Carbonation
Balance refers to the carbonation of the water. Water can be packed densely with CO2 , have small to large bubbles or be carbonated naturally by the earth. Carbonation in water can affect the mouthfeel and taste of water.
Sparkling water is gaining popularity but still only around 15% of people prefer sparkling water. Those people who don’t prefer sparkling water like other carbonated beverages like soda, beer or champaign. I was in the group of people who didn’t enjoy sparkling water as well until I shifted my perception of the sparkling water to a beverage option vs water to hydrate. Some people may also not like sparkling water because what immediately comes to mind are the large aggressive bubbles of some popular brands but did you know that water carbonation has different levels of bubble size?
Level of Carbonation
We have 5 levels of carbonation to help define waters. Still, effervescent, light, classic and bold. These can be measured by CO2 grams per liter.
An average beer is carbonated to 2.5 CO2 g/l. An effervescent water might be at 1 CO2 g/l to just straddle the line between flat and sparkling. A boldly sparkling water might be at 10 CO2 g/l which has very large or very densely packed bubbles. Carbonation can be created by fermentation (beer & champaign) or with CO2 & pressure (water, sodas, etc)
Carbonation and PH
Carbon dioxide content is closely related to pH. PH decreases as carbon dioxide content increases and pH goes up as carbonate alkalinity goes up. Carbon Dioxide exists at pH levels between 3.6 and 8.4. Carbon Dioxide cannot be found in water with a pH of 8.5 or higher.
The pH value is not a measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide in the water, but rather the relationship of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate alkalinity. All sparkling waters are acidic, due to the carbon dioxide (an acid).
Natural Carbonation
About 1% of drinking water is naturally carbonated. Naturally carbonated water is produced by certain rare geological conditions over time. It’s amazing to look at all the carbonated beverages out there that came from trying to mimic what the earth created naturally.
Naturally carbonated waters have historically been highly sought after for their supposed curative properties and the carbon dioxide helps this water absorb minerals in high levels.
Naturally carbonated waters have a different mouthfeel and tend to hold their carbonation for longer. The waters that have natural carbonation have built a relationship with the CO2 in the ground and have built a relationship which aids the carbonation effects when bottled.
Water becomes naturally carbonated through a fascinating process that occurs underground. As rainwater percolates through layers of soil and rock, it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from decaying organic matter and minerals. This CO2-enriched water then continues its journey deep into the earth, where it encounters geological formations such as limestone or volcanic rocks. These formations contain pockets of CO2 gas under pressure. When the water comes into contact with these gas pockets, it dissolves the CO2, creating carbonic acid (H2CO3), which gives the water its fizziness. Finally, the naturally carbonated water emerges at the surface as a refreshing and effervescent spring.
When planning your next beverage choice think about trying a naturally carbonated water or a carbonated water with a varying level of carbonation like light or effervescence to challenge your pallet.
