Many people reject paying £19 for bottled water and prefer to order free tap water. An Open University trial presented Nottingham tap water and Highland Spring in blind samples and participants could not reliably distinguish between them. Licensed premises are legally obliged to provide free tap water on request and refusal would breach licence conditions. Some suggest serving tap water playfully as 'Corporation Pop' or making it fizzy by shaking. Other consumers value naturally carbonated brands like Vichy Catalan and Badoit and are willing to pay premium prices. Historical and humorous notes recall Karlsbad spring visits and a quip about question-mark headlines.
What a load of rubbish. Far better to order a free glass of tap water. At an Open University summer school some years ago, students were invited to take part in a trial. All were given 10 lots of two samples, Nottingham tap water and Highland Spring. There were enough participants over the weeks for a statistical sample. Answer? They could not tell the difference.
As a non-drinker, I can readily tell between my Vichy Catalan (my favourite) and my Badoit green bottle or Badoit red bottle (second favourite), all naturally carbonated. Would I pay 19 for a bottle of water I haven't yet tried? 100%. What's the difference between this and a fermented grape or a distilled grain? Those who don't drink alcohol need more of this. Water is not simply just water. And what's more, it's good for you.
Simon Usborne enjoys a water menu at a Cheshire restaurant, but sampling craft water is nothing new. In 1874, Karl Marx was in Karlsbad still known for its artisan waters to imbibe spring waters for health reasons. Marx, who liked a pilsner beer, was rather grumpy about it, writing to Engels on 18 September 1874 that drinking the water made him irritable.
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