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Flavor & Taste of Water
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Written by Michael Mascha
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Wednesday, 07 December 2005 00:00 |
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At first glance, waters and mineral water may not seem to have the individual characteristics that distinguish wines. But through comparison with the flavors in wine, subtle but distinct differences in water flavors become apparent, too. This chapter will examine the components of flavor as they apply to water.
FLAVOR = TASTE + SMELL + MOUTHFEEL
Taste, smell, and mouthfeel (a food’s tactile sensation) combine to produce flavor. Sensory receptors in the nose and mouth report information on each of these three components to the brain, where the sensation is integrated in a highly complex process we are just beginning to understand. Food writers often pay little attention to mouthfeel, but it is a very important property of both food and water. The size, amount, and distribution of bubbles—or lack of them—are essential to the mouthfeel of water. I use the FineWaters Balance to describe a water’s mouthfeel (see page 43). Here’s a comparison of the elements of flavor in wine and water:
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 29 March 2009 17:00 )
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Written by Michael Mascha
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Tuesday, 04 October 2005 17:00 |
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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
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 29 March 2009 18:43 )
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Written by Michael Mascha
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Monday, 06 September 2004 21:00 |
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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.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 13:57 )
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Written by m2
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Sunday, 02 October 2005 23:00 |
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Minerality
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.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 14:02 )
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Written by m2
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Tuesday, 05 April 2005 23:00 |
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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).
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 14:07 )
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Written by m2
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Monday, 04 October 2004 21:00 |
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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.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 14:11 )
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Written by alfredo
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Sunday, 04 July 2004 23:00 |
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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.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 14:14 )
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Written by Michael Mascha
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Tuesday, 13 December 2005 00:00 |
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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. A water’s TDS is normally made magupmainly 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.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 29 March 2009 17:03 )
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Written by Michael Mascha
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Wednesday, 08 March 2006 00:00 |
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Marketing campaigns for commodity bottled waters try to make us think water must be "pure" to be good. Being clean and healthy isn’t enough - water has to be pure, and the purer the better. These marketers tell us that nothing but hydrogen and oxygen should be in our water. Ironically, this misconception means people often drink distilled water when taking mineral supplements, which contain the same minerals that have been removed from the water.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 March 2009 11:14 )
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