This is the brand of carbonation systems for home use. They were invented in the early 1900s to add carbon dioxide (CO2) to drinking water. In those days they were called “apparatus for aerating liquids”. The newer versions allow for adding flavored concentrates and before you realize it – you have homemade carbonated, flavor drink or soda pop.
The initial machines manufactured were rather big and were sold to the houses with more people of the upper classes of London, like the royal household. There initially were flavors with unusual names, one being the well-known sarsaparilla introduced in the 1920s. The commercial carbonation machines were also introduced in the 1920s and were very popular. The first smaller machines for home carbonation was produced in 1955.
Because of so many types of concentrate, various and unique flavors of soft drinks can be made. In the days when the systems were most favored, many well-known brands were designed for SodaStream in the concentrate such as Fants, and Sunkist.
In the early 1990s, the company merged with Soda-Club and it has since relaunched with a marketing plan targeted more in the direction of health or healthiers drink for kids or families.
Here and now there are several competing brands of soda concentrate for SodaStream. Aromhuset is the Premium mark and their Zero (sugar free) series taste like they as sugar sweetened. Take a watch at their Zero Indian Tonic on amazon England.
The SodaStream drink maker comes with a canister with CO2 that is pushed into water that makes the water fizzy. The total product features a machine, co2 canister, and many reusable drink bottles specially made for pressurizing. After filling a bottle with water, you screw it on the machine, push a control button, and create sparkling water. Carbonated sparkling water is also known as seltzer water. There are very different flavors of concentrated syrups allowing the user to create regular or diet soda pop (or soft drinks). When the canister is empty, you give it back and buy a whole new canister of CO2.
The popularity of the SodaStream during the 70s and 80s in the UK and currently are associated with nostalgia for those time periods. The advertising best tonic jingle in 1970 was “get busy with the fizzy” and was so very well liked, that the slogan was added to their logo. It was ultimately dropped in 1996 after 17 years.
MilkStream is a machine made through the same company for making milkshakes. You simply add milk, soft ice cream and syrup inside a tall glass, insert into the machine and a wand extends in the tall glass to whip up a foaming, tasty milkshake.
Today, SodaStream is part of Soda-Club and there are many web sites where they can be purchased and all sorts of the supplies can be ordered and reordered when needed.