, carbonated soft drinks have been declining in volume. In other words, It is said that the non-alcoholic beverage market has seen a gradual decline in sales of soda drinks in the last ten years. 

Reuters 2017 found by 2016, the sales of cold drinks declined by 1.2% in the United States. The major issue with soda drink is evident in Coca-Cola’s Diet Coke product, which had a 4.3 % decrease in volume in the United States and a consequent loss in market share.

However, as sales of soda beverages remain in steady fall, Coca-Cola, as a regarded company to produce the best soda in the world, looks to new opportunities in the alcoholic beverage market. The company is launching Coca-Cola’s Chu-Hi, a canned alcoholic drink, that the multinational firm was testing in Japan. 

Conclusion 

Hopefully, now you have a full picture of how cold drinks emerged and became so popular worldwide.  While you enjoy this sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring, you also need to remember that regular consumption of soft drinks has been linked with multiple chronic health conditions. 

So you should avoid drinking sugary soft drinks as much as you can. Although drinking an occasional soda does not necessarily cause health risks, consuming one to two cold drinks a day can eventually result in some health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a Fizzy drink?

Carbonated drinks are also known as fizzy drinks, they are beverages that contain carbon dioxide gas, which gives them their effervescent quality. Fizzy drinks are usually sweet and flavored and are often served cold. 

Q. What is the most consumed Manufactured drink in the world?

The most consumed manufactured drink in the world is tea, equaling all others, including coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol – combined.

Q. How did People chill alcoholic beverages before refrigeration?

Before the invention of refrigeration, people used a variety of methods to chill alcoholic beverages including snow,  ice coolers, saltpeter, and ice trade.

Q. Which Country drinks the most Cold Drinks?

According to the International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA), Mexico consumes the most cold drinks with a total of 163 liters per capita. They’re the first because of their hot climate and high preference for carbonated beverages. The United States and Brazil are also one of the major consumers of drinks. 

Q. Why do Americans love ice in their drinks?

The main reason why Americans love ice in their drinks but other countries don’t is that they have a plethora of ice as a resource.

Q. Where was Mountain Dew invented? 

Mountain Dew was invented in the United States in the 1940s by Tenessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman. In 1948, it was first marketed in Marion, Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee, and Johnson City, Tennessee. 

Q. How is carbonated water made? 

Carbonated water is water that is made by infusing carbon dioxide gas under pressure. This creates a bubbly drink that's also known as sparkling water, club soda, soda water, and fizzy water.