How to open a marble soda (and not wear it)

A marble soda has no cap to twist and no ring to pull. It is sealed from the inside, by a glass marble held against the mouth of the bottle by the pressure of the drink. Opening it means pushing that marble down, and the bottle comes with the tool for the job.

1. 1

   Tear the seal

   Find the tab on the cap and peel the seal band away, all the way round.

2. 2

   Free the plunger

   Lift the plunger off the cap and push it out of its safety ring. The ring has done its job: recycle it.

3. 3

   Press and hold

   Stand the bottle on a table. Sit the plunger in the mouth of the cap and press down firmly with your palm. Hold for a few seconds while the fizz settles.

4. 4

   Pop, tilt, sip

   The marble drops into the neck with a pop and stays there. Lift the plunger away, tilt and sip.

The one rule

Do not let go early. The moment the marble drops, the gas rushes out, and a hand lifted too soon lets the soda follow it. Keep your palm on the plunger until the fizzing calms. A cold bottle helps: a warm soda holds its gas less well and foams more.

The trick with the marble

On your first sip the marble will roll forward and block the neck. Everybody's does. Tilt the bottle a little less, and the marble settles into the pocket made for it and lets the soda past. After one bottle your hand knows the angle.

Afterwards

The marble is made to stay in the neck: do not try to take it out. The bottle is glass, so it goes with your glass recycling. And once a Codd-neck bottle is open it cannot be closed again, which is the best reason there is to finish it.