No matter which country you go to in the world, as in our country, in general, every country has its own food culture. This is an undeniable fact. Would you believe it if we told you that some countries have their own unique water culture? European countries are among the countries with different water cultures.
For example, when you go to a restaurant in Germany and ask for water, the waiter will bring you sparkling water most of the time. After the carbonated water comes, you can ask for still water (the plain water we drink), of course, after your request, still water will come to you, but the waiters will also find your request for plain water strange, just as you find it strange to receive carbonated water, because in Germany, carbonated water is generally drunk. Drinking it with meals also has a cultural dimension.
Now let’s come to our topic; Why is carbonated water preferred in Germany and throughout Europe?
First, let’s get down to the history of bottled water.
The first bottled water was obtained from the Holy Well well in the United Kingdom in the 17th century. During this period, most of the bottled water was produced from naturally occurring mineral waters. Since mineral waters are believed to be beneficial for human health, they achieved success across Europe in terms of consumption in the first years. Even though plain water reached the public through clean taps in Europe, the people did not give up their habits. They preferred tap water for washing hands and cleaning, and carbonated water for drinking.
How was the emergence of bottled water in the United States?
In the USA, drinking tap water was not very healthy for human health, as the water flowing from the taps was not clean. Hence the bottled water industry emerged and the first bottled commercial water was sold in the 18th century. By the 20th century in the USA, tap water was cleaned by chlorination and made drinkable. This situation significantly reduced the demand for mineral water.
The emergence and popularization of carbonated water:
Mineral springs have been used as water resources in Germany for centuries. The Germans loved mineral waters. The natural carbonate mineral springs found in Selters and Gerolstein became popular throughout the country. Until 1767, only the German elite had access to these popular waters, as access to these waters was expensive.
Chemist Joseph Priestley invented and wrote an article about carbonating water, thanks to a brewing method he found. A few years later, amateur scientist Jacob Schweppe took Priestley’s method forward and developed the first practical gaseous water production process. The company Schweppe founded could take water from any source in Germany and carbonize it. Thanks to Schweppe’s company, German citizens of all statuses had the opportunity to drink carbonated water of the same quality. In addition; Jacob Schweppe is the founder of the carbonated beverage company Schweppes.
Well, what do you think about this issue? Do you like mineral water?
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