New York City's once-thriving seltzer industry isn't what it used to be, but there's still one company going strong: Gomberg Seltzer Works. In business since 1953, Gomberg employs eight men who deliver the bubbly beverage all over the city. This video explains why the last of the seltzermen continue to ply their trade.
"People ask you what it is about the seltzer business that makes you want to continue doing it," says Walter Backerman, a who grew up in the business and made his first delivery with his father at 6 months old. "You hold that seltzer bottle, and you hold history, you hold memories, you hold an object of beauty."
Alex Gomberg, who represents the latest generation to take over the family business takes pride in using a machine from the early 20th century to fill bottles of the same era. Why go through such an old-fashioned, inefficient process?
"The reason this is a better seltzer is because there is nothing else in this seltzer other than New York City tap water, which is triple-filtered through sand, charcoal, and paper, and CO2."
Watch the above video and take a step back in time.
