Antipodes

With the growing popularity of bottled water and Mineral Water, the FineWaters Balance provides a scale to define the differences between various bottled waters based on carbonation levels. It is designed to be an easily understood standard for restaurants and connoisseurs. The FineWaters Balance helps water drinkers appreciate the difference between, for example, the large, loud bubbles of a sparkling Perrier or Ty Nant and the effervescent, small bubbles of Badoit

It’s important to note that there is no explicit or implied scale of quality associated with the FineWaters Balance. It merely compares the waters, and it is my way of pointing out the differences that allow bottled waters to be savored and fully enjoyed.

 STILL

Still waters - those that have no carbonation - are preferred by sixty-five percent of Americans when eating. The Spanish share this preference, whereas sparkling waters are favored in Italy. Still water is perfect with any food, but a little variety can go a long way. With Still waters, we can engage in a dialogue about sources and minerality and focus on the differences in Still waters based on their terroirs. It is important to resist the temptation to pour Still water over ice—especially ice made with tap water. If you prefer your bottled water with ice, for full enjoyment make sure the ice is made with the same water.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 54°F (12°C)
Carbonation: 0 mg/l

 EFFERVESCENT

Effervescent waters are an epicurean surprise to many. These sophisticated waters, with the smallest possible bubbles, straddle a line between Still and Light sparkling waters. In some instances these waters lose their - sparkle - very quickly, and some are almost still. Many naturally carbonated waters (such as Badoit, Wattwiller, and Ferrarelle) fall into this category. Drinking water that is almost flat but has a hint of carbonation (and thus a hint of mouthfeel) offers a new sensation to many people. Use this element of surprise to contrast or support a dish with a water pairing.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 56°F (13°C)
Carbonation: 0-2.5 mg/l

 LIGHT

These waters draw attention. Many people who claim they don’t like sparkling water at all love Light sparkling waters. If you are  erving a dish with a subtle mouthfeel—for example, a perfectly pan-seared fish—a Light sparkling water would be a perfect choice.  It gives texture but does not overpower the presentation.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 58°F (14°C)
Carbonation: 2.5-5 mg/l

 CLASSIC

Classic is what most people think of when they talk about a sparkling water. Many high mineral content waters fall into this category. Classic waters are the workhorses of food and water pairing. Their mouthfeel matches many dishes perfectly, which makes them a safe bet. Classic waters are also perfect for mixed drinks, especially wine spritzers. In selecting specific Classic waters to pair with food, note the mineral content. A Classic water with a low TDS is a good choice for mixed drinks, while one with a higher TDS would be the perfect choice with steak.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 60°F (16°C)
Carbonation: 5-7.5 mg/l

 BOLD

Expect bold, large, and loud bubbles. Bold waters sometimes create a - fireworks in your mouth - kind of feeling. The spacing between bubbles creates significant differences among various brands of bottled water. Some waters feel fizzy, whereas others are bold in a silent way. Served too cold, the bubbles can be overwhelming. (If people say they don’t like sparkling water, this is usually what they mean.) Served closer to room temperature, the bubbles calm down. You can also use a spoon to stir the water to reduce the effect of the carbonation; opening the bottle and allowing the water to breathe will also reduce some of the effect, if desired. Careful matching with food is required if Bold waters are to be enjoyed while dining. The strong sensation created by the large bubbles can distract from subtle foods or those with little or no mouthfeel. On the other hand, the bubbles can sometimes be used to contrast with subtle foods and give them texture. Bold waters are perfect at the beginning of a meal, preferably with crispy appetizers.

Recommended Serving Temperature: 62°F (17°C)
Carbonation: larger then 7.5 mg/l

Virginality indicates how protected a water is from its surroundings. It is determined by the water’s level of nitrate, an inorganic compound made up of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. Nitrate is easily carried through soil by water.

The substance can leach into the ground below the root zone through heavy rainfall or irrigation, and it may subsequently find its way into groundwater. In its natural state, water has less than 1 mg/l of nitrate; higher levels typically reveal a compromised water. This contamination may come from fertilizer, animal waste products, decaying plant matter, septic tanks, or sewage treatment systems. Only testing can determine nitrate levels in water, as nitrate has no taste, odor, or color.

The ability of blood to carry oxygen throughout the body may be impaired by very high nitrate contamination in drinking water; this may case methemoglobinemia (also known as blue baby syndrome). Cancer, disruption of thyroid function, birth defects, and miscarriages are other health risks posed by high levels of nitrate.

The World Health Organization recommends that exposure to nitrate should not exceed 50 mg/l for short periods. In the United States, drinking water may not contain more than 10 mg/l of nitrate, a level determined by a study in 1951 of infants suffering from blue baby syndrome. I use the following system of icons to describe the Virginality of bottled water:

Distillation, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange can each remove nitrate from water; several manufacturers offer equipment to apply these techniques to home drinking water. Nitrate is not removed by standard water softeners or filters, including carbon adsorption filters, and boiling water actually increases the concentration of nitrate.

Mineral Water’s subtle taste and terroir are determined by the minerals it contains. The amount of minerals dissolved in water is indicated as total dissolved solids, measured in milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm), which are equal.

TDS - Total Dissolved Solids in Bottled Water

A water’s TDS is normally made magup mainly of carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and a few other minerals. Gases, colloids, or sediment is not included in the TDS measurement.After mouthfeel, TDS is the second most important factor in matching water with food. The higher the mineral content, the more distinct a water’s taste can be.

Think of low TDS waters as comparable to white wines, with a clean, neutral taste and less weight; high TDS waters are more like red wines, with a heavier, more substantial feel. Very high TDS waters feel distinctly heavy and may have an aftertaste, much like a big, bold red wine. Most mineral water you drink, though, probably has a medium TDS measurement and is more like a heavy white or a light red wine.

Regulations regarding TDS vary throughout the world. In the United States, bottled water must contain at least 250 mg/l TDS to be labeled as mineral water. TDS above 500 mg/l qualifies a water as -low mineral content- more than 1,500 mg/l allows a - high mineral content - label.

pH Factor of Water

The pH (for "potential hydrogen") measures a substance’s level of acidity or alkalinity. On this scale, 1.0 to 6.9 is acidic, 7.0 is neutral, and 7.1 to 14.0 is alkaline (also referred to as basic).

Acidic

Sour tastes (such as that of vinegar) come from acids, whereas alkaline substances tend to taste bitter and may seem to have a slippery feel. 

Alkaline

Low alkaline waters (pH 7.1–7.5) may be perceived as sweet—this doesn’t mean that the water tastes sugary but simply that it tastes neither bitter nor sour. Since pH is a logarithmic scale, the difference of 1 degree indicates a tenfold increase or decrease in acidity or alkalinity. Water with a pH of 5, for example is ten times more acidic than that with a pH of 6.

I find that my palate tends to register acidity as a major component of taste at a pH of 5 or below. The following is how I describe Orientation, or the taste of water based on the pH factor, as you’ll see in my tasting notes:

Be sure not to let the pH factor have too much influence when considering the flavor of water. In the 5 to 10 range, the pH factor plays a minor role (contributing five percent of the flavor) relative to the TDS (twenty percent) and the carbonation (seventy-five percent)

pH of common substances:
Vinegar pH 3
Wine pH 2.8–3.8
Beer pH 4–5
Milk pH 6.3–6.6
Seawater pH 8.3
Bottled water pH 5–10

Calcium & Magnesium

Calcium and magnesium levels combine to determine the mineral water’s “hardness” (for the exact formula, see the table below). Bottled water is naturally soft, thanks to low levels of calcium and magnesium. Higher levels are often found in municipal water, which is often “softened”—particularly in the United States—to be used at home.

The taste of water is impacted heavily by softening.

Hard Water

Hard tap water makes cleaning more difficult and more dependent on soaps and synthetic detergents. Scaling in boilers and teakettles comes from hard water. But hard water does not pose any danger to your health: According to the U.S. National Research Council, the magupnesium and calcium in hard water can actually contribute to your daily dietary requirements.

Soft Water

Water is softened with an ion-exchange water softener, which adds sodium (salt) to the water. About 8 mg/l of sodium are added for every grain of hardness (17.1 mg/l) taken out. Water softening accustoms most Americans to slightly salty water. In the United States, water hardness is not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Instead the Department of the Interior and the international Water Quality Association offer the following classifications:

Hardness can be calculated with this formula (calcium and magnesium should be measured in milligrams per liter): HARDNESS = (calcium x 2.5) + (magnesium x 4)

Carbon Dating Bottled Water

Wine needs time to smooth out its tannin structure, but the quality of mineral water is not determined by its age. Vintage does influence water, however. Very young waters like Hawaiian Springs and bottled rainwaters don’t have much time to absorb minerals, so they tend to have low TDS levels and hence light, clean tastes.

Old water may feel more substantial, but Trinity and Fiji prove there are old waters with low levels of mineral content. The age of a water is less important than the local geology.

The age of bottled waters should be noted, though, as an enjoyable part of their backstories, which add to the epicurean pleasure. Rain that fell when Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean more than 450 years ago is in the Fiji water you might drink today. Bottled rainwaters such as Cloud Juice, on the other hand, may be less than one week old.