The Best Way To Store Sparkling Water So That It Keeps Its Fizz
Drinking water is an essential part of life. This element makes up about 60% of our bodies, so it's imperative to drink plenty of it throughout the day. Still, there is one factor of water that some people absolutely hate, and it's a real roadblock to hydration. Simply put, many people find water simply too boring to drink. It's flat and it's flavorless, so honestly, the disdain is understandable. Luckily, there is one way to get around drinking plain water, and that's by making the switch to sparkling water instead.
Sparkling water is full of bubbles and fizz, and makes for exciting sips each time you take a drink. There's endless flavors (both sweet or sugar-free), different carbonation levels, and so many different brands to choose from. Plus — you can even easily make your own at home. It's all these exciting mouthfeels and varieties that makes sparkling water so popular among millennials and all over Europe. (If you order a glass of water in places like Germany or Spain, expect it to be bubbly.)
Still, every exciting alternative comes with its own drawbacks, and sparkling water's is that it loses much of its allure after it's been opened as all those compelling bubbles escape into the air. Still, if you store your sparkling water right, it can stay fizzy for much longer. Surprisingly, the solution to keeping sparkling water, well, sparkling is actually simple — start keeping open bottles in the coldest part of your fridge.
The science behind this simple preservation hack
While this bubble preservation method might seem too easy to actually work, there's plenty of science to back it up. Sparkling water retains its lively bubbles because of the intense pressure of the bottle it's contained in. So, once you open up the bottle, it's only a matter of time before your drink goes flat. Usually those bubbles will naturally disperse in about two days, but there is one factor that can determine the actual lifespan of this bubbly beverage — and that is the temperature that you store it at.
When sparkling water is kept warm, the pressure within its container builds along with the heat, pushing all those carbon dioxide bubbles out into the air and leading to a huge loss in carbonation levels. Alternatively, when the water is kept cold, those bubbles have a much harder time escaping to the surface, so the carbonation sticks around for a longer period of time. The next time you open up a bottle of sparkling water, don't even think about keeping it out on your countertop. Instead, tuck it deep inside of your fridge to keep that water sparkling and alive for as long as possible.
How to know when to toss the bottle
Now if you've done this proper step for preservation, your sparkling water should hold much of its bubbly nature for up to three days. Still, that complete loss of carbonation is sadly inevitable, so don't hold onto an open bottle for too long. Once your drink has gone flat or flavorless, it's probably time for it to hit the bin to avoid any unsavory flavors or textures.
Sparkling water does not technically have an expiration date, but it's also a good idea to consume this beverage within a year of buying it as the plastic bottle will degrade over time and leave dangerous microplastics in your beverage. For that reason, it's also best to pay attention to your sparkling water's best-by date to ensure it's still fresh, and when it doubt, it's best to just throw it out. You can always buy more water, and hint, Costco has a massive sparkling water variety pack that sparkling water fans everywhere will love.