Carbonation

So I was sipping some carbonated water for the first time today and I started to wonder where the idea for carbonated drinks came from...who invented it? Since I didn't know the answer and I am sure many others don't either I am going to share what I found out.

Joseph Priestley was the original inventor of carbonated water in 1767. He discovered how to dissolve carbon dioxide into water by suspending a bowl of water over a vat of beer. The air above the fermenting beer was carbon dioxide that dissolved into the water. What gets me is that this guy knew that if you suspended a mouse in this air it would kill the mouse and yet he decided it would be a good idea to see what the water tasted anyways. Who just does that!?!? Anyways, so that is how he discovered carbonated water. Others have improved on his method. Flavors weren't added to the soda water right away. A Swedish chemist was the first to try it in the end of the 1700's. He added things like spices, juice and wine.

And that is what I found out...pretty interesting if you ask me.