Polar Club Soda

Polar Club Soda is a plain carbonated water with a mineral edge, and that is its main job in a glass: it adds fizz and lift without bringing sweetness or a flavor of its own. Unlike seltzer, which is simply water and carbon dioxide, club soda is traditionally dosed with small amounts of mineral salts such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium salts. That gives it a faintly salty, slightly rounded taste, and it is why a highball made with club soda tastes a little fuller than one made with seltzer. Expect a clean, neutral aroma, a dry finish, and bubbles that are sharp when the bottle is first opened. Serve it very cold, ideally straight from the refrigerator or over plenty of ice, because carbonation holds much better in cold liquid and warm soda goes flat quickly. Pour gently down the side of a tilted glass or over ice that is already in place, and add it last when you are building a drink so you do not stir out the bubbles. Use a fresh bottle for cocktails, since one that has been open for a day will be noticeably softer. Chill the bottle rather than adding extra ice to a drink that is already made, which dilutes it. In cocktails, club soda is the classic extender for highballs and long drinks. It suits the Scotch and soda, the whiskey highball, the vodka soda with a lime wedge, the Tom Collins and the John Collins, the Mojito, the Americano, and the Gin Rickey, all of which depend on the soda lengthening the spirit without covering it. It is also what lets a spritz-style drink such as Aperol or Campari with prosecco stay dry rather than sugary. A typical ratio is two to three parts soda to one part spirit, which you can adjust to taste. It also works in non-alcoholic builds, such as a squeeze of citrus over ice with a few dashes of bitters. For glassware, a tall highball or Collins glass shows off the bubbles and leaves room for ice and garnish. A rocks glass suits shorter drinks, such as a Scotch splash or a Campari soda. For simple service, pour it over ice with a lemon or lime wedge. With food, it is a useful palate reset alongside salty or fried dishes, such as fish and chips, fried chicken, and oysters, where its crispness cuts through richness without competing with the flavors.