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Waterworld: One-person survey of common bottled water

Waterworld: One-person survey of common bottled water
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  • Waterworld: One-person survey of common bottled water

    Post #1 - February 6th, 2005, 7:13 pm
    Post #1 - February 6th, 2005, 7:13 pm Post #1 - February 6th, 2005, 7:13 pm
    Waterworld: One-person survey of common bottled water

    I drink a helluva lot of water: probably 3-4 liters on some days. Having recently received some medical care that resulted in what is at the moment a four-day food fast (and continuing just for the fun of it), I decided to use my period of abstinence from food as an opportunity to try different waters. I figured, because I have no fats, proteins or other "pollutants" to muss up my taste buds, I might never have a better time to suss out the subtleties of different waters.

    The main types of waters that interest me are the Frenchy, German and Italian, but I created a category for some other entrants from places like Wales and Bizzaro World (e.g., HiOSilver Oxygen Water). I include with this report My Favorite and if you don't want to wade through this whole thing, just skip to the end.

    In most cases, I drank a liter of each type, going back and forth and tasting one against another. I went for sparkling varieties whenever possible, avoided flavored ones, and consumed all water chilled in a standard rocks glass (but added no rocks, of course).

    Frenchy Types

    La Croix: I used this as a baseline. I didn't expect a lot, and I didn't get it. This charged water lies flat on the tongue, tickling it with fizz but without the sensation of individual bubbles. No salt or mineral flavor or any kind. Still, if I came in after hot fun in the sun, this would be a good drink to go for: it's basically just bubbly water and that's just fine. La Croix, of course, is not from France, but rather Warren, Michigan, and I'm putting it here because it's such a basic and cheap water that I'm sure most of us have encountered it at one time or another--and it's got the Frenchy-sounding name.

    Perrier: Much better bubble structure than La Croix. Although the mineral content is low, the water seems to have a little more "taste" than La Croix, and the carbonation is less heavy-handed (maybe because it's naturally carbonated), though it is still very aggressive, with a modicum of "sting." The Perrier website offers some insight into the cache Perrier continues to cultivate: "Enhance your look with sparkling water" and "Weave three sparkling water flavors into your wardrobe: regular, lemon and lime" (I have no idea what that means). This "lifestyle" approach to one's water is reflected in both La Croix and Perrier sites.

    Evian: I defy anyone to distinguish the difference between this water and Dannon, Kirkland, or plain old Chicago tap water. It comes from the Alps, but like Fiji, which comes from the South Pacific, unless you own a lab that can help you distinguish subtle differences, your tongue is not going to find any. As known-felon Wynona Ryder pointed out in Reality Bites, "Evian spelled backwards is Naïve."

    German Types

    Apollinaris: This was a super bubbly drink, naturally sparkling with carbon dioxide, but the medium-sized bubbles lacked the sting of Perrier's smaller ones. This is a heavy water and it spreads across the tongue with a warm mineral blanket. I thought I sensed a little more sodium and sulfur with this water than with some of the others I tried. When you sip this water, it's not like you taste salt--rather you feel the salt (and perhaps calcium) by way of tongue-feel. Apollinaris has more total dissolved solids (TDS) than most other waters, and I don't think you'd want to drink this water first thing in the morning; it's got a little too much weight and character to be refreshing. I could see this as a good with-dinner water.

    Gerolsteiner: like Apollinaris, this water has a fair amount of TDS (maybe a characteristic of German waters?). The label advertises "High Mineral Content," and I assume they're referring to calcium and sodium, which seem to be the predominant minerals present in most mineral waters. This naturally sparkling water is really sparkly -- perhaps the most and biggest bubbles of any I tasted. As with Apollinaris, I think this would be a good water to pair with food.

    Italian Types


    Pellegrino: This is the Perrier of Italy (though the French water may have just a slightly more mineral-y taste and more aggressive bubble action.) I was ready to like this most of all, but was generally unmoved by it.

    Panna: an Italian natural uncarbonated spring water, and after a few sips I thought I detected a VERY faint hint of sulfur, which could have been imaginary as this is billed as spring water and not mineral water, and there is not even any sodium in it. SteveZ tells me that Panna is also available in a carbonated version, which I was not able to locate but would like to try.

    Fiuggi: I stopped by the Conte di Savoie and found two versions of this Italian brand which, though allegedly admired by Popes (Boniface VIII) and other Great Men (Michelangelo), was as flat as a pancake. It also bears the strangest Nutritional Facts I've ever seen, which lists things like Sugar, Protein, Tiamin, Niacin, and Riboflavin (?) for which all the ratings are zero! The front label boasts "Low Mineral Content" -- no lie, but it should also have said no flavor and minimal artificial carbonation. Cool blue bottle, though.

    Radewska : A Slovenian "naturally sparkling mineral water" (a phrase I'm seeing a lot and that I'm beginning to think is a term of art, perhaps posted in accordance with FDA or other requirement). The bubbles were less aggressive and bigger than Perrier's, and the water seemed to have a slight and not unpleasant metallic undertone. I'm grouping this in Italian because, well, Slovenia is close enough to the center of Western Civilization to be put in that group.

    Other

    Ty Nant: This is an entrant from Wales, and it is one bubbly beverage. I had this water for breakfast this morning, and it's medium weight, relatively low in minerals and high in bubbles. It's spring water, unnaturally carbonated and its primary selling point may be its dark blue bottle, which won the British Glass First Glass Award for Excellent several years running. What I am now firmly convinced of is that bottled water may represent one of the most powerful marketing triumphs of our time: many products are indistinguishable from the competition--except in terms of packaging. Here's how the Ty Nant company goes on about their product "Ty Nant, in its distinctive proprietary blue glass bottle, entered the market not only as an excellent natural beverage, but as a highly desirable aesthetic commodity. The bottle, with its lustrous blue colour and unique shape"-- you get the idea. It's marketing, babe.

    HiOSilver Oxygen Water: This is a "Spring Water Turbocharged with Pure Oxygen." I sh*t you not. This non-carbonated water is designed with "10 times the oxygen of ordinary water" for "enhanced athletic performance." It tasted faintly of olives, and of all the waters had the least satisfying finish. We never found out what kind of sparkling water they serve at Moto, but this high-tech water-treatment would be an obvious choice.

    My Favorite

    Santa Lucia. This naturally sparkling Italian mineral water was the winner based on bubble structure: more subtle than Perrier (the bubbles are so small, you can hardly tell it's carbonated water when you look at it through a clear glass) However, when you take a sip and hold it in your mouth, it just keeps softly sizzling for as long as you care to hold it there. There's a lot of life to this water. I think this would be a very good water to drink with food because of its consistently smooth palate cleansing effervescence and clean taste. All that plus, it has the picture of the Italian girl drinking from the wall fountain that used to hang in my grandmother's living room and behind the counter at Ferrara bakery.

    My Conclusions

    From my limited sample, I arrogantly draw the following conclusions:

    -- For drinking with food, I recommend German sparkling waters with high TDS; their weight and presence would help them stand up to grub.
    -- For thirst quenching, I recommend Italian sparkling waters, because they're "softer" than the German varieties but still have some "taste."

    As is probably evident from the above, I think "naturally sparking" is better than artificially charged water because the bubbles seem less aggressive and burning.

    David "Soon to devolve into a bromeliad" Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #2 - February 6th, 2005, 7:35 pm
    Post #2 - February 6th, 2005, 7:35 pm Post #2 - February 6th, 2005, 7:35 pm
    Hi,

    Is there a reason to avoid tap water in your private taste-off? I happen to like Eau de Lake Michigan especially over ice.

    I learned recently cavities are making a comeback in children because bottled water lacks fluoride.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #3 - February 6th, 2005, 7:50 pm
    Post #3 - February 6th, 2005, 7:50 pm Post #3 - February 6th, 2005, 7:50 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:Is there a reason to avoid tap water in your private taste-off? I happen to like Eau de Lake Michigan especially over ice.


    I agree that we're fortunate to have very good water available to us in Chicagoland -- I drink gallons and gallons every week; for the survey, I was just focusing on bottled varieties that, though commonly available, might not be as familiar to our community.

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #4 - February 6th, 2005, 8:28 pm
    Post #4 - February 6th, 2005, 8:28 pm Post #4 - February 6th, 2005, 8:28 pm
    Will you be doing taste comparisons of non-sparkling waters? I actually think Evian does have a taste, but not a pleasant one. For some reason, it's the only water I dislike, but I don't drink enough bottled water to say much about it.
  • Post #5 - February 6th, 2005, 8:40 pm
    Post #5 - February 6th, 2005, 8:40 pm Post #5 - February 6th, 2005, 8:40 pm
    BumbleBee wrote:Will you be doing taste comparisons of non-sparkling waters? I actually think Evian does have a taste, but not a pleasant one. For some reason, it's the only water I dislike, but I don't drink enough bottled water to say much about it.


    Bumblebee,

    Unlikely that I'll survey any other nonsparklers (I was just taking the opportunity of the enforced fast to check out locally available offerings). Sparklers are much more interesting to me -- seems there's more going on in them.

    Finding adequate descriptors for water is very challenging, but how might you describe the taste of Evian?

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #6 - February 6th, 2005, 8:43 pm
    Post #6 - February 6th, 2005, 8:43 pm Post #6 - February 6th, 2005, 8:43 pm
    David--have you tried any of the Polish sparkling bottled waters? We drink Naleczowianka mineral water, the carbonated version. I'm trying to teach the Mexican cashiers at my fruit market how to pronounce it, and they've got about half of it right. My former German-born boss swore by Gerolsteiner.

    Regarding Cathy2's comment about cavities, you can now order some brands of bottled water (the 5 gallon size) with flouride added. Chicago Blue, when it's cold outside, is my favorite--it starts to taste kind of algae-y when the lake heats up. Anna
  • Post #7 - February 6th, 2005, 8:53 pm
    Post #7 - February 6th, 2005, 8:53 pm Post #7 - February 6th, 2005, 8:53 pm
    David Hammond wrote:Finding adequate descriptors for water is very challenging, but how might you describe the taste of Evian?


    I was afraid you'd ask that! :D I'll have to get back to you-- I haven't bought it in a long time-- but now I'm curious about the challenge of describing water. I've never paid much attention to flavor; I've always tried to find the water that's the least descriptive.

    It took me a long time to get used to the chlorine taste of Chicago water since I grew up on hard well water. Of course now I taste the strong sulfur in the well water.
  • Post #8 - February 6th, 2005, 9:02 pm
    Post #8 - February 6th, 2005, 9:02 pm Post #8 - February 6th, 2005, 9:02 pm
    David:

    I never sat down and reflected in a focussed way on mineral/bottled water as you do here but /and find that I agree strongly with many of the points you make. My favourites are probably Apollinaris and the Belgian Spa (named for the nearest town to the spring, the original health Spa). Sadly, I must admit that Pellegrino's water doesn't please me all that much (though I like their soft-drinks) and look forward to trying Santa Lucia.

    I find Chicago tap water extremely unpleasant and will not drink it 'straight' as a beverage except under very special circumstances. It ranks for me among the worst tasting tap waters I know, clearly surpassed in bad taste only by the H20+ in a little valley in New York State where the water reeks and tastes intensely of sulphur. Let me add, however, that I find a number of other regional tap waters around the country to be at approximately the same level of badness as ours, though not necessarily being bad in the same way. The most common bad taste is that of chlorine and no matter how thirsty I am, I don't much like the taste of chlorine.

    Antonius
    Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
    - aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
    ________
    Na sir is na seachain an cath.
  • Post #9 - February 6th, 2005, 9:12 pm
    Post #9 - February 6th, 2005, 9:12 pm Post #9 - February 6th, 2005, 9:12 pm
    Anna Z. Sobor wrote:David--have you tried any of the Polish sparkling bottled waters? We drink Naleczowianka mineral water, the carbonated version. I'm trying to teach the Mexican cashiers at my fruit market how to pronounce it, and they've got about half of it right. My former German-born boss swore by Gerolsteiner.


    Anna, I have never had Naleczowianka, and don't remember seeing it on the shelves of local markets, but my realization of the past few days is that there are zillions of waters out there. It's really quite remarkable. Even at our local Dominick's, there must have been 20 varieties of still, sparkling, flavored and performance enhancement waters. I'm finishing off the liter of Gerolsteiner right now and I must admit I surprised by how much I liked the German waters (only because I had not thought of it; I actually used to think Apollinaris was French).

    Antonius wrote:I find Chicago tap water extremely unpleasant and will not drink it 'straight' as a beverage except under very special circumstances. It ranks for me among the worst tasting tap waters I know, clearly surpassed in bad taste only by the H20+ in a little valley in New York State where the water reeks and tastes intensely of sulphur. Let me add, however, that I find a number of other regional tap waters around the country to be at approximately the same level of badness as ours, though not necessarily being bad in the same way. The most common bad taste is that of chlorine and no matter how thirsty I am, I don't much like the taste of chlorine.


    A, this could be a case of growing accustomed to the taste and so not noticing some of the vileness you describe. I swear, I drink two liters of Chicago water every time I go to the gym, and it tastes just fine to me (though I slug it out of a bottle, so I may be blocking some of the odors).

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #10 - February 6th, 2005, 9:24 pm
    Post #10 - February 6th, 2005, 9:24 pm Post #10 - February 6th, 2005, 9:24 pm
    Antonius wrote:I find Chicago tap water extremely unpleasant and will not drink it 'straight' as a beverage except under very special circumstances


    What do you boil your pasta in? Chicago tap water or bottled water? Dried pasta, as well as freshly made spaetzle, absorb quite a bit of water.

    Several years ago, I was at an Olive Garden with the Moms. They like it, and since they accomodate my tastes more often than not, I easily accomodate them from time-to-time. Our waitress was pushing wine, my Moms both ordered ice tea and I asked for "Lake Michigan on ice," to distinguish from bottled waters. The waitress informed me I did not want any water from Lake Michigan and proceed to explain to me why. I politely and firmly affirmed my choice. It was the last time we saw the waitress for the balance of our visit.

    A team of waiter attended to our needs and brought our food. At one point a manager came over very purposefully with the body language of someone who meant business. He stood there gapped mouth when he saw my threesome rather pleasantly going about our dinner. I estimate the waitress ran around complaining we were difficult customers, which was hardly the case. Our only difficulty was NOT acceding to her demand I buy bottled water, which means absolutely nothing to me. I am quite confident Olive Garden's pastas are cooked in local water as well as the basis of their iced teas; which I'm sure she never thought about.

    [vocabulary error repaired]
    Last edited by Cathy2 on February 6th, 2005, 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #11 - February 6th, 2005, 9:53 pm
    Post #11 - February 6th, 2005, 9:53 pm Post #11 - February 6th, 2005, 9:53 pm
    Hi,

    In the USSR, like other Europeans, they were into bottled waters. One of the most favored ones from Georgia called Borjomi.

    Most of these bottled waters came from areas where the water was heavy with minerals and salts. I had an employee who was a Physicist, whose parents were Chemists, he was an extraordinarily intelligent man with extraordinary eccentricities. One of his favorite amusements was to drink mineral water and by tasting it only estimate the mineral content. We would go out of our way to find obscure waters, which almost always had labels detailing percentages of their beneficial minerals, to test his facilities.

    One evening when he was quite under the influence, I persuaded him to explain how he could identify and usually correctly estimate mineral contents. It really was related to the threshold of how our tongues taste. For (a very loose) example, NaCl salt can be tasted by humans in the range of C-K but once the concentration is L-Z, then all our tongue tastes (or is overwhelmed by) is salt with no differentiation. If the salt concentration is between Zero-B, then the human tongue cannot detect it. I no longer remember the exact percentages, the letters are just to give you a sense of range.

    I find eau de Lake Michigan so pleasantly neutral as opposed to those mineral waters, fizzy or not, which have too many tastes I just consider unpleasant.

    In Moscow in winter, they dumped all the dirty snow collected from the streets into Moscow River. During winter, they jacked up the chlorine so high it was a very, very strong chlorine water. I took very fast showers because the water stank and it felt like it was beating me up. Boiling and cooling water is supposed to evaporate away quite a bit of the chlorine, still my morning tea wasn't a pleasant refuge.

    Under those conditions, eau de Lake Michigan is tasteless and pleasant to me, anyway.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #12 - February 6th, 2005, 10:04 pm
    Post #12 - February 6th, 2005, 10:04 pm Post #12 - February 6th, 2005, 10:04 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:Most of these bottled waters came from areas where the water was heavy with minerals and salts. I had an employee who was a Physicist, whose parents were Chemists, he was an extraordinarily intelligent man with extraordinary eccentricities. One of his favorite amusements was to drink mineral water and by tasting it only estimate the mineral content. We would go out of our way to find obscure waters, which almost always had labels detailing percentages of their beneficial minerals, to test his facilities.


    You mean this eccentric estimated the measurable "quantity" of minerals in the water? If so, that's amazing.

    Of the waters I consumed this weekend, those that advertised "mineral content" seemed to be referring specifically to sodium chloride or calcium (and rarely, I think, magnesium).

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #13 - February 6th, 2005, 10:07 pm
    Post #13 - February 6th, 2005, 10:07 pm Post #13 - February 6th, 2005, 10:07 pm
    Cathy2 wrote:
    Antonius wrote:I find Chicago tap water extremely unpleasant and will not drink it 'straight' as a beverage except under very special circumstances


    What do you boil your pasta in?


    ??? What is unclear about what I wrote???

    To me Chicago tap water is something I will not drink straight. I boil pasta in it (have I another choice?), I will dissolve Gatorade Powder in it for hockey (but am still sure to get it all VERY cold before game-time), I will brush my teeth with it, but I hate the flavour of chlorine and avoid it as much as I can.

    Antonius
    Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
    - aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
    ________
    Na sir is na seachain an cath.
  • Post #14 - February 6th, 2005, 10:09 pm
    Post #14 - February 6th, 2005, 10:09 pm Post #14 - February 6th, 2005, 10:09 pm
    Cathy,

    I've read with interest many of your posts and your grammar is nearly flawless. However, on your 9:24 post of your Olive Garden experience you said "was NOT ascending to her demand". I think the word you wanted instead of ascending was acceding.

    David,

    On a food related point, or more accurately, a water related point. I find Kirkland brand water marketed by Costco to be quite acceptable and very cost effective, although not competitive with eau de Lake Michigan.
  • Post #15 - February 6th, 2005, 10:26 pm
    Post #15 - February 6th, 2005, 10:26 pm Post #15 - February 6th, 2005, 10:26 pm
    Jesper,

    Correction in vocabulary was installed. Thank you.

    Antonius,

    I know what you wrote, though "special circumstances" was rather vague. I just wanted to clarify if your dislike of eau de Michigan extended to cooking with it.

    Before Wheaton began using Lake Michigan water, they had a very local water which was quite strong tasting. My friend not only drank bottled water, she cooked with bottled water as well.

    There was a family in Highland Park I knew growing up, who had an office-type water dispenser in their kitchen. They drew water from it to cook their pasta. The Mom was European, which likely explains their family's reaction to eau de Lake Michigan.
    Cathy2

    "You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
    Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways,
  • Post #16 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm
    Post #16 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm Post #16 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm
    Jesper wrote:On a food related point, or more accurately, a water related point. I find Kirkland brand water marketed by Costco to be quite acceptable and very cost effective, although not competitive with eau de Lake Michigan.


    Jesper,

    The Wife buys vast quantities of Kirkland at Costco, and I feel its salient characteristic is convenience: it's there, it's chilled, it's ready to go when I'm going out the door. As far as still water goes, I'd say it's competitive with most other (and many more expensive) non-sparkling brands.

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #17 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm
    Post #17 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm Post #17 - February 6th, 2005, 10:39 pm
    Fascinating report, David. And since you've consumed only water the last few days (and may I pass along my best wishes), I'd be interesting in your reactions to the reintroduction of food, especially the familiar ones, and whether your perceptions of the flavors change.

    For some time after I moved here in late '97, I couldn't drink the tap water, though I could cook in it. Even used bottled water in coffee, which I'm given to understand harms the flavor. For the last few years I've been fine using a Brita filter.

    Chlorine lasts a very short time in an open container, even less time when filtered.
  • Post #18 - February 6th, 2005, 10:47 pm
    Post #18 - February 6th, 2005, 10:47 pm Post #18 - February 6th, 2005, 10:47 pm
    David Hammond wrote:
    Anna Z. Sobor wrote:David--have you tried any of the Polish sparkling bottled waters? We drink Naleczowianka mineral water, the carbonated version. I'm trying to teach the Mexican cashiers at my fruit market how to pronounce it, and they've got about half of it right. My former German-born boss swore by Gerolsteiner.


    Anna, I have never had Naleczowianka, and don't remember seeing it on the shelves of local markets, but my realization of the past few days is that there are zillions of waters out there.


    It is very much available at Caputo's, usually right by the front entrance. The Condiment Queen recently tried another Polish water, purchased on our pazcki run. She concluded that she likes Nalaczowianka better.

    rg
  • Post #19 - February 6th, 2005, 10:56 pm
    Post #19 - February 6th, 2005, 10:56 pm Post #19 - February 6th, 2005, 10:56 pm
    Bob S. wrote:Fascinating report, David. And since you've consumed only water the last few days (and may I pass along my best wishes), I'd be interesting in your reactions to the reintroduction of food, especially the familiar ones, and whether your perceptions of the flavors change.


    I believe I'm currently experiencing increased olfactory sensitivity. At the risk of sounding off my rocker, I'll relate this "ghost story."

    We had a death in the family about 6 years ago: a relatively close family member with whom I was engaged in business and legal conflict. The guy hated me. On the day after he died, I noticed a strong toxic smell in the house, concentrated at a specific location in the basement, with no obvious source. It stayed for several days, and returned throughout the months that followed, and then seemed to disappear.

    Late last year, a very close family member who was at the dead man's bedside (and with whom I had not previously discussed this issue) related that she, too, detected a strong toxic odor on the ground floor of the hospital, before the elevator even opened, and in the third floor room of the deceased, the smell was unbearably intense.

    This morning, after not eating for several days, my sense of smell seemed more acute. I could hardly stand to be in the same room with my dog. I detected the Camel Filter scent of my oldest daughter two floors away. And the toxic smell was back...or was it always there and did I just notice it again with a "cleaner" sense of smell? I've responded to A's remark that maybe I'm just used to Chicago water and thus I no longer discern its disagreeable qualities. Maybe the same phenomenon is at work here (plus other possibly paranormal phenomena).

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #20 - February 6th, 2005, 11:24 pm
    Post #20 - February 6th, 2005, 11:24 pm Post #20 - February 6th, 2005, 11:24 pm
    David Hammond wrote: I've responded to A's remark that maybe I'm just used to Chicago water and thus I no longer discern its disagreeable qualities. Maybe the same phenomenon is at work here (plus other possibly paranormal phenomena).


    The familarity (cf. the discussion of Heinz ketchup) with the 'neutral' flavour of water from home must be a real factor. For years after I moved away from New York and New Jersey, I would go back and the water in those two places (the one is different from the other in taste) would strike me as better tasting than that from wherever it was I was then living. But eventually, especially after years of drinking filtered and mineral waters, that all changed. I said I don't like the taste of Chicago water and stand by that aesthetic judgment, but I won't turn around and say "The water from where I grew up is better" because I no longer find that water all that good tasting either.

    I've been trying to remember where it was that I last had a draught of tap water and thought it was really good, that is, had no strong, unwelcome flavour. I'm pretty sure it was in Wisconsin...

    Antonius
    Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
    - aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
    ________
    Na sir is na seachain an cath.
  • Post #21 - February 6th, 2005, 11:41 pm
    Post #21 - February 6th, 2005, 11:41 pm Post #21 - February 6th, 2005, 11:41 pm
    I grew up on the prairie, and we drank well water that we pumped from our own well, as did everyone who lived in the country. To me, Evian has a distinctive taste -- like the well water I had growing up -- that none of the other waters has. It's sweeter, has a higher mineral content than, say, Dannon, which has no taste.

    I don't buy much bottled water. I like the Lake Michigan variety, right outta the tap; completely neutral to my tastebuds.
  • Post #22 - February 6th, 2005, 11:58 pm
    Post #22 - February 6th, 2005, 11:58 pm Post #22 - February 6th, 2005, 11:58 pm
    Carol wrote:To me, Evian has a distinctive taste -- like the well water I had growing up -- that none of the other waters has. It's sweeter, has a higher mineral content than, say, Dannon, which has no taste.

    I don't buy much bottled water. I like the Lake Michigan variety, right outta the tap; completely neutral to my tastebuds.


    Carol,

    Your comments and those of others have convinced me that I should give Evian another shot. I stopped by their site, and apparently the mineral content of the water is relatively rich...I should try it again.

    You know, you mention the "neutral" Lake Michigan water, and I think "neutral" is exactly what one wants for an everyday water. With my little survey, I was more interested in finding special or distinctive waters -- but that's not the kind of thing you probaby want to drink all the time.

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #23 - February 7th, 2005, 12:20 am
    Post #23 - February 7th, 2005, 12:20 am Post #23 - February 7th, 2005, 12:20 am
    Here are my interesting water facts:

    Lots of bottled water is simply tap water that has been filtered via reverse osmosis (as opposed to natural spring water). I find these RO waters to be very bland and not refreshing at all. They taste somewhat like distilled water, as much of the mineral content is removed. It's the minerals that give a particular water its taste. I'm not sure (not having a bottle handy to check), but I would guess that Kirkland falls under this description.

    My only other interesting bottled water fact is that Nestle seems to have somewhat of a mini monopoly on the water market. They own nearly every regional brand of water in the US and many imported water as well, including Perrier.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #24 - February 7th, 2005, 8:03 am
    Post #24 - February 7th, 2005, 8:03 am Post #24 - February 7th, 2005, 8:03 am
    stevez wrote:Here are my interesting water facts:

    Lots of bottled water is simply tap water that has been filtered via reverse osmosis (as opposed to natural spring water). I find these RO waters to be very bland and not refreshing at all. They taste somewhat like distilled water, as much of the mineral content is removed. It's the minerals that give a particular water its taste. I'm not sure (not having a bottle handy to check), but I would guess that Kirkland falls under this description.


    Stevez,

    Oh, I'd assume Kirkland is an RO water; the only reason we get it is because it's convenient to have around, and at around 20 cents or so a bottle, worth it.

    I remember hearing recently that Dasani was simply recycling London tap water; not exactly a shock.

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins
  • Post #25 - February 7th, 2005, 8:08 am
    Post #25 - February 7th, 2005, 8:08 am Post #25 - February 7th, 2005, 8:08 am
    This thread reminded me of a FRONTLINE episode concerning the privatization of water in third world countries and elsewhere.

    The highlights:

    "People with access to safe public drinking water-who are willing to spend up to 1000 times more for bottled water-represent the world's largest consumers of bottled water.

    By 2005, bottled water is expected to surpass milk and coffee and become the No. 2 beverage behind soft drinks.

    About one-third of the water bottles tested contained synthetic organic chemicals and bacteria, and one sample contained arsenic levels that exceeded state health limits.

    About 25% of the bottled water sold in the United States comes from a municipal water source.

    The Natural Resources Defense Council asserts that bottled water regulations are inadequate to assure consumers of purity or safety."

    For more detailed information on the bottled water you are drinking, here's the Frontline link:

    http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stori ... ottle.html
    Reading is a right. Censorship is not.
  • Post #26 - February 7th, 2005, 8:11 am
    Post #26 - February 7th, 2005, 8:11 am Post #26 - February 7th, 2005, 8:11 am
    I'm another person who drinks a lot of bottled water and I'll second Carol's vote for Evian. The taste has a brightness to it, especially when well chilled that I find very refreshing and have yet to find in other waters. I wish we had Chicago tap water where I live. Alas, in my NW burb we are on individual wells. Thankfully we have a softener as well as a reverse osmosis system. I've heard some real horror stories about other burbs out my way who suffer from terrible iron and sulfur problems with their wells, but we're not one of them.
  • Post #27 - February 7th, 2005, 8:58 am
    Post #27 - February 7th, 2005, 8:58 am Post #27 - February 7th, 2005, 8:58 am
    Cathy2, chlorine and chloramines both appear in significant concentration in Chicago water. Chlorine will boil off almost completely within 5 minutes at our altitude. Chloramines (less pungent than chlorine) reduce by half in that same time and are undectable by most palates at that point. So, Antonius has the sonorous voice of Science speaking in support of him.

    For sparklers (acqua gassata), I like Santa Lucia. For acqua liscia, I like Volvic. Though once I run Chicago tap water through a ceramic filter (Franke at my house), it's unobjectionable. Confession: the sonorous voice of Science notwithstanding, I use filtered water for making stock, though not for boiling pasta. Soon I'll be divining the future via the entrails of birds, no doubt.
  • Post #28 - February 7th, 2005, 9:13 am
    Post #28 - February 7th, 2005, 9:13 am Post #28 - February 7th, 2005, 9:13 am
    Rule #CCLVI: never put ice in your bottled water. Refrigerate it if you like it cold.

    Rule #CCLVII: use Faito or Acetosella water in your espresso machine (if you can find them). I tried Acqua della Madonna and Ferrarelle, but sparkers just don't work as well for espresso.
  • Post #29 - February 7th, 2005, 9:14 am
    Post #29 - February 7th, 2005, 9:14 am Post #29 - February 7th, 2005, 9:14 am
    Forget rule CCLVII: just go to Harlem Ave. for espresso. Or have Fabio at Pizza Metro on Division make one for you.
  • Post #30 - February 7th, 2005, 9:17 am
    Post #30 - February 7th, 2005, 9:17 am Post #30 - February 7th, 2005, 9:17 am
    Choey wrote:Rule #CCLVII: use Faito or Acetosella water in your espresso machine (if you can find them). I tried Acqua della Madonna and Ferrarelle, but sparkers just don't work as well for espresso.


    See, I would think a mineral water would clog up the machine mechanism. It would seem like fewer minerals would be better than more.

    Hammond
    "Don't you ever underestimate the power of a female." Bootsy Collins

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