DASH Water (use code WONKYWATER50 for 50% off all products!)
We are all regularly told to drink tap water, as opposed to bottled water. But what if you prefer your water bubbly? Water is obviously better than coke, and although the odd natural soda is fine, water is the beverage of choice. So how do you create fizzy water, if you don’t want to buy plastic bottles of the stuff. Here are a few ideas – from homemade fizzy water to better brands in glass bottles or tins. And then for the hedonists among you, we’ll look at fizzy water with alcohol added (only a little bit!) Never give sparkling water to pets, as it could expand and cause bloat. In fact, it’s good to avoid for anyone with gassy problems.
What is Fizzy Water?
Fizzy (sparkling water) is simply water that dissolves carbon dioxide through high pressure. This creates carbononic acid. There are some natural springs where the water is naturally sparkling, but few and far between. Today nearly all sparkling water is artificially created. It’s popular alone or to dilute alcohol like spirits or wine (a spritzer). It’s also used in cooking to make fluffy batters. Some people find that sparkling water (esp. soda water) helps digestion. Club soda is simply the same, but with mineral salts added.
Sparkling Water (made with wonky fruit)
DASH Water (use code WONKYWATER50 for 50% off all products!) is a super brand of sparkling water, made with natural bubbles and wonky fruit, that has been rejected by industry and would otherwise end up on landfill. The drinks contain no nasties (artificial sweeteners etc) and are sold in easy-to-recycle aluminium cans and glass bottles. You’ll find them in many stores, or order in bulk online. This is a Certified B company (the best there is, in terms of sustainability).
These drinks give a natural lift from fruit and bubbles, with no sugar, sweeteners or calories. So unless you are drinking water from the tap, you can’t get more zero waste than this. The range includes:
- Peach
- Blackcurrant
- Raspberry
- Cucumber
While we are fussy about flavour, we don’t care if the fruit is bumped, curved, broken or squashed. In a small way to help raise awareness about the big issue of waste. One bashed up berry, curly cucumber and lopsided lemon at a time! DASH Water
If you order DASH Water online, there are seriously good discounts for students (or £20 for referring a friend). And big discounts for following the company on Instagram.
All key workers get a whopping 50% off their first order, just show proof of employment. Ideal for teachers, nurses, carers, fire & rescue crew and others, to enjoy sparkling water with wonky fruit, at a better price!
Aqua Libra Sparkling Water Drink
You may remember years ago that indie health stores would sell glass bottles of a lovely non-alcoholic drink that tasted a bit like a liquid apple crumble. Today the same company instead makes sparkling water infused with fruits, sold in zero waste cans. Aqua Libra only contain sparkling water, fresh fruits and a dash of lemon. Choose from Raspberry Blackcurrant, Cucumber Mint Lime or Pineapple Grapefruit.
Sustainable Hard Seltzer Drinks
Hard seltzer drinks are a new import from the US: sparkling water that is flavoured with fruit juice with alcohol too. A more natural alternative to conventional alcoholic drinks, these are some of England’s more sustainable brands.
Arrowtown Drinks blends simple natural ingredients to create alcoholic fizzy waters (red berries or lime elderflower). The nature-loving founders donate 10% profits from the sales to environmental and wildlife conservation charities. Red Berries helps African wildlife and Lime Elderflower helps marine conservation.
Berczy Hard Seltzer is a sparkling alcoholic water, inspired by a trip to Canada. These vegan drinks are low in calories and sugar, and gluten-free. The perfect gift, they are also good for BBQs, picnics or a relaxing evening. Made in England, sustainability is at the core of all they do. Made from natural fruits, British spring water and four-times distilled sugar beet alcohol, the drinks are available in 3 flavours (also as a mixed pack) in a cardboard box:
- Lemon & Lime (low-cal gin & tonic alternative)
- Peach & Raspberry (sweet, light & refreshing)
- Passionfruit & Turmeric
Long Shot Drinks makes hard seltzers (alcoholic sparkling waters) in classic British flavours. Inspired by an idea from North America, these drinks translate the flavours to the kinds that are popular in England. Sold in tins, all the drinks are under 70 calories and cater to a variety of needs (vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar and keto-friendly). The range includes:
- Strawberry Rhubarb
- Raspberry Blackcurrant
- Grapefruit (check medication)
Make Your Own Sparkling Water
You guessed it, you’re thinking a Soda Stream, right? Yes, that’s one way but it’s not the only brand. They’re no cheap, but if you like lots of fizzy water, they work out way cheaper (and less taking-bottles-to-the-recycling-bank-hassle) than bottled. Once bought, you obviously need to buy canisters, but after that, it’s child’s play. SodaSream is one of the best known models, but it doesn’t have the best reviews as it’s rather large and clunky.
Mysoda Toby Sparkling Water Maker is the greenest option, made from wood and needing no electricity. Silent to use and reusable canisters, it’s sold in three colours and delivered in plastic-free packaging. The antifreeze nozzle allows very cold water to be carbonated.
Aarke is a luxury brand (just over £200) so best reserved for restaurants and hotels, but good if you constantly serve fizzy water to diners and guests. It’s very quiet and made in Sweden. Made from stainless steel, it has an internal safety valve system and precision nozzle. Just fill to the line with fresh clean water and pull the lever. Push and hold until you hear a buzz, then release and unscrew the bottle.
Hard Seltzers (to help endangered wildlife)
Arrowtown Drinks is a brand that produces fresh and fruity hard seltzer waters. If you don’t know what these are, they are alcoholic sparkling waters, so not health food, but better for you than hard spirits or bottles of wine each night! First made popular in North America, today many shops sell them, but often with artificial sweeteners and not-so-nice stuff. This brand is different, because each can sold supports one of three wildlife conservation charities, to help elephants and marine creatures.
The elephant population has fallen 90% in just 100 years. And over 150,000 whales and seals are killed by discarded fishing gear each year. The two charities supported are Tusk (elephants, yeh!) and Sea Shepherd (which investigates illegal activities against marine wildlife and has the world’s largest private navy).
The brand was founded by two brothers, one of whom has a degree in environment and business. So together they decided to build a drinks brand that does good, over the large faceless corporations behind so many hard seltzers. They are passionate about wildlife. James says ‘watching penguins waddle is good for the soul’ and Rob says to ‘google snub-nosed monkeys – you won’t be disappointed!’
Fortunate enough to go on safari with their family, they have seen first-hand the magnificence of elephants, but also the terrible realities of poaching. One of the brothers also followed a pod of orcas (killer whales) in the wild in New Zealand, and could not believe that people actually poach these creatures.
All the drinks are made with natural ingredients including carbonated water, natural flavours, a fermented apple wind base and British beet sugar. Choose from 3 flavours (you can also buy mixed cases):
- Red Berries
- Lime & Elderflower
- Tropical
