The Important Thing To Look For When Buying Club Soda

Club soda contains added minerals (it's the key difference that separates it from sparkling water, which usually doesn't have any). These give it a tangier taste, so when you're at the grocery store, make sure you know whether you prefer sparkling or club soda — buying one instead of the other might leave you dissatisfied. Club soda's tangy, somewhat-salty bite is what makes it a good addition to cocktails, which is important to consider if you're stocking up for a party where you might incorporate it into another drink.

What minerals are in club soda?

The main ingredients in club soda are water and carbon dioxide. The latter is what gives the drink its fizz, but it also contains a slew of minerals. Often, these include sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda), along with sodium chloride, potassium sulfate, and disodium phosphate.

The baking soda is what ensures the drink doesn't get too acidic on top of its fizzy bite. Sodium chloride is just a scientific term for classic table salt. Meanwhile, potassium sulfate is similar to sodium chloride in that it also adds a hint of salt, but its flavor is a little more bitter. Plus, it acts as a preservative for when the drink is canned or bottled. Disodium phosphate's role is mostly structural. It ensures the drink keeps its consistency as it sits on the store shelf and that all of the ingredients remain well-combined. Although every mineral has an important role, they also each come with their own distinct flavors, which is why club soda doesn't have the same pure-water taste as sparkling water.