Soft drink

Lore & Background

The origins of soft drinks lie in fruit-flavored drinks. In the medieval Middle East, drinks such as sharbat were sweetened with sugar, syrup, and honey. In Tudor England, 'water imperial' and 'Manays Cryste' were popular. Lemonade, made of water and lemon juice sweetened with honey, was sold by the Compagnie des Limonadiers of Paris starting in 1676, the first marketed soft drink.

Carbonated drinks began with Joseph Priestley's 1767 invention of infusing water with carbon dioxide. Johann Jacob Schweppe formed Schweppes in 1783, and in 1792 the company sold the world's first bottled soft drink: Schweppes soda water. By the 19th century, brands such as R. White's Lemonade, Moxie, Dr Pepper, and Coca-Cola were founded. Carbonated beverages are prepared by mixing flavored syrup with carbonated water, with carbonation levels up to 5 volumes of CO2 per liquid volume.

Regional names for soft drinks vary widely, including 'pop', 'soda', 'coke', 'fizzy drink', and 'cool drink'. In the United States, the 2003 Harvard Dialect Survey found 'soda' preferred by over half of respondents, 'pop' by 25%, and 'coke' by 12%. In the United Kingdom, 'fizzy drink' is common; in Ireland, 'mineral'; in Scotland, 'fizzy juice'; and in South Africa, 'cool drink'.

Reader's Guide

Soft drinks have become a global staple, with origins in medieval Middle Eastern fruit drinks and European lemonade. The invention of carbonated water by Joseph Priestley in 1767 and its commercialization by Johann Jacob Schweppe in 1783 laid the foundation for the modern industry. By the 19th century, iconic brands such as Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper emerged, and the category expanded to include a wide variety of flavors and sweeteners, including sugar substitutes for diet sodas.

The significance of soft drinks lies in their ubiquity and cultural variation. They are served in countless settings—from fast food restaurants to vending machines—and are known by many regional names, reflecting local language and identity. The term 'soft drink' itself contrasts with 'hard' alcoholic drinks, and the alcohol content is strictly limited to under 0.5% ABV in many countries. The industry's history includes early medicinal uses of mineral waters and the development of phosphate sodas in the late 19th century. Today, soft drinks remain a major category in the beverage industry, with ongoing debates about sugar content and health effects, though the article does not address those debates.

Did You Know?

• Joseph Priestley first discovered a method of infusing water with carbon dioxide in 1767 by suspending a bowl of distilled water above a beer vat in Leeds, England.
• The Compagnie des Limonadiers of Paris was granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks in 1676, making it the first marketed soft drink.
• In the United States, the 2003 Harvard Dialect Survey found that over half of respondents preferred the term 'soda', while 'pop' was preferred by 25% and 'coke' by 12%.
• The earliest known reference to carbonated ginger beer appears in a publication from the 1790s.