Club soda
Club soda may be similar to plain carbonated water or it may contain a small amount of table salt, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium sulfate, or disodium phosphate, depending on the bottler.
English chemist Joseph Priestley found an artificial method for producing carbonated water, in a 1772 pamphlet. The pamphlet explained the process of dripping sulfuric acid onto chalk, which produced carbon dioxide (CO2) that was captured in a bowl of agitated water.
The inventor thought such carbonated water was a cure for scurvy and proposed the process to Captain James Cook to prevent scurvy during his second voyage to the South Seas. Priestley never acknowledged the commercial potential of his product, though he did refer to it as his "happiest discovery."
The dissolved gas in carbonated water acts as a temporary surfactant, causing it to be recommended as a household remedy for removing stains, especially those of red wine.
Club soda is also great with
John Collins
A John Collins is a cocktail, a long drink stirred with ice and topped with soda—made from London dry gin (or Bourbon whiskey), lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water. The cocktail was attested in 1869, but may be older. This is, essentially, a tall version of the Whiskey Sour and is perfect for any occasion. It's an excellent everyday drink that can be poured in just a few minutes.
Gin Fizz
The gin fizz is a classic mixed drink made with gin, lemon, simple syrup and soda water that is much like a whiskey fizz. The main difference is in the base spirit. The first printed recipe for a Gin Fizz appeared in the 1876 edition of "The Bar-tenders Guide" by Jerry Thomas and the drink rose to mass popularity starting in the 1900’s.
Curacao Punch
Curaçao Punch is a cocktail from Harry Johnson's New and Improved Bartender's Manual (1882). It's a forgotten punch that combines robust rum and brandy with an old-fashioned orange liqueur.
Rickey
The rickey is a classic highball cocktail made with gin or bourbon, lime juice, and carbonated water. It was invented in Washington D.C. at Shoomaker's bar by bartender George A. Williamson and named after the Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey. Its popularity grew when made with gin instead of bourbon a decade later. The cocktail is clean, sharp, and refreshing and is always served in a highball glass. Optionally lime wheels are used as a garnish and can be added sugar.
Mojito
Mojito is a traditional Cuban highball. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors is intended to complement the rum, and has made the mojito a popular summer drink. It’s unclear, but the Mojito first appeared in cocktail literature in the 1932 edition of "Sloppy Joe’s Bar Cocktail Manual", a book from the famed Havana institution.
Singapore Sling
The Singapore Sling is a gin-based sling cocktail from Singapore developed sometimes before 1915. The earliest published version of the recipe appeared in "The Savoy Cocktail Book", a 1930 classic written by Harry Craddock. It was initially called the gin sling – a sling was originally a North American drink composed of spirit and water, sweetened and flavored.
Ramos Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz is a tall, creamy, citrusy classic with sky-high foam. It’s made with gin, lemon, lime, cream, simple syrup, orange blossom water, egg white, and soda water to top-up. The cocktail was invented by bar owner Henry C. Ramos in 1888 and it was served at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon and first named the New Orleans Fizz.
Canchanchara
The Canchanchara is made with Cuban aguardiente, honey, and fresh lime juice. The cocktail is said to be the oldest known cocktail in Cuba, dating back to (or before) the Ten Years War in the late 19th century when Cuban guerrillas, known as mambises, began the fight against Spain for independence.