Crazy Q...Has tonic water always had sugar in it?

Trying to make an adult beverage. Hadn't had tonic water in years. And years.

But my memory is that it was extremely dry. Like die in the desert dry.

My first clue that something was off about that was that there was a diet option right next to the regular version. But - WTH!? Tonic water has high fructose corn syrup in it!?

a reply to: kosmicjack

Tonic water has always had sugar yes. Soda water does not have sugar.

a reply to: Aeshma

I'm seriously having a Mandela Effect.

Why not just call it Sugar Water?

I really thought Tonic Water was just water and quinine.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
a reply to: Aeshma

I'm seriously having a Mandela Effect.

Why not just call it Sugar Water?

I really thought Tonic Water was just water and quinine.

If it didn't have sugar, the taste of the quinine would make you barf. That is another reason gin and tonic was a popular drink in the officer corp of the British army deployed in India in the 19th century. It was the best way to take your dose of quinine to prevent malarial infection without barfing all up.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Because Quinine is incredibly bitter. Most " Tonic's " have sugar in them. For instance the original coca cola, a coc aine laced substance packed with sugar. Which is why it is still sugary today. 7up, used to have lithium in it along with a ton of sugar to elevate your mood. still packed with sugar, arguably still lifts your mood.

I love tonic water, with or without alcohol. You can always look for different Tonic water, there are tons of options these days. Depending on the country which you live and how big of a city you live in there are plenty of options. Fever tree makes a lovely Tonic, using beat root as a sweetener. Far less sugar than your run of the mill Schweppes.

Oh, and if you want to enjoy an alcohol-free gin and tonic, just infuse the tonic water with a slight flavor of juniper berry. The reason is that gin is basically vodka with a light juniper berry flavor (real/pure/good vodka should have no flavor profile at all).

a reply to: Krakatoa

Hmmmmm, sort of. Many Gin's have many botanical's infused in them... Juniper is a key ingredient in most but not all.

a reply to: Aeshma
I didn't know that about 7up, that is interesting!

As for tonic, I love tonic water with or without gin too (though with gin is the preferable option ;P)
I do find it hard to get a decent tonic water though, because most have sugar AND aspartame/artificial sweetner that screws up the taste, and that is not the diet kind either. The Fever-Tree brand is very expensive and is actually too sweet, though at least there is not artificial sweetner in it. I like the taste of Schwepps because it has that pithy lemon taste and is not so sweet, just wish they would leave out the damn artificial sweetners. I have also tried shop brands, Tesco, Sainsbury etc. I find they are just not quite as fizzy as Schwepps, though some at least are all natural ingredients. Britvic used to have no artificial sweetner, but I think that has sadly changed now

For the prefect gin and tonic I put the gin in the freezer to make it super cold, then I put it in my Twist 'n' Sparkle device and fizz up the gin with the co2 gas bulb. This means a large gin with tonic does not flatten out the bubbles from the tonic, coz the gin is fizzy too, keeping the drink really 'crispy'. Cube of ice and a large slice of lemon! ...... perfect. Damn, I could really go a perfect gin and tonic now! grrrr.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Well mate, you aren't the only one surprised there is sugar in tonic water. I did not know this either.

a reply to: kosmicjack

I always have some of this on hand...

Tomr’s Tonic.

No high fructose corn syrup and it makes a fantastic gin and tonic which would have been closer to what you would have had in the Raj back in the 1800's.