NYC Hidden Gems Go Public: This Iconic Fizzy Drink Factory Is One Of Them
Starting with its invention in 18th-century England, seltzer water has grown to be a multibillion-dollar industry that spans the globe. Most varieties of the drink are produced in modern facilities, but there are still a few operational vestiges of classic seltzer factories. This weekend in New York City, you can get an unusually close look at the historic carbonation process.
Open House New York is a group that expands access to locations around the city that usually have restricted entry or are entirely closed to the public. From October 17th to 19th, OHNY weekend is helping unlock over 300 locations in all five boroughs, including the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum on Sunday, October 19th. The storied museum exists within the Gomberg Seltzer Works.
The historic factory, family-owned since the 1950s, still produces drinks for Brooklyn Seltzer Boys and is one of the last old-school seltzer factories in America. OHNY's self-guided museum and factory tour takes guests on a free exploration of the bubbly water's history and manufacturing process and, of course, lets them try the freshest, fizziest seltzer possible. But they can taste this signature New York soda too.
What the heck is an egg cream?
If you've never heard of an egg cream, you might be surprised to learn that it contains neither eggs nor cream. You only need three ingredients for a classic egg cream: milk, either chocolate or vanilla syrup, and seltzer water. You can see where we're going with this.
For an extra charge, visitors on the OHNY weekend tour can try a timeless, Brooklyn-style egg cream made with fresh seltzer produced at the factory. Although the drink is a classic across all five boroughs, it's thought to have been invented in Brooklyn, before it was even part of New York City.
The pros at the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum likely know how to craft a perfect Brooklyn egg cream. Expect them to pour the seltzer into the milk for the frothiest head that should retain its white color even after chocolate syrup is added. Although our top-ranked chocolate syrup is Trader Joe's Midnight Moo, the obscure brand Fox's U-Bet is the standard in NYC.