HYDERABAD: You might have heard of a wine sommelier, but what about a water sommelier? Meet Ganesh Iyer, who is India’s first and only water sommelier. A water sommelier is someone who is able to detect, recognise and differentiate different types of natural waters based on their natural characteristics such as minerality, carbonation, vintage, hardness, orientation, virginity, hardness and various other elements. He can suggest on how to pair different kinds of water with different cuisines, wines and spirits. Ganesh, who is the national sales director, (Indian Subcontinent) for Veen Waters, speaks to Hyderabad Express from Mumbai.
How did you start doing this?
After having spent close to two decades in the beverages industry, and being part of teams that launched six brands of natural mineral waters and sparkling water in India, I heard about Doemens Academy at Munich in Germany which is rated as one of the best academies to get yourself accredited as a water sommelier. Back then, there was just one local bottled water brand and subsequent years saw the advent of India’s first natural mineral water brand followed by the first imported water brand. Today, there are close to half a dozen brands of natural mineral water in the market.
What factors determine the taste of water?
Factors that determine the taste of water are essentially the territory, the vintage of the water, the TDS ( Totally Dissolved Solids), the pH level, hardness and other factors.
Which Indian city, do you think, has the tastiest water?
In my view, it’s very complex to categorise any water as the tastiest water because of two reasons - (i) Taste is subjective; what is sweet to me could be sour to you because taste buds differ from person to person. Eating habits, lifestyle, the eco-system - they all contribute towards the liking for a particular variety of water. (ii) A few varieties of water emit after-flavours. So, even if a water variety appeals to your taste buds, the experience might change after it passes your throat.
What is your role/job description in mineral water companies?
As a certified water sommelier, I impart training and education on the different types of water, their benefits in terms of health, culinary experience and also in terms of increased revenues for the hotel and restaurants sector. This training is imparted to the restaurant associate, restaurant manager, F&B manager and at times, to the general manager.
Are there restaurants that offer different brands of water because of the varying taste?
There are a couple of well-known restaurants which are benchmarked for the wide range of water varieties they stock. They have ensured that water evolves from just a banal beverage to a whole range of water based on different mineralities, TDS levels etc. Ray’s and Stark Bar in Los Angeles stocks close to a dozen water brands and is headed by Martin Riese, the world’s foremost water sommelier. There is another one called Florie’s at Four Seasons Palm Beach Resort in Florida which is headed by a water sommelier Jessica Altieri. The prices can range from $80- $15.
Are different types of water paired with different food items?
Yes. In the case of a barbecued dish, the ideal accompaniment will be standard mineral water which has a good amount of TDS or also with sparkling water which has heavy bubbles. The idea behind this pairing is that the mouth feel of the dish should not overpower the water. Sushi goes perfectly well with sparkling water variety that is low on the carbonation and has small bubbles. If you enjoy having caviar, it is best is to have it with a variety that has absolutely no sodium. If you are having cheese, have it with a natural mineral water which has high levels of bicarbonate.
Is there any temperature at which a water variety tastes its best?
Ideally, natural mineral water ought to be consumed at room temperature to experience the minerals. When water is refrigerated, the minerals are boxed and thereby the true nuances of water cannot be experienced. Having said that, there is no particular rule as to how water ought to be consumed. But personally, I prefer consuming water that is lukewarm.
Water is becoming more and more scarce every day. Which water varieties do you think are the most susceptible to climate change?
Water is, by and large, susceptible to climate change — be it a spring, or water from an artesian well or just borewell water. Water, in its various avatars, is constantly moving and since all the sources are connected to each other, they form a water cycle. Climate change has a damning impact on the amount of distribution, and also the mineral composition.
Another casualty on account of climate change is the decline in the quality of water. For example, water temperature is likely to rise in streams, lakes and reservoirs with the rise in temperature, which leads to lower levels of dissolved oxygen. This causes stress on the aquamarine life that rely on oxygen. Increased levels of precipitation lead to an increase in run-off in certain parts of the country. This results in more pollution in the form of sediments, nitrogen and pesticides from agricultural fields. All these, in turn, lead to blooming of harmful algae and bacteria
Are there certain water varieties that can be more beneficial to the human body because of their components?
There are many natural mineral water brands around the world which are considered and promoted for their therapeutic values. For instance, ‘Pluto’ is considered to be a laxative water. It was discovered in the 1890s at Indiana in the USA and is also known to cure arthritis and rheumatism. Another one is Adelholzener St. Primus Medicinal Water discovered way back in 1700. It is registered as medicinal water with Federal Institute of Medicinal Drugs and Medicinal Products Germany. It’s known to cure stomach ailments.