A Tonic Water For What Ails You BY DAVID NUTTALL
B
ack when you were young, soda pop was probably your favourite cheat drink, coming in a wide variety of flavours. As you hit adulthood, pop transitioned more into the mix part of mixed drinks, and was dominated by cola, club soda, ginger ale, lemon-lime, and tonic water. All were familiar from your youth, except tonic water, which you never drank, and your parents used for only one reason: the gin and tonic. So why has this beverage remained such an enigma? Its history starts with quinine, a drug which was used in the tropics to help treat malaria, lupus, arthritis, and leg cramps. Derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, its bitter flavour became more palatable when combined with soda water and sugar, creating tonic water. The British army stationed in India in the early 1800s found the drink blended well with gin and thus the gin and tonic was born. Indian Tonic Water became the common name for the beverage, and in addition to its ability to ward off malaria, many found it refreshing on its own. By the mid-19th century, commercial tonic water was being produced and it has remained a bar staple ever since.
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In Alberta, two major brands have dominated the market: Canada Dry and Schweppes. Both are made with much less quinine than the original recipes and use carbonated water with high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener. Essentially tonic water came in only one flavour - that is, until artisanal brands began to appear in the past decade. While major soft drink producers began adding multiple flavours to the main pop varieties several years ago (cherry, vanilla, lemon, raspberry, cranberry, green tea, etc.), tonic water had stayed one-dimensional. However now, finally, it too joins the realm of other sodas. The quintessential quinine bitterness remains but varies greatly between products. Furthermore, tonic syrup has become a new sensation, where the concentration of the drink can be controlled. As more distilleries and breweries diversify into the soft drink business, expect more brands to appear. The classic G & T used to be a one trick pony, but since gin has exploded in flavour profiles (see September 2020 Culinaire), it almost demands tonic water keeps up. As new arrays of tonics arrive, it is becoming a popular mix with all types of spirits; vodka tonic has long been
popular, but also try it with blanco tequila. Today, it’s even being promoted as a drink to be enjoyed on its own, something you almost never saw in the past. In Alberta, you can find tonic waters in liquor stores and anywhere that sells soft drinks. The craft versions may also be found in selected or specialty stores. All should be available online. THE TRADITIONAL Canada Dry and Schweppes are still the top sellers, available almost everywhere, and have a nice balance between sweet and bitter, making them prototypical mixers. The others vary slightly in bitterness, sweetness, and fruit flavour, depending on what additional botanicals were added. Canada Dry (Canada) and Schweppes (Canada/UK), $7 (12-pack cans) Barker and Quin Finest Indian Tonic Water (South Africa), $9 (4-pack bottles) Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water (UK), $8 (4-pack bottles) Double Dutch Indian Tonic Water (UK), $8 (4-pack bottles) Fentimans Tonic Water (UK), $12 (4-pack bottles)
