Meet this certified water sommelier who's on a mission to share the merits of different types of water

The man sitting at the table across from us is clearly amused. He is watching us, a pair of middle-aged women, sipping different brands of mineral water from wine glasses and engaging in deep conversation after every sip. I don’t blame him. If I were him, I’d be rolling my eyes at the pretentiousness of it all. I might have even sneaked a picture to one of my WhatsApp chat groups: “What in the Four National Taps is going on?”

What’s going on was a water tasting. I’d agreed to meet and interview Caryn Tang, who touts herself as Singapore’s first female water sommelier, because I was curious to see what she had to teach me about something so quotidian as water. Here’s what I learnt in the hour that we spent together:

1. The major difference between a water’s taste is mineral content. Some, like Spritzer, a brand of water from Tai Ping, Malaysia – which also happens to be Caryn’s hometown – have lower mineral content, yielding water with a light, smooth and fresh mouthfeel.
2. The higher a water’s mineral content, the “harder” the water feels in the mouth.
3. Some waters have enough minerals like magnesium in a single bottle to make up a third of your daily required intake. These waters are seldom delicious.
4. Carbonated waters are best stored in glass bottles as they help to better maintain carbonation.
5. Many of us think of bottled water as mineral water. Those of us would be mistaken. Some bottled water is distilled, meaning that they have zero minerals.

“If one consumes this (distilled water) in the long-term, it strips the minerals from your body instead. This kind of water is better for car batteries because it doesn’t leave any residue. You’re better off drinking tap water than distilled water because in Singapore, our government ensures that our water is healthy, with a pH level of about 8.1,” she enthused.

These are but some of the interesting nuggets of information participants can glean at Tang’s upcoming Essence Of Water course on Saturday (Dec 9). The half-day event will feature the same tasting of eight different waters that I’d experienced along with a wine and food pairing.

SO MUCH TO DRINK IN

A former Singapore Airlines in-flight manager and qualified wine sommelier, Tang’s interest in water was piqued in lockdown-era 2021, when she found herself learning more about sake and whiskey to pass the time. “That’s when I wondered if there was anything (to learn) about water,” she said.

Water turned out to be so interesting that Tang decamped to Grafelfing, Germany for two weeks to pursue her water sommelier certification at the Doemens Academy.

Today, the 57-year-old’s mission is to be (my words, not hers) a water evangelist. “I just want to share my knowledge that water isn’t just water. It has different qualities and can help with your wellbeing.

For example, if you do a lot of sports, I’d recommend that you drink this water instead of an isotonic because it has a high mineral content, zero calories and can replenish your body better than an isotonic,” she said, pointing to a bottle of Gerolsteiner sparkling mineral water from Germany.

Hence, her Essence Of Water course, which is presented in collaboration with SHATEC. When I asked who she hopes will attend the course, she replied: “People who are curious about water and people who already appreciate water.”

“Have you found any of those?”

“No,” she replied with a hearty laugh.

“Look,” she continued, “if just two or three of the people who come to my class leave and go out and spread the word, then I’m happy. I’m not looking to sell water. This is just about sharing my knowledge and to deepen Singapore’s appreciation for water, which many of us take for granted.”