Sparkling water bars are popping up everywhere. From posh baby showers and chicly cozy weddings to blowout birthday parties and Super Bowl fiestas, modern hosts want to give their guests options. A bar of sparkling and infused waters does just that.
What exactly is a sparkling water bar? Think of it as DIY mixology, minus the alcohol; like mocktails made easy. A sparkling water bar offers party guests a range of choices. They can pick their base — fizzy or still water, flavored or unflavored — then add in a variety of mixers, from simple syrups and jams to fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.
As more and more Americans look to reduce their alcohol consumption, sparkling water bars offer a healthful, booze-free beverage alternative, which makes them perfect for any event and guests of all ages.
The best water for your sparkling water bar? Mountain Valley Spring Water, of course.
Mountain Valley is, quite simply, excellent water, and that is exactly what a sparkling water bar requires. As the most award-winning bottled water in the U.S., Mountain Valley Spring Water takes immense pride in its product. We have sourced our water from the same pristine spring in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains of the Southern United States since 1871. We do everything in our power to protect that spring and the lush forests surrounding it. We know our water is better off for it, and we know you are, too.
If you’d like to wow your guests with the abundance of choices a sparkling water bar can offer, we’re here to help with tips and tricks for making your sparkling water bar shine.
Sparkling water bars — where to start
The best sparkling water bars start with the best water, and there is none crisper, none more refreshing, none more delicious than Mountain Valley Spring Water. With Mountain Valley, all your bases for the very best sparkling water bar are covered.
Want the fizzy simplicity of sparkling spring water? We’ve got that. And thanks to our Sparkling Essence lineup, we’ve got so much more. How about the beachy twang of Mountain Valley’s Sparkling Key Lime Twist? Or the juiciness of our Sparkling Blackberry Pomegranate? Or, mmmm, the summery lushness of Mountain Valley’s Sparkling White Peach? Check, check and check on all of that.
No matter which Mountain Valley Sparkling Essence flavor you choose for your next party’s sparkling water bar, you can be sure of three things:
- Zero sugars, sweeteners or artificial flavors
- Zero calories
- 100% spring water infused with millions of bubbles and the Mountain Valley minerality our fans know and love
At a great sparkling water bar, however, not all waters have to sparkle. Tack on some classic, crisp Mountain Valley Spring Water to the roster and give your guests a bubble-free option that’s just as delicious and just as infuse-able with fresh fruits and fun flavors. In fact, Mountain Valley’s 2.5 and 5-gallon glass jugs make for beautiful centerpieces to any occasion. They bring the sparkle in their own way.
Sparkling water bars — let’s talk about add-ins
OK, you’ve got your Mountain Valley Spring Water, your Mountain Valley Sparkling Water, and your Mountain Valley Sparkling Essence Waters. Fantastic. The sparkling water bar is coming along nicely! Now it’s time for even more fun, in the form of add-ins and infusions.
The best and most beautiful sparkling water bars offer an array of add-ins in varying colors, flavors and textures. These add-ins can take many shapes and sizes.
- SWEET: Simple syrups, jams, jellies, honey
- For guests who like some sugar to their sips, look for add-ins that dissolve easily in cool water. Jams, marmalades and jellies can also add a hint of natural color.
- FRUITY: Berries, melon, apples, citrus, plums, peaches
- When it comes to fruits at the sparkling water bar, the more, the merrier. What matters most here is prep. Cut larger fruits into small pieces to maximize surface area, which will allow their flavors to diffuse through the water more quickly — try for ¼-inch cubes (about the size of a boba ball). Citrus fruits should be cut into thin slices. It’s also good to leave a few fruits whole, so they can be used for garnish.
- SLIGHTLY SAVORY: Cucumbers, celery, ginger
- Vegetables can add a delicious twist to your sparkling water bar, and they can help balance the sweetness of a drink. With veggies, you want thin slices. This will, once again, maximize surface area without letting the vegetal flavors overpower the drinks.
- HERBACEOUS: Mint, basil, rosemary, thyme
- With herbs, fresher is always better, so look for bright green leaves and perky stems. For infusions, it helps to remove the leaves from the stems. You can even encourage your guests to bruise or pinch the leaves before adding to their drink in order to extract their essential oils. That said, whole sprigs of herbs make for beautiful garnishes.
Sparkling water bars — garnish away!
Speaking of garnishes, those used for your sparkling water bar don’t have to stop at fruits and herbs. Garnishes can bring even more fun to the table.
Salty, sugary rims
Just as a bartender would with a margarita, your guests can rim their glasses in sugar, salt or any colorful combination of the two. While neon-colored salts and sugars abound, you can take a more natural route with black lava salt, pink salts or even lavender-infused salts. For a hint of spice, blend your sugar or salt with chili powder or a tangy dash of Tajin.
Don’t forget the skewers
Keep the DIY fun going with cocktail skewers that your guests can layer with fruits, candies, marshmallows, maraschino cherries, you-name-it. A fun skewer can be used as a swizzle stick, adding another layer of sweetness with each dip and stir. These also make for a fun snack once the water is gone.
Straws, umbrellas and stirrers
From looping straws to custom stirrers to frilly umbrellas and rock candy, these quirky additions add another layer of creativity to the sparkling water bar, and give your guests a little something to take home.
Sparkling water bars — Home water delivery makes it easy
When you’re planning a party, whether it’s a baby shower for 20 or an anniversary dinner for 200, you have plenty on your plate. Let us take care of the water.
With home and office delivery of Mountain Valley Spring Water, the water is one less thing you have to worry about. You fret over the flowers, the food, the who’s-gonna-sit-next-to-Uncle-Gary — we’ll deliver the water, still and sparkling, to your doorstep. Really, though, this is not just water. This is the fresh, crisp, spring-sourced water we’ve been bottling at Mountain Valley for more than 150 years. This is water as nature intended it, delivered to your door, to make your sparkling water bar extra special.
Get started with Mountain Valley home or office water delivery by clicking here.
