How about flavoring regular water with a tiny bit of juice? Cranberry, orange, apple etc.

A little bit goes a long way.

Carbonated water is not bad for the kidneys. Nor is mineral water, for that matter.

I may be adding 2 + 2 and getting 5. When I tried googling this I found something about problems with carbonated *colas* -- for both diabetics and people with kidney stones. Well, colas aren't water, so...? Then I saw the bit about mineral water as a no-no. (Some stones are formed of minerals.) Then...the idea that carbonation leaches calcium, so...more material for stones?

DH's doc told him to drink beer (which is, of course, carbonated) to help pass his kidney stones.

Friend of mine gets kidney stones often... but she refuses to give up all pop.

I was curious and asked my friend, Google.

https://www.livestrong.com/article/114475-carbonated-water-vs.-flat-water/

Did you ask your friend Google whether the link it took you to presented advice that medical doctors prepared or generally agree with?

@Elmer - DH prefers IPAs (the hoppier, the better), and his doc recommended dark beer, the darker the better. I don't know if DH found a superhoppy superdark beer or not. lol

Superhoppy lol

Guinness is okay too!

Another little-known medical effect is that drinking margaritas and gin and tonics prevents broken bones. Since I started drinking them in my later teens, I've had no breaks at all.

My doctor says, just regular water with lemon juice, and warm it up. I mix it and put it in the microwave, for 35 seconds

Carbonated/sparkling water that occurs naturally like in my little town of Manitou Springs....bubbles right out the ground and contains LOTS of minerals(ie chloride, calcium, alkalinity, lithium, manganese and zinc). Carbonated water where you inject gas to make it bubble, after the water has been filtered to remove minerals and debris....is different. (I don't know the answer). There used to be a bottling plant next to the spring here in town.

I like Guinness, DH does not. Go figure!

chloecat, I'm sure you've experienced that Guinness in the B Isles (Irish Republic and UK) tastes better than what's obtainable here. I love it there, only like it here. Beer always seems better closest to "home".

I hope to never experience a kidney stone again. I think I got one from doing a bone scan and they said to take a caltrate once a day. I think that's where mine came from. I stopped taking it after that.

Guinness....

(I knew nana was right...)

Columbus, Cleveland and Cincy seem to be in competition to produce the best IPA beers.

I like a few from each city but favor the fresh local offerings from North High and Ill Mannered.

If you're ever in Windsor, Ontario visit Walkerville Brewery and enjoy a Geronimo IPA.

In my experience, beer is unlike wine in one major regard - location doesn't matter.

The most skillful craft brewers produce any given brew from one to the next often using the same exact ingredients from the exact same sources. Similar recipes carefully executed using similar ingredients will result in very similar tasting results. I've experienced this first hand with the output of a couple of home-brewers i know and have had brewing parties with. You can make excellent beer at home if you have the right equipment, clean it carefully (as per instructions), buy top ingredients and follow the steps carefully.