Water Sommeliers - What do you know about the flavor of water

Water Sommeliers - What do you know about the flavor of water

Being a professional water sommelier is a thing. Much like a wine or beer connoisseur who gets paid for their expertise, a water connoisseur who makes a living educating others about the finer qualities of water is known as water sommelier. We all need to drink water daily in order to survive and thrive, but many of us don't pay too much attention to the quality and taste of the water we ingest. A water sommelier who is trained to evaluate the taste of water can help us understand the finer qualities of water so that we can become a little more discerning about the water we put into your bodies.

Contrary to popular definitions, water is not simply a clear, colorless, odorless, and tasteless liquid comprised of an oxygen atom that has covalently bonded with two hydrogen atoms. It is much more than that, and certainly isn't tasteless. In fact, water can contain a variety of subtle flavors, influenced to a large degree by the geological composition of the environment from whence it originates.

What Can Affect the Taste of Water

As water makes its way through the water cycle, rainfall seeps into the soil and accumulates in underground aquifers, rivers, lakes and other freshwater bodies. As it passes over soil and rocks, natural minerals that are present in the environment can leach into the water. These minerals give water unique flavors and characteristics that can vary according to the environment and region the water originates from. Using this mineral content as a baseline, a water sommelier is able to assess and compare different types of water, much like a wine sommelier does with wine.

Water sommeliers tend to use total dissolved solids (TDS) — a reference to both the organic and inorganic matter that is dissolved in water, which includes naturally occurring minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium — to explain the unique flavors and physical characteristics of water.

Besides the environment and mineral composition of rocks found at the water source, how the water is processed can also affect its taste. One popular method of purifying water is through distillation, where water is boiled and the steam is captured and bottled, leaving any impurities behind. During the distillation process most if not all of the minerals that give water its unique flavor are removed. While you may think its healthy to drink purified water, surprisingly that is not the case. Not only does the water taste bland, it also lacks beneficial minerals that are essential for our health. When water lacks minerals it becomes acidic. When we ingest acidic water, the water will draw minerals from our bodies, which could make it harder for us to stay hydrated.

Different Types of Water

The first step to becoming a water connoisseur is being able to differentiate between the different types of water:

• Tap water is domestic water that comes from a freshwater system such as a river, lake, reservoir or well. Tap water is treated to ensure it meets strict safety guidelines for drinking water, which typically involves disinfection with chlorine or chloramines to kill any pathogenic microorganisms that may be present.
• Spring water is water that comes from a natural spring and may contain minerals. 
• Mineral water is water that contains trace minerals at levels of at least 250 parts per million.
• Artesian water is water that comes from a deep artesian aquifer. No pumping is needed as groundwater is forced up to the surface due to pressure exerted by surrounding rocks or clay.

Can You Taste the Difference? 

The next time you hydrate, test your taste buds. Can you detect any of the subtle flavors in your glass? Regardless of whether you can tell the difference or they all taste the same, staying hydrated is the key to staying healthy.