Each month, our Masters of Social Gastronomy lectures bring you the history and science behind your favorite foods. Up this month: soda

Caffeine, cocaine, and a little bit of fizz were all it took to hook America on a brand-new beverage. We'll dissect Coca-Cola's namesakes, exploring the now-illicit 'Coca' and the Africa-sourced 'Cola'. What joined these two bitter, unappealing flavors into the most iconic of soda flavorings?

But don't forget the runners-up - second-tier drinks, represent! Learn the strange journey of sarsaparilla, and how the drink of choice for archetypal Western cowboys found a second life halfway across the world. Discover the government plot to steal root beer away from Americans, and the corporate conspiracies that swirl around the failure of New Coke.

We'll also take a look at New York City's very own fizzy drink - the mysteriously-flavored Dr. Brown's Cel-ray, and be joined for a special segment by the experts from Brooklyn Farmacy! 

Very Important Details
Tuesday, August 26, 8pm
Littlefield, 622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn
Free, RSVP recommended, 21+