Yes, soda is bad for you.
So is beer and wine so don't lecture me.
And some of these tips work with beer and champagne, also.
1-Storage of New Soda
- Store sodas at room temperature.
- Do not refrigerate until 24 hours before intended drinking.
- Do not store clear bottles of soda in sunlight as it may react with the ingredients to diminish flavor
2- Storage of Used Soda
- Used soda cannot be suitably stored in cans because a secure top is required for preservation.
*Open the bottle top of the soda and aim it at a blowing freezer vent. Allow all warm air in the bottle to be replaced by more dense freezing temperature air. Replace and securely tighten the top. Place the soda in the refrigerator. The dense freezing air will expand in the warmer refrigerator temperature applying essential pressure on the drink. A bottle 50% full should retain carbonation and flavor for up to 24 hours. Lesser full bottles will expire quicker.
2- Recovery
A - Shaken Soda Syndrome
- If open then close tightly IMMEDIATELY. Tap the top of the container hard with your fingernail several times, this vibration will resettle the CO2 more evenly through the liquid. Let sit five minutes at room temperature or refrigerated then open slowly. If the top was secured quickly enough then flavor and carbonation will still be preserved. Do not re-storage this soda. It must be consumed at this time.
B - Frozen Soda Syndrome
- Step 1- Do not place already frozen Soda in the refrigerator. Instead store it at room temperature for 24 hours with protection for condensation sweat. Soda frozen in glass bottles or cans may of ruptured requiring disposal.
- Step 2 - once the soda is completely thawed then the caramel and carbonated water and CO2 would of separated. Despite what your common sense tells you, shake the container vigorously and thoroughly. This will re-mix the ingredients.
- Step 3 -Place the soda in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This will allow the CO2 to be reabsorbed into the drink. You may now treat this as a new undamaged soda.
C - Safe Consumption
- Do not drink with dairy despite the popularity of Root Beer Floats. The cream can make air bubbles tougher to burst creating bloating and intestinal distress due to gas.
- CO2 always rises from the direction of gravity. You burp when you drink even if you don't notice. Always consume sitting or standing up. To lie down immediately after or during consumption will prevent the CO2 from rising up the esophagus because the esophagus will not be "up" from the stomach while laying horizontal. The air bubbles will collect and combine pressure causing gas and intestinal distress.
- Do not consume in zero gravity. There is no "Up" for CO2 to push toward causing air to collect in the digestion track creating indigestion or intestinal stress.
Enjoy your summer sodas by the pool.
