THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SODA FOUNTAIN

Bush, W. J. & Co.

Practical Recipes for the Manufacture of Aerated Beverages, Cordials, Non-Alcoholic Brewed Beers, Carbonated Minerals, and Other Popular Beverages.

London: W. J. Bush & Co., 1925.
THE FORMULA BOOK OF EARLY TWENTIETH-CENTURY BEVERAGES.
Published by one of England’s pioneering manufacturers of flavorings and essences, this practical manual presents the recipes, methods, and commercial knowledge behind the production of aerated waters, cordials, mineral drinks, non-alcoholic beers, and other popular beverages during the early modern beverage industry.

FROM FLAVORING HOUSE TO BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.
W. J. Bush & Co., founded in 1850/52 by William John Bush, became one of England’s earliest manufacturers of flavoring extracts, essences, and related products. This volume reflects the expanding role of scientific formulation, standardized ingredients, and commercial production in the preparation of beverages for both public consumption and trade use.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Red cloth hardcover stamped in gilt. All edges gilt. Illustrated endpapers featuring advertisements for beverage machinery and related equipment. Octavo, 8.25 inches tall. (Advert), 3–142, 143–153, memoranda pages, 154–177, index, 179–192, advertisements. Ninth edition.

CONDITION: Very Good. The bindings are tight and square. Text clean with light, even toning. Minimal shelf handling wear with fading to the spine and a small abrasion near the upper spine. A well-preserved working copy with original advertising material retained.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: THE FORMULA BOOK OF A CHANGING TASTE CULTURE.
 The rise of carbonated beverages in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries reflected advances in chemistry, manufacturing, refrigeration, and food distribution. Manuals such as this served as practical guides for beverage makers, pharmacists, soda fountains, and commercial producers seeking reliable methods for creating flavored waters, syrups, cordials, and non-alcoholic alternatives.

The work also captures a transitional period when traditional botanical preparations, fruit-based drinks, and brewed beverages were increasingly transformed into standardized commercial products. Its combination of recipes, technical instructions, advertisements, and trade information provides insight into the development of modern beverage culture.

SUBJECTS: Carbonated Beverages, Soft Drinks, Soda Fountain History, Beverage Manufacturing, Food Technology, Flavoring Extracts, Cordials, Non-Alcoholic Brewing, Brewing History, Culinary History, Trade Manuals, Advertising Ephemera, British Industrial History.

Item #16529

Price: $225.00