How to pour it
sparkling water in
Put the glass and bottle in the fridge for an hour. Carbonation stays dissolved better in cold water, so the colder the glass and water are, the fewer bubbles you lose while pouring.
Put the ice in the glass before pouring. One long stick or a few large cubes melt more slowly than a handful of small ones, so the water gets diluted less quickly.
Tilt the glass and pour the sparkling water down the side. Pouring directly onto the bottom creates a head of foam that spills out all at once.
Don’t squeeze the lemon or lime slice; let it slide into the glass along the rim. Add the mint or cucumber only at the very end and pour immediately.
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The story
Sparkling water comes in several varieties, and they don't all taste the same. Naturally carbonated mineral water comes from a spring that naturally carries carbon dioxide and retains the minerals from that source. In most bottles and every carbonator, carbon dioxide is added to water under pressure, and the amount of CO2 mainly determines how sharply it tingles. Soda water is carbonated water with added salts, usually sodium bicarbonate, which gives it a rounder, slightly saltier taste; club soda is that same soda water sold as a mixer. Seltzer is the name for water with carbonation only and no added salts, making it the most neutral of the bunch.
The right glass
Sparkling water calls for a cold glass with straight sides. A narrow, straight glass has a smaller surface area at the top than a wide tumbler, so less carbonation escapes while you drink. A tall half-liter long drink glass is practical for this, because there is still plenty of room for water alongside the ice, so the drink doesn't get diluted. More straight-sided models can be found among the long drink glasses.
RCR Ego Long Drink Glass 50 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Ego Water Glass 39 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 50,90.
The right tools
For sparkling water, in addition to the glass, use an ice cube tray for slow-melting ice and a set of glass straws that don't impart any aftertaste. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Four long ice sticks that fill a tall glass from top to bottom
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 57,85.
What do you serve with sparkling water?
Sparkling water is alcohol-free. As a mixer, it is the best-known of them all: gin with sparkling water and lemon is a classic, while a splash of soda is used with whisky to open up the drink. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
A slice of lime has a sharper bite than lemon, while a few cucumber slices make the glass taste softer. A sprig of rosemary or a few basil leaves give the water a herbal note. Want to add some color? Pour a little juice into the glass and top it up with sparkling water, so the bubbles stay at the top. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Put the bottle in a bucket of ice and water on the table instead of leaving it in the kitchen, so the water stays cold and the bubbles stay sharp. Screw the cap back on after each round, because an open bottle loses its carbonation within an hour.
Good to know
What types of sparkling water are there?
Natural sparkling mineral water comes from a spring that naturally carries carbon dioxide. With many other bottles and any carbonation device, carbon dioxide is added under pressure. Besides carbonation, soda water also contains added salts, giving it a rounder and slightly saltier taste.
What is the difference between club soda and seltzer?
Club soda is soda water: water with carbonation and added mineral salts, usually sodium bicarbonate. Seltzer is water with carbonation only and no added salts, making it taste more neutral. Both are used as mixers behind the bar.
Make it yourself with a carbonator?
A carbonator presses CO2 from a cylinder into a bottle of water. Fill the bottle with water that is already cold, because more carbon dioxide dissolves in cold water and stays in it better. Use water only, not juice, otherwise the foam will overflow from the bottle.
Why do the bubbles disappear so quickly?
Carbon dioxide escapes faster as the water warms and as the water surface gets larger. A lukewarm glass with a wide bowl is therefore the worst of both worlds. Scratches and traces of dishwashing detergent in the glass give the bubbles extra attachment points, so briefly rinse a glass after the dishwasher.
How do you pour sparkling water?
Tilt the glass and let the water run down the side, just as you would with beer. This prevents the carbon dioxide from being released all at once and leaves you with a glass without a head of foam.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is sparkling water?
Water with carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide comes from the source itself, as with naturally carbonated mineral water, or it is added under pressure, as in most bottles and carbonators.
What is the difference between soda water and sparkling water?
Sparkling water is the collective term for water with carbon dioxide. Soda water is sparkling water with added mineral salts, usually sodium bicarbonate, which gives it a rounder, slightly saltier taste.
Which glass keeps sparkling water fizzy the longest?
In a cold glass with straight sides. The water surface is smaller at the top than in a wide tumbler, so less carbon dioxide escapes while you drink.
How do I keep an open bottle of sparkling water fizzy?
Put the cap on immediately and return the bottle to the fridge. Carbon dioxide stays dissolved better in cold water, and an open bottle at room temperature goes flat within an hour.
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