A Baby Boomer Woman’s Life After 50 is mouthful of a blog title but it’s the platform for Judy Freedman to “age gracefully, be optimistic about the future, and keep my chin up — so my neck stays forever wrinkle-free.” She recently took a tour of the Museum and wrote about it in her post: “If You Love Egg Creams You’ll Want to Take a Tour of the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum.”
Check it out on her site or read it below:
When I was invited to visit the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum (yep there is such a thing) I jumped at the chance. That’s because I was told we would be served an Egg Cream soda at the end of the tour. Egg Cream sodas bring back childhood memories and are a fav of mine and my boyfriend E. In fact, on our third date I brought along the ingredients — milk, Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup, and seltzer — to make this nostalgic New York beverage. Perhaps it was my Egg Cream making skills that helped win E’s heart. Three years later we’re still going strong.
Brooklyn Seltzer Boys makes and delivers seltzer in authentic bottles
Four generations of seltzer makers
The Brooklyn Seltzer Museum is housed in the factory of Brooklyn Seltzer Boys, a family-run business in the Cypress Hills section of Brooklyn, NY. It is the oldest seltzer works in New York City.
Alex, our guide for the tour, is a fourth generation seltzer maker. His Great Grandpa Moe was the original seltzer man and his dad Kenny, who is retired, still fixes the machines. Alex said he and his dad have seltzer in their blood. You could tell Alex takes pride in his family’s seltzer business and its local contributions.
Alex Gomberg is the fourth generation of seltzer maker in his family
Learning about seltzer-making
Alex explained the production and science of seltzer-making: “We bottle plain seltzer using New York City water which is triple filtered with sand, charcoal and paper particle,” said Alex. “New York City water has crustaceans remnants in it so it isn’t kosher. That’s why we clean it three times,” he added.
“Next it is chilled. You want to drink seltzer cold,” added Alex. “Then it goes to the carbonator to get the bubbles.”
Alex shared the science of seltzer-making
BTW we learned the difference between seltzer and club soda. Club soda has salt in it.
The final step is the bottling area. “The bottles are all old and not replaceable,” said Alex. “Some of the machines are a century old. Most of the bottles are hand blown glass that were made in Europe.” BSB also makes the wood cases for the bottles.
Home delivery customers must be serious seltzer drinkers
It’s not so easy to become a BSB customer. The team currently has 700 seltzer-loving customers on its roster, including home delivery and restaurants. “Right now we don’t have enough working stock for new customers,” said Alex. The team interviews potential customers to make sure they are serious seltzer drinkers. And there are lots of rules for using the bottles, which must be returned when emptied.
Brooklyn Seltzer Boys delivers seltzer to customers and restaurants in the New York metro area
E and I asked about seltzer delivery to Central New Jersey, but right now BSB mainly delivers in NYC and cities nearby the metro area. I don’t think the two of us could drink a case of seltzer in a month anyway or we would turn into balloons.
Time to make the Egg Creams
As the tour came to a close Alex stepped behind the soda booth to make Egg Creams. He noted that one of BSB’s goals is to promote the Egg Cream and that they recently hosted The 2024 National Egg Cream Invitational.
While stirring up our beverages Alex shared the art of Egg Cream-making: Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup goes in first, whole milk second, and seltzer is then poured and mixed in off the spoon.
To make a good Egg Cream you need three key ingredients – Fox’s U-Bet syrup, milk and seltzer
“There is no egg or cream in Egg Creams,” added Alex. “When you mix the seltzer into the Egg Cream the top looks like a beaten egg white and that’s how it got its name. It’s a true Brooklyn and Bronx drink.”
Alex also offered Egg Creams made with Vanilla U-Bet syrup. I tried one but it was not the same. Nothing compares to a Chocolate Egg Cream.
A Chocolate Egg Cream freshly mixed is the best
Book a tour of the Seltzer Museum and Factory
If you are in NYC and want to book a tour of the Seltzer Museum and Factory, you can find information on the BSB website.
If you have the urge for an Egg Cream or want to give a gift to an Egg Cream-loving family member or friend, BSB sells an Egg Cream kit at its online store. (Note: The store is on-site in the front of the factory and you can buy kits and other seltzer souvenirs there too.) Kits include everything to make an Egg Cream: a working Seltzer bottle, Egg Cream glass and spoon, Fox’s U-bet syrup and a BSB tee shirt.
Brooklyn Seltzer Boys sell kits to make Egg Creams
Do you have a favorite memory of drinking an Egg Cream soda as a kid? Leave a comment and LMK.
Meantime, have a bubbly day.
Judi
P.S. If you want to find a good Egg Cream in New York City, check out ”The Origins of NYC’s Famous Egg Cream and Where To Find One.” E and his friend J went on an Egg Cream Crawl around the different boroughs to sample a variety of Egg Creams. Their favorite was at Russ & Daughters on Orchard Street.