What Is an Aerated Drink: Explained

Nothing quite says “fancy drink” like an aerated one. You might have seen them on menus before and thought, “Oh, that’s just bubbly water with some fruit juice mixed in,” but you’d be wrong. Aerated drinks are pretty complex, and a lot goes into making them taste as good as they do.

Nearly everyone has sampled an aerated beverage at some point in their lives. All carbonated beverages, from soda to champagne, share a common characteristic: fizziness.

So, what exactly is an aerated drink?

Simply put, it’s a drink infused with carbon dioxide gas. This gas gives the drink a unique texture and mouthfeel and helps release the ingredients’ flavors. Aerated drinks can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic and can be made with various ingredients.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what aerated drinks are, how they’re made, and some of the different types you might encounter. By the end, you’ll have a much better understanding of this fascinating category of beverages.

What Are Aerated Drinks?

Beverages infused with carbon dioxide gas are called aerated drinks. Besides enhancing the drink’s flavor, the gas also gives it a distinct mouthfeel. They can use various ingredients and preparation methods when creating aerated drinks, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

Aerated drinks are made by combining carbon dioxide gas with either water or another liquid. The carbon dioxide gas dissolves in the liquid, creating the signature fizziness characteristic of all carbonated beverages.

The beverage you end up with will depend on the ingredients you use. For example, if you add carbonated water to fruit juice, you’ll create sparkling fruit juice. If you add carbonated water to wine, you’ll create a sparkling wine. And if you add carbonated water to beer, you’ll create a sparkling beer.

Carbonation

The process of adding carbon dioxide gas to a liquid is called carbonation. Carbonation can be done either artificially or naturally.

Artificial Carbonation

This is the most common carbonation method used to carbonate most sodas and sparkling waters. This method adds carbon dioxide gas to the liquid under pressure. This forces the gas to dissolve into the liquid, and it also creates tiny bubbles that are characteristic of carbonated beverages.

Natural Carbonation

Natural carbonation occurs when water or another liquid is combined with carbon dioxide gas that has been naturally produced. For example, carbon dioxide gas is produced when yeast ferments sugar. This gas can then be used to carbonate water or another liquid. Natural carbonation is the method that is used to make most sparkling wines and beers.

Aerated drinks are usually served cold, and this helps to keep the carbon dioxide gas dissolved in the liquid. However, when aerated drinks are served at a warmer temperature, the carbon dioxide gas is less soluble and starts to come out of the solution. This causes the drink to become flat and lose its fizziness.

Types of Aerated Drinks

There are many different types of aerated drinks, and they can be divided into two main categories: alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Alcoholic Aerated Drinks

Alcoholic aerated drinks include sparkling wine, champagne, and sparkling beer. These drinks add carbon dioxide gas to wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages.

Non-Alcoholic Aerated Drinks

Non-alcoholic aerated drinks include soda, sparkling water, and fruit juice. These drinks are made by adding carbon dioxide gas to water or another non-alcoholic liquid.

Takeaway

An aerated drink is a beverage infused with carbon dioxide gas. This gas gives the drink a unique texture and mouthfeel and helps release the ingredients’ flavors. Aerated drinks can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic and can be made with various ingredients.

Aerated drinks are made by combining carbon dioxide gas with either water or another liquid. The carbon dioxide gas dissolves in the liquid, creating the signature fizziness characteristic of all carbonated beverages.

Frequently Asked Questions