Schweppes Ginger Ale

Schweppes Ginger Ale stems from the efforts of Johann Jacob Schweppe. Schweppe was born in 1740 in Hesse, Germany, but moved to Geneva, Switzerland in 1765 where he became a watchmaker and jeweler. Schweppe was also an amateur scientist, as it seems so many enlightened gentlemen were in those days. Using processes developed by Joseph Priestley, an English scientist who studied gasses and is credited with the discovery of oxygen, Schweppe created carbonated mineral water. He founded the Schweppes Company in 1783 in Geneva to sell his bottled drink, later moving the business to London. Around that time he also invented a bottle with a rounded base which forced the bottles to be stored on their sides. Storing the bottles on their sides meant the cork stayed moist and preserved the carbonation much longer. The company eventually folded in 1795. 

Erasmus Darwin, an English doctor and grandfather of Charles Darwin, had become a fan of the drink and spread it's popularity. Because of this, Schweppes went back into business and by 1831 King William IV of England had taken to the drink sending it's popularity higher. The burgeoning British Empire meant the drink was taken all over the world. In 1969, Schweppes merged with Cadbury, becoming Cadbury Schweppes. Cadbury Schweppes later spun off their beverages into a new company called Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

There are two ginger ale brands I generally stick to drinking and while Schweppes is one of them, I don't care for it in cans. There's something about the little iconic green bottles I grew up with that makes it better. The bright green glass and the way they fit into your hand like little grenades makes them different than all the others.

Schweppes has lots of carbonation, which I like from ginger ale. Ginger ale is one of the best drinks to sip on with an upset stomach because carbonation will aid in burping to when you have too much acid in your gut, and ginger is naturally soothing to digestion. This is also a nice drink because it has the bite you want from ginger ale, but no overly so, and also has a sweetness to balance it out nicely. Overall this is a great beverage alone or as a mixer. But get it in the little green bottles!