Meet America’s Only Water Sommelier

[vellavu]

Meet America’s Only Water Sommelier
A sommelier is usually defined as a wine expert who makes recommendations on what wine goes best with certain meals, at a restaurant. But Martin Riese doesn’t know a lot about wines. He is a professional water sommelier, the only one in the the United States.

German-born Riese has been fascinated with the different tastes of water since he was 4-years-old. His parents, who worked in the hospitality industry, would take him vacationing all over Europe, and the first thing he always did was try the tap water. To him, it tasted different everywhere he went, so he couldn’t understand why everyone always called it the same thing. Later, he would learn that he had been blessed with a very special palette that allows him to detect the subtle differences in the taste of different mineral waters. Luckily for him, there was actually a job that required just the kind of unique talent he had – water sommelier.

 

[Blaze]

I thought I was the only one that could taste the water difference. I swear people always look at me like I'm crazy when I say I will drink certain brands of water or some city's water, but not others. Fun fact, I live in a city with a high percentage of minerals, especially copper and nickel, and the water is super yummy. I hate the water from my hometown however, it's very yucky.

 

[HowiMetdaSlayer]

I have very good sense of smell & taste too. I'm also kind of picky. 😉 Guess I missed my calling. 😛

 

[Ethan Reigns]

We have tap water here (from Lake Ontario) that I avoid at all costs. I have tried Nestle Pure Life and the sulphate content makes it taste like a car battery smells. There is a decent spring water called Real Canadian that is good, so that is what I drink. Water tastes different everywhere.

 

[November]

Wait, thats a skill! Sign me up!

When I moved the water here was so nice and "soft" but due to low rain, we are getting water from the local city. It is hard, to the point I even notice a difference in the shower.

I hated the chemical taste of city water, but like hell I was going to buy bottled (That cost more than petrol here...) I tried all sort of filters, expensive and time consuming. Now I just drink whatever from the tap and hope not to react. If I do, I boil the water. Dont try to fill plastic water bottles with hot water. Tried and tested failure 😉

I know nothing of fluoride but have been seeing it mentioned quite often. I thought fluoride was a good for teeth and bones thing - what does this dude think of it? Expert opinion and all?


(PS finding a wine sommelier was a previous gishwhes task, he had to rate kale juice. Our team got in the book with it)

 

[Ethan Reigns]

The addition of fluoride has become an issue for the Professional Engineers of Ontario. Fluoride from most natural sources is OK but hydrofluorosilicic acid is used for municipal water supplies and you can find Material and Safety Data Sheets online showing that this is a known carcinogen. I certainly don't endorse it. Fluoride is not rare in nature and a lot of European municipalities have abandoned fluoridation for their water supplies. The chlorine in municipal water is necessary to kill off living organisms but the bodies of these organisms remain in the water making it allergenic and chlorine remains in the water to attack the mucous membrane in anyone who drinks it.

 

[Taake]

I thought I was the only one that could taste the water difference. I swear people always look at me like I'm crazy when I say I will drink certain brands of water or some city's water, but not others. Fun fact, I live in a city with a high percentage of minerals, especially copper and nickel, and the water is super yummy. I hate the water from my hometown however, it's very yucky.

You should come here, pretty much everyone I know, including me, are very picky about their water. Some bottle water in particular is very 'oily' in taste, can't deal with it.

Fun fact: when I was in Prague they sold bottles of water with extra air in it.

 

[AnthonyCordova]

When it comes to water, I pretty much like all the varieties I have had. I don't deny there are differences in taste, but I just have a real lust for water. Like Faith had a lust for the thrill of the kill. Except mine is way more boring than that.
 
on a related note, I think I should be a book smelling sommelier. For those that love the smell of books. I have a good nose for it.

 

[Bluebird]

I only drink tap water but that's because it's soft water that doesn't need filtered. Also costs less because your washing machine doesn't end up destroyed and you need less soap. It changes at the border, so I can't drink the water beyond the wall. Makes me physically sick.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

When it comes to water, I pretty much like all the varieties I have had. I don't deny there are differences in taste, but I just have a real lust for water. Like Faith had a lust for the thrill of the kill. Except mine is way more boring than that.
 
on a related note, I think I should be a book smelling sommelier. For those that love the smell of books. I have a good nose for it.

You should have your book-smelling talent endorsed by Rupert Giles. Can't hurt if you decide to turn professional.