Our Bubbles

It's easy to miss, but carbonation isn't just about the fizz; it's the unsung hero that transforms the entire drinking experience, heightens flavour and aroma, affects our interpretation of flavour and even tricks our brains.

Franklin & Sons products are, as a rule, very fizzy. In fact, the average level of carbonation sits at 8.3g/litre or approximately 4.3 volumes – the normal range for a mixer drink is 6-8g/litre, so they sit at the top of that range. Here's why carbonation is important...

The road to 1886

Let's turn back the clock and paint a picture of the era leading up to 1886 – a period marked not just by hardship but also by remarkable resilience and innovation, when pioneers were truly inspirational and achieved incredible feats.

Consider Joseph Priestly, who first isolated carbon dioxide in 1767, essentially capturing air in water. Then there's Johan Schweppe, who commercialized the first artificially carbonated water in 1783, a major leap forward. By 1850, the sugar beet industry was revolutionizing sweeteners across Europe, a change that soon reached the UK shores. George Cleghorn's ingenious use of quinine mixed in water as a malaria deterrent finally led to Erasmus Bond patenting the first tonic water in 1858.

Innovation & the era of fizz

All these innovations, spanning over a century, laid the groundwork for the environment into which the Franklin family was primed. Just 28 years after Bond's patented tonic water, the Franklin & Sons journey began, rooted in an era brimming with pioneering spirit and breakthroughs.

It was a transformative time that saw major advances in the creation of tonics, sodas, and soft drinks, significantly influencing our taste preferences up to the present. This period didn't just change the way drinks were made; it also raised intriguing questions: Why did carbonated drinks gain such popularity, and what impact does carbonation have on our taste experience?

What is carbonation?

Ibrahim M. Abu-Reida, a scholar and researcher at the University of Granada, notes that: "Carbonation is the saturation of a liquid with CO2 gas." (Ibrahim M. Abu-Reidah, in Trends in Non-alcoholic Beverages, 2020)

So, carbonation means we have dissolved a gas – typically Co2, which is inert or tasteless into a liquid using pressure and temperature. The interesting part is what happens to the flavour of that liquid with the addition of CO2.

Mixologists and bartenders are no strangers to fizz, but there's still more to learn about how carbonation interacts with the taste buds, tweaks our brain's perception, and transforms how we experience drinks.

And there's also the 'feel'. It's not often we talk about how a drink feels, but imagine the sensation of carbonation as akin to the touch of different textures-like comparing the smoothness of a pebble, the coarseness of sandpaper, or the luxury of silk against your skin.

Consider this: How does the fizz, that prickly sensation, play with your senses? Listen to the fizz – sound is becoming more and more important in the presentation of cocktails.

The curious case of carbonation and taste

Ever seen a dog's reaction to tasting soda for the first time? This instinctive response isn't too far off from how we react to really bitter tastes. That puckering sensation? It's our body's ancient warning system saying, "Careful, this might not be good for you." Bitterness often signals potential toxins, and our bodies are hardwired to be cautious.

But here's an intriguing twist: our relationship with carbonation. Early carbonated beverages, emerging from natural fermentation, hinted at this same kind of warning. Fermentation is, in its essence, a form of controlled spoilage. Yet, unlike our furry friends and most other animals, humans have a peculiar fondness for the fizz.

Why's that? Well, it seems we're wired for a bit of risk-taking, craving sensations that edge on the thrill of danger without actually diving into harm's way. It's why some of us are drawn to the rush of bungee jumping, the depths of scuba diving, or lively nights out.

This flirtation with the edge extends to our taste buds. The prickly, tingling sensation we get from carbonation, akin to the kick from horseradish or the zing of mustard, hits a sweet spot of danger and delight without the real risk. It's a culinary thrill ride-safe, yet excitingly sharp.

The fizz effect on flavour

Think of carbonation as a flavour magnifier. It can make the great flavours even more memorable or, sometimes, highlight the ones we'd rather forget. With what we know about carbonation's impact, let's see how it influences the way these tonics impact your taste buds, enhancing or altering their character in unique ways.

Exploring the olfactory bulb's role with carbonation

Diving into the world of flavour with a drink in hand does more than just engage our noses or tongue. It lights up our olfactory bulb, that part of the brain that connects flavour to memories. This is where taste and smell meet, using the same sensory pathways to enrich our experience of a drink.

Carbonation steps in here as a fascinating player. It releases aroma compounds previously locked within the liquid. Imagine carbonated bubbles rising and popping at the surface. They're not just for show; they're releasing a mix of scents into the air, creating a vivid aroma landscape.

CO2 acts like an elevator, carrying aroma compounds such as esters, aldehydes, and essential oils up and out of the drink, directly to your waiting olfactory receptors.

However, CO2's job isn't just about moving these compounds around; it also intensifies them. This makes certain smells stand out more, enriching the drink's overall aroma. This interaction is key to why smells can trigger memories and emotions, making each tasting experience unique.

Effects of temperature on carbonation

A colder soda is a fizzier soda.

Temperature significantly influences carbonation; warmer conditions cause carbonated beverages to lose their sparkle faster, impacting the overall taste experience.

Imagine you're outdoors on a sunny day, perhaps at a beach or park. Carrying cool bags for drinks like ours isn't just about preference- it's about preserving their lively fizz.

As our drink warms up, the behaviour of CO2 inside changes significantly. In a warmer liquid, the CO2 molecules have more space to roam, leading to a looser liquid structure. This phenomenon explains why a warm champagne bottle might surprise you with a popping cork- it's all about the increased movement and pressure from the CO2 seeking an exit.

Conversely, keeping your carbonated favourites cold in the fridge helps maintain a higher level of dissolved CO2. Opening a bottle that's been chilled means enjoying a burst of bubbles, thanks to the tighter molecular bonds in the cold liquid keeping the CO2 dissolved until that moment.

Maximising carbonation in cocktails

It's simple: keep those bottles cold until they're needed. A chilled bottle promises a refreshing drink and maximizes the effervescence and flavour of your cocktail.

Cleanliness is just as important. A clean glass means no unwanted nucleation points where CO2 could escape prematurely. Plus, a neat trick is to pour the spirit over ice first, which helps eliminate any spots on the ice where bubbles might form too quickly. Then, by adding the mixer gently along the side of the glass, you reduce fizz loss, ensuring the drink stays lively from the first pour to the last sip.

Understanding sourness and carbonation

A 2009 study at the US National Institutes of Health brought fascinating insights into the intersection of taste and carbonation. They discovered that sour-sensing cells in our taste buds are directly responsible for detecting carbon dioxide. The interaction is facilitated by an enzyme, carbonic anhydrase, which transforms CO2 into carbonic acid. This process not only aids in maintaining pH balance but also sends a distinct sour signal to our brains.

This finding reveals a curious aspect of how we experience carbonated beverages. Essentially, the fizz we encounter tricks our taste receptors into perceiving a sourness that's not inherently present in CO2. It's a clever sensory illusion, prompting a response that's as much about perception as it is about actual taste.

So, our tongues are lying to us!

The sensation of fizziness, akin to a mild acid touch on the tongue, varies across cultures, with some even naming their seltzer waters for this sour characteristic.