Once it hits the lips, the bubbly rush takes over the mouth. It’s a sensation like no other, a dance of bubbles that tickles the tongue and builds to a bite at the back of the throat. It leaves a trail of tingles as it goes down the gullet that’s both refreshing and invigorating. 

Hands down, the best seltzer I’ve ever tasted was at Gomberg Seltzer Works in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn.

The first sip confirms what the backs of the employees’ hoodies say: “Good seltzer should hurt.” Of course, I’ve had seltzer before. I’ve enjoyed a Pamplemousse La Croix with my pinky up and cosplayed as “healthy” with several White Claws coursing through my bloodstream. Still, I’ve never experienced effervescence like the old-fashioned Seltzer straight out of the siphon. McDonald’s Sprite could never.