Soda gun

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A modern soda gun. Soda gun.jpg
A modern soda gun.

A soda gun or bar gun is a device used by bars to serve various types of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks. A soda gun has the ability to serve any beverage that is some combination of syrup, water and carbon dioxide. This includes soft drinks, iced tea, carbonated water, and plain water. When served from a soda gun, these are often known as fountain drinks. [1] [2]

Contents

History and function

The original patent was for a "soda fountain" in 1819. [3] This device was a barrel with a simple pump and spigot system. Pressurization created the carbonation.

Comparison with bottled drinks

Dispensing from a bar gun instead results in the drink being freshly carbonated at the same temperature and pressure where it will be consumed. By mixing the syrup with water at the last possible stage, the energy for transporting the syrup is minimised, which has implications both for costs and energy. The main benefit for bars is the time − drinks do not need to be retrieved and they can be poured faster than from a bottle.

Post-mix soda gun

A post-mix soda gun combines concentrated syrup from a bag-in-box and mixes it with filtered tap water, either carbonated or non-carbonated, at the point of dispense. For a post-mix soda gun to function it must be connected to a bag-in-box system, including pumps, a chiller, water filtration system and a carbonator. Due to the complexity and expense of purchasing and configuring the entire system that runs the soda gun, in most cases the restaurant relies on their beverage supplier to supply the equipment and handle the installation and maintenance. A post-mix soda gun is able to supply any beverage product that can be dispensed in bag-in-box form that does not have pulp.

Pre-mix soda gun

Pre-mix soda guns are connected to a simpler system that closely resembles a draft beer system. The drink is supplied to a restaurant in pressurized canisters that are connected to the pre-mix soda gun. Pre-mix soda guns are primarily used in countries where the supply of water cannot easily be filtered to a level suitable for use in a restaurant.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spritzer</span> Type of alcoholic drink

A spritzer is a tall, chilled drink, usually made with white wine and carbonated water or sparkling mineral water. Fermented simple syrup can be used instead of white wine to keep it sweet but flavor neutral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbonated water</span> Water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas

Carbonated water is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, either artificially injected under pressure or occurring due to natural geological processes. Carbonation causes small bubbles to form, giving the water an effervescent quality. Common forms include sparkling natural mineral water, club soda, and commercially produced sparkling water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surge (drink)</span> Brand of citrus-flavored soft drink

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water dispenser</span> Machine that cools or heats up and dispenses water

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soda fountain</span> Device dispensing carbonated soft drinks

A soda fountain is a device that dispenses carbonated soft drinks, called fountain drinks. They can be found in restaurants, concession stands and other locations such as convenience stores. The machine combines flavored syrup or syrup concentrate and carbon dioxide with chilled and purified water to make soft drinks, either manually, or in a vending machine which is essentially an automated soda fountain that is operated using a soda gun. Today, the syrup often is pumped from a special container called a bag-in-box (BiB).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iced tea</span> Beverage

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bag-in-box</span> Type of container for the storage and transportation of liquids

A bag-in-box or BiB is a container for the storage and transportation of liquids. It consists of a strong bladder, usually made of several layers of metallised film or other plastics, seated inside a corrugated fiberboard box.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shasta (drink)</span> American soft drink brand

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keg</span> Small barrel, commonly used for beer

A keg is a small cask.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ice cream float</span> Soft drink with ice cream

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slushy</span> Flavored frozen drink

A slushy is a type of beverage made of flavored ice and a drink, similar to granitas but with a more liquid composition. It is also commonly called a slush, slurpee, frozen beverage, or frozen drink. A slushie can either be carbonated or non-carbonated; the carbonated version is sometimes called a frozen carbonated drink or frozen carbonated beverage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelius keg</span>

A Cornelius keg is a stainless steel canister (keg) originally used as containers by the soft drink industry. They can be used to store and dispense carbonated or nitrogenated liquids. Cornelius kegs were originally made by Cornelius, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soda siphon</span> Device used to store and dispense carbonated beverages

The soda siphon, also known as the seltzer bottle, siphon seltzer bottle, or just siphon) is a device for storing and dispensing carbonated beverages while maintaining the internal pressure, thereby preventing it from going flat. The carbonated beverage is dispensed using the internal pressure of the bottle, so the setup is not a true siphon in its operation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premix and postmix</span> Methods of serving soft drinks

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coca-Cola Freestyle</span> Touch screen soda fountain

Coca-Cola Freestyle is a touch screen soda fountain introduced by The Coca-Cola Company in 2009. The machine features 165 different Coca-Cola drink products, as well as custom flavors. The machine allows users to select from mixtures of flavors of Coca-Cola branded products which are then individually dispensed. The machines are currently located in major Coca-Cola partners and retail locations as a part of a gradual and ongoing deployment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpable ice technology</span> Type of technology to produce and use fluids or secondary refrigerants

Pumpable icetechnology (PIT) uses thin liquids, with the cooling capacity of ice. Pumpable ice is typically a slurry of ice crystals or particles ranging from 5 micrometers to 1 cm in diameter and transported in brine, seawater, food liquid, or gas bubbles of air, ozone, or carbon dioxide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soda machine (home appliance)</span> Home appliance for carbonating tap water

A soda machine or soda maker is a home appliance for carbonating tap water by using carbon dioxide from a pressurized cartridge. The machine is often delivered with flavorings; these can be added to the water after it is carbonated to make soda, such as orange, lemon, or cola flavours. Some brands are able to directly carbonate any cold beverage.

References

  1. "Hydraulic Post-Mix" . Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  2. "Behind the Bar Rail: Soda Siphon" . Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. "Soda History". Teamsters Local 812.