Sodas, like gin, aren’t all the same

[1]

Sodas are some of the most important mixers in a bar. They are often used to top off fancier mixed drinks such as the Gin Fizz, Bocce Ball and Alabazam and are the non-alcoholic ingredient for many of the popular highballs and lowballs.

There are a few types of soda that will be employed on a regular basis in the bar and these should be included in your every day stock.
All sodas are different — the same as each brand of vodka or gin is different from the others — one tonic water may be fruitier or drier and one ginger ale may be sweeter than others.
When buying bottled sodas, choose the smallest bottles possible unless you are planning on using a large amount at once, say for a party. The majority of the carbonation is lost when the seal is first cracked and a Scotch and Soda or Whiskey Fizz with two day old soda will be weak, flat, and undesirable. With the smaller bottles you can usually pour one tall or two short drinks and every one will be fresh.