You might be wondering: where did these names even come from? Seltzer gets its name from the German town Niederselters, which was famous for its naturally sparkling mineral springs. Back in the day, “seltzer water” was the fancy bottled stuff from Europe.
Club soda, meanwhile, was invented during the temperance movement in the 1800s. Bars called “clubs” started serving carbonated water with added minerals to make it taste more like natural spring water—hence, “club soda.” It was a way to offer a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink. So every time you order a club soda, you’re sipping a little piece of history.
What About Tonic Water and Sparkling Mineral Water?
Oh, those are totally different beasts! Tonic water has quinine and sugar—it’s sweet and bitter, not just fizzy. And sparkling mineral water comes from a natural spring with its own unique mineral profile. That’s why Perrier and San Pellegrino taste different from each other—and completely different from seltzer.
But here’s the fun part: you can actually make your own club soda at home. Just add a pinch of baking soda and a dash of salt to your seltzer, and boom—instant club soda. It’s like being a mad scientist in your kitchen, but the result is just a better gin and tonic.
Differences between Club Soda and Seltzer Water - diff.wiki
