260 / 290
MINERALS,
CORDIALS, SYRUPS & SQUASHES
There are a considerable number of aerated waters, some
being naturally and the others artificially carbonated, or
sparkling. The natural Aerated waters, also known as
Mineral Waters, contain some carbonic acid gas in solution
as they issue forth from the soil; they may be drunk at
the spring, in their sparkling condition, or else in any part
of the world, after they have been bottled, in which case
their carbonic acid gas is usually collected at the spring
and the right quantity of it is then re-introduced into the
water under pressure at the time of bottling : this is the
only way to ensure that their degree of effervescence shall
be exactly the same from bottle to bottle and from year
to year. Aerated waters which are artificially carbonated
are also called Minerals: they are the more common and
least expensive, but they contain none of the valuable
mineral salts which many of the natural Mineral waters
contain, besides carbonic acid gas. The commonest of all
artificially carbonated aerated waters are Soda, Potash
and Lithia waters ; they are tasteless ; other Minerals
such as' fizzy'lemonade and orangeade, are flavoured
as well as carbonated. The principle upon which carbonated
waters are produced is that water absorbs under the normal
pressure of the atmosphere about its own bulk of carbonic
acid gas,and twice as much if pressure equal to that of two
atmospheres be applied ; more as the pressure is increased.
Carbonic acid gas is generated by chalk or whiting being
treated with sulphuric acid ; the gas thus obtained is stored
in a gasometer, from which it passes into a condenser and
eventually to the bottling machine. In the case of'fizzy'
lemonade or any other coloured and flavoured Mineral, the
colouring and flavouring essences are nrn into the bottle,
which is then filled with water charged with gas at the
desired pressure. It is then immediately capped, corked,
or otherwise securely locked into the bottle, so that the
gas cannot escape before the cork or capsule is removed.
Those aerated drinks which contain fruit juices with
fruit cells are classed as Aerated Squashes. Those syrups
260