Posted 13 years ago
kkelsen
(1 item)
I have had this bottle for 25 years. I can't even remember where I got it.
Its an un opened Calso water bottle. Copyright is 1949 on the label. Its a paper silver label with yellow triangle and red lettering with silver edge. I can't find any information or any pictures on the net. I saw a few old commercials and a bottle cap and some old advertising, but no other bottles. I do know it was advertised for hang overs and upset stomaches. Recommended by doctors. I know the company was in Menlo Park, CA. It has a few nicks and thats about it.
Just wondering if anyone has any relevant info on what it maight evern be worth.
Thanks
Keith
When I moved to California in 1972 to attend UCLA I purchased Calso water by the case from a nearby store. It was the only bottled mineral water I could find locally. The company went out of business before the big bottled water boom of the 1980's. Your bottle looks like the ones I used to get, but I have no idea whether it is worth anything now.
I used to buy it all the time also, and have wondered what happened to it. It had a very unusual taste and was carbonated, reminded me a little of Alka Seltzer.
Many years ago we use to buy Calso water too. It quenched your thirst. I thought it came from a spring in northern Calif. Possibly Calistoga. There are hot springs there. I seem to remember a spring in town that you could get water from. My memory might be off some as we are talking 1960's. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your comments. I do know that the company was around since the 30's. There is an upcomming article in http://www.sodaspectrum.com in issue #58.
I loved Calso water. I came upon this site trying to find where I could buy it now.
If anyone knows if it's being produced today please post it. thanks.
If you ever traveled to Lake County, California, you may have visited to the source. In the Kelsey Creek area of Cobb Mtn was located a resort called Forest Lake. This was a destination resort for families of the SF Bay Area. Maybe folk lore but in the 60's there were still remnants of the original bottling area located on the resort's property. Cobb Mountain was rumored to have the purest water in CA.
There were many "health" resorts located in the Cobb area in the late 1800's through the 20's. For more information see: "Resorts of Lake County" by Donna Hoberg.
It was a hangover remedy. On Sunday morning you would see a progression of Saturday's victims visiting the Forest Lake bar. The advertising for Calso was " Utt Oh, You Need Calso." Likely as remedy for the upset stomach and dehydration.
I believe that the ingredient was magnesium and carbonation. Calso was so popular with the lore of the resort that the evening bingo games were renamed. You needed to shout : "CALSO." In place a B-1, the caller would call C-1, etc. To me in my youth it tasted like a bottle of Alka-Seltzer.
I am in the process of collecting Lake County resort memorabilia. If you ever decide to sell your bottle, please contact me. Forest Lake Resort is no longer operating. It is currently owned by the Nestle Corp and may be using the water for one of the Calistoga Water blends.
My name is ED, And I found it interesting that I ran into this artical. I used to work at Calso Water Co. I started off there woking on the bottling line and then as a mixer and chemist at the bottling plant. It was a great job and a fun place to work until thay closed.
There was different flavors and different size bottles, It cured more than just hangovers. My family use to ask me for cases they say it made them feel better when they were sick and they drank abottle after almost every meal. I heared all kinds of things they used it for even cooking.
Hello Keith,
Please call me....I have a cool story for you.
(707) 580-5678
Peace,
Jeff
My mother's maiden name was Mc Cauley. Her family was involved in the ownership of the Calso Water Co. In Vallejo, Ca. And San Francisco. My grandfather may have been one of the original executives. When I was growing up, my parents kept cases of Calso in the garage and it was our "go to" cure for colds, aches and pains, and of course, hangovers. Every bar in San Francisco stocked Calso as a hangover cure. There was ad that played on the radio that went something like "good man that Jones, he's going places", the hidden message; Jones knew how to handle his hangovers... By drinking Calso. I remembered it tasting much like Alkiselzer. My family sold the business to the Knapp family who moved the bottling plant to Menlo Park. The company tried adding flavors like lime and orange to the basic formula, but after Mr. Knapp was appointed to Gerald Ford's administration as an Under Secretary, the brand was sold to Schweppes, who abandoned the brand just before the mineral water craze started in the late 70's.
Hi Rick1214. I did a study of James McCauley's mine near Mt. St. Helena. This is likely your grandfather. You can see the report at: https://www.academia.edu/7869168/Archaeological_Evaluation_of_the_Corona_and_Twin_Peaks_Mine_Sites_Napa_County
The historic stuff about McCauley starts on pg 6
I have one of these bottles still full of water, label says Calso Water Co. 1949 Menlo Park, California. If any one is interested in it for their collection, let me know.
My family recently purchased Forest Lake, the Cobb Mountain property Calso Water Co. once used for the properties natural spring/water and as its bottling site. My family is hoping to revive the name/company, as the spring is still very active, and would love to learn more about the company/properties history. If you have any information, old photos, etc. related to either, we would love to take a look/learn more. Let us know via the thread and we can get in touch. Much thanks!