Who invented the first commercial carbonated (fizzy) drink, and how are carbonated drinks made?
Dr. Joseph Priestley, of Leeds, England, made the first publically acclaimed glass of drinkable carbonated water in 1767 by pouring water back and forth over a brewery vat where the liquid could absorb carbon dioxide from the rising fumes. This earned him the nickname “father of the soft drinks industry.” Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the key to carbonation. These days it is added by the beverage manufacturer as either a solid (dry ice) or high-pressure liquid form.
