Lemonade is a favorite drink of children in the USSR. So called any sweet carbonated drinks in glass bottles with a metal cap. They were sold both in machines, on tap, and in ordinary bottles from glass.
History of occurrence
The first lemon sorbets appeared in Asia in the 16th century BC. e. The first carbonated drink was produced in France under the reign of Louis I. The servant who filled the king’s glass mixed up wine with juice. On the way to the imperial table, he noticed his mistake and added mineral water to the glass. The king liked the new drink. French lemonade was made from water, sugar and lemon juice. Street vendors were selling drink from barrels that were worn on their backs.
In Italy, tinctures from fruits and herbs began to be added to lemonade. In 1767, the Englishman Joseph Priestley conducted the first experiment on the dissolution of carbon dioxide in water. To do this, he invented a special apparatus - a saturator. His invention allowed the production of carbonated drinks in large volumes.
Lemonades in Russia
Peter I brought a recipe for lemonade to Russia from Europe. Russian nobles praised his taste. At that time, this drink was available only to wealthy people.
The production of Soviet soft drinks is closely related to one name - Mitrofan Lagidze. This man created almost all the tastes of domestic carbonated drinks. It was he who owned the recipes for Tarragon syrups, Cream Soda and Isindi.
At the age of 14, Lagidze began working as an assistant pharmacist in Kutaisi. The pharmacist was also involved in the production of essence soft drinks. Lagidze decided to create a natural syrup that could be used as the basis for drinks. In 1887, he opened the Mitrofan Lagidze enterprise. The factory made drinks from various syrups. They were made from fruits and various herbs.
In 1906, Lagidze opened a new factory in Tbilisi. His drinks are delivered to the court of the Russian emperor. Iranian merchants buy Laghidze soft drinks for their shah. In 1913, Water Lagidze received a gold medal at the Vienna Exhibition of Soft Drinks.
Soviet soft drinks
In Soviet times, Lagidze was appointed director of his own factory. Enterprises producing soda were built in all the republics of the Soviet Union. Over his long life, Lagidze has created more than 100 recipes for various drinks. He was an outstanding taster. With one sip, he determined the composition of any drink. While creating a new recipe, he locked himself in his workshop for a month. Lagidze did not leave the laboratory until he created a new drink.
He considered the lemon drink to be his best creation. Yesenin and Yevtushenko dedicated their poems to the master and his creations. There was a separate workshop at the Lagidze factory, which produced drinks for members of the Soviet government. Every week, an airplane with Lagidze drinks on board departed for Moscow. Stalin's favorite was Lemonade. During meetings with other heads of state, he always invited them to try the Soviet drink. At that time, Soviet soda was considered the best in the world.
Sparkling water machines
Lagidze syrups were used as the basis in Soviet gas-water machines. They were installed in crowded places of Soviet cities. They worked from May to September. In winter, they were covered with metal boxes.
Drinks were poured into glass glasses. Sparkling water cost one penny, with syrup - three pennies. The machine had a special system for washing the glass. Periodically, the machines were washed with hot water and salt. In Soviet times, not a single case was recorded when machines with soda would be mentioned as a source of infectious disease.
The machine could be tricked in several ways. For example, instead of three-kopeck coins, steel washers of a similar volume were used. But sometimes the device refused to give out a portion of the syrup. The problem was solved by punching the iron body. Many people preferred double syrup soda. For them it is a favorite taste of childhood.
Glass glasses often disappeared from vending machines. They were exchanged for a new container, which was fixed with iron chains. Due to rising inflation, machine service in the post-Soviet era became unprofitable. In 1992, they began to dismantle and dispose of them.
Also, siphons for water aeration were very popular among Soviet families. Soda was sold on tap from carts. They installed a gas cylinder, flasks with syrup and a sink. Such water with syrup was more expensive - 4 kopecks.
Drinks of that time were made only from natural ingredients. The syrup was diluted with water. The shelf life of lemonade did not exceed seven days. But this was not a problem, because the drink instantly flew from the shelves. In terms of taste, it significantly exceeded modern counterparts. The main preservative in the composition of the drink was citric acid.
Only after a while did stabilizers begin to add to them. They began to sell them in closed glass bottles of 0.5 liters. Two empty bottles could be exchanged for one full. The people called a glass bottle from soda called "Cheburashka" in honor of the drink of the same name.
Popular drinks
The most popular was the Pinocchio drink. It was made from lemons and oranges. The Pinocchio drink is still produced in Russia. And still he is loved by many.
"Isindi" - a drink based on laurel and elite varieties of apples. This is a favorite taste for many citizens of the Soviet Union. Isindi also included citric acid. It received its name in honor of the ancient Georgian equestrian game. Horses were often placed on the bottle label. On the Isindi drink, it was located just below the neck of the bottle.
The color of the drink resembled a regular cola. Sour taste activates the salivary glands. Thus, the Isindi drink from the USSR saved a person from dry mouth. Soda has a special refreshing effect.
Based on the Isindi drink, Baikal soda was made. It had high tonic properties due to the addition of herbs to the composition of infusions. Here is such a taste of childhood, about which there is not a single negative review.
Interesting Facts
Each Russian on average drinks 50 liters of sparkling water per year.
Natural drink "Tarragon" has a yellow color. In Soviet times, green dye was added to it. Some manufacturers use green glass bottles as containers for drinks.