water

Also known as “spring water”,“branch water”,“Still water”. Water refers to plain water used as a diluting agent in various mixed drinks, sometimes as the sole mixer. Historically American whiskey is often requested with water using a euphemism such as “Bourbon & spring water”, “Bourbon & branch water”, or simply “Bourbon & branch”. Branch is a term for an underground tributary of water. Water is a constituent in all potable alcohol, be it whiskey, vodka, brandy, rum, gin, or liqueurs. As an additive to classic mixed drinks it was used in the original forms of the cocktail, the sling, the fizz, the swizzle, the julep, punch, and many, many others. Note: most contemporary water supplies contain significant quantities of chlorine. When adding water to mixed drinks or making ice, it’s highly desirable to use charcoal-filtered water or water that has been purified through reverse osmosis. Distilled water should be avoided due to its deoxygenated state.