Podcast Summary: Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark Episode: Pair Bottled Water Like Wine! Best Picks for Meals, Workouts & More | Water Sommelier Martin Riese
Date: August 15, 2025
Guest: Martin Riese, World-Renowned Water Sommelier
Host: Alex Clark (Turning Point USA)

Episode Overview

In one of the most distinctive installments to date, Alex Clark sits down with Martin Riese, one of the world’s only certified water sommeliers, for a fascinating deep-dive into the science, myths, and pleasures of bottled water. Together, they debunk pervasive marketing claims, explore how to pair water with food and wine, reveal tips for choosing water for workouts or taste, and conduct a blind tasting of bottled waters from around the world. Martin’s mission is clear: to elevate public knowledge about what’s in our glasses, help us appreciate the rich diversity of water, and advocate for access to clean, mineral-rich water for all.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Debunking Popular Water Myths

• Alkaline Water is Marketing, Not Medicine
  Martin calls foul on the alkaline water craze and American obsession with pH, explaining that the stomach's acid neutralizes whatever we drink.

  • “There is no perfect PH level that you can balance out your acidic body completely. Nonsense. It’s nonsense.” [02:19]
  • Imported concern: This is a marketing story created by companies who are just reselling tap water.

• “Smart” and Other Overhyped Waters
  Smartwater, Essentia, and similar waters are just vapor-distilled tap with added minerals, sold on branding and misconceptions about electrolytes.

  • “Smart water is nothing else than vapor distilled water. Beautiful marketing word for I’m boiling up tap.” [03:45], [10:26], [10:29]
  • Essentia is promoted for its “9.5 pH,” but that’s just another marketing angle. [17:53]

• The Truth About Purified Water

  • In the US, major bottled water companies simply reprocess municipal (tap) water and sell it on with minimal added minerals.
  • “[In Europe] purified water brands don’t exist...Every consumer would say, wait a minute, you’re bottling tap and selling it to me? What I have in my faucet?” [26:07]

2. Water as a Sommelier Experience

• What Is a Water Sommelier?
  Like a wine sommelier, Martin develops “water menus,” pairs different waters with foods, and teaches people to taste and appreciate their differences.[03:55]

  • He created his own online water sommelier academy.

• Water Tasting: Water Is Not Just Water

  • Martin insists: "Plain H2O...doesn't exist on this planet...There’s always minerals dissolved.” [09:04]
  • Different mineral profiles mean different tastes—akin to salting food for flavor.
  • Bottled water can and should be paired like wine: light, low-mineral water with sushi and salads; more mineral-rich with steak. [07:21]

• Pairing Water with Wine

  • “When you have a glass of red wine in front of you and you have your highly chlorinated tap water maybe right next to it...that's literally like you would put ice cubes and lemon slices in your red wine.” [07:56]
  • Room temperature, still water is best for wine pairings to enhance wine flavor, not numb the palate. [08:56]

3. Bottled vs. Tap: Health, Sustainability, and Taste

• Tap Water in America

  • Martin encourages filtered tap for sustainability: “I drink tap every day. It’s the most sustainable way to drink.” [05:13]
  • “Get yourself a filter system… reverse osmosis is what I use.” [06:35]
  • Tap isn’t always perfect (e.g., Flint, Michigan), but proper filtration usually solves the problem.

• Plastic vs. Glass Bottles

  • Avoid drinking from plastic bottles left in the sun or heat – leaching can be an issue. [17:21]
  • Glass is the safest and most inert packaging. Bottled water doesn’t expire; any expiration date is for the bottle, not the water. [17:23]

• US vs. European Water Standards

  • America’s obsession with purity strips water of minerals, whereas Europe celebrates mineral content for health. [26:06]
  • In Germany and other countries, some mineral waters are literally prescribed as medicine. [57:02]

4. Choosing Bottled Waters for Different Purposes

• Best Waters for Workouts:
  Martin recommends high-mineral (“high TDS”) waters—more effective than “propel” or “vitamin” water, which are really just sugar-filled drinks. [22:26], [23:14]

  • “Geral Steiner” (from Germany; available at Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods)
  • “Crazy Waters” (Texas)
  • “Vichy Catalan” (Spain)

• Best Waters for Pairing with Foods

  • Low minerality (e.g., Saratoga) for lighter foods
  • High minerality (e.g., Three Bays, Borjomi) for richer or dairy foods or as a “healing” functional drink

• Is There a ‘Best’ Bottled Water?

  • No. It depends on taste, the meal, your body, and the circumstances. [18:40]
  • “There is no best. That is a myth.” [18:46]

5. Taste Test Highlights (Listen from 48:04 onward)

• Martin and Alex sample several waters:
  • Saratoga (USA): Low TDS (40), very smooth, minimal aftertaste—good with wine. [49:00]
  • Three Bays (Australia): High TDS (1,340), heavy ‘texture’, salty mineral aftertaste; “reminds me of accidentally drinking pool water!” —Alex [51:00]
  • Mountain Valley (USA): TDS 220, balanced, iconic American brand, used to be the official White House water. [52:41]
  • Borjomi (Georgia): TDS 5,000 (!), extremely salty and metallic, considered a “healing water” in Europe. “It’s like an aspirin.” —Martin [56:39], [57:27]
  • Historical German Heilwasser: Bottled mineral water with a medication label; recognized as functional medicine by doctors in Germany. [58:44]

6. Water, Culture, and Society

• European spa culture prizes mineral-rich waters for health, not just hydration.
• “Pure” water without minerals isn’t healthy. “When water is 100% pure, don’t drink it.” [27:38]
• Many Americans are “overhydrating”—it’s possible to drink dangerous quantities in a short period. [33:12]
  • “No, you can drink too much water…your sodium gets diluted…your brain can stop functioning.”
• Water should be considered a human right and not be privatized. 2.2 million Americans lack running tap water—a critical infrastructure problem. [43:20]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marketing Gimmicks:
  “The PH story is a marketing story created by water companies when they don’t have a story to tell.” —Martin [02:51]
• On Multi-Level Schemes:
  “The people creating videos online...literally lying to trick you into a multi-level marketing scheme. And I hate it.” [11:43]
• On 'Liquid Death':
  “When people believe this (the satanic rumor), they’re clearly dehydrated...Liquid Death is a very good water!” [13:56]
• On Plastic Water Bottles in Heat:
  “I called them up and said: guys, you cannot put plastic bottles in direct sunlight. It’s so bad for the water inside.” [24:58]
• On Overhydration:
  “Drink a bottle of water and eat an apple...there’s tons of minerals in the food’s water, more than in bottled water.” [34:29]
• On Water as a Human Right:
  “Water is a human right. I even think water is an animal right.” [43:20]

Product & Practical Recommendations

For Workouts:

• High-mineral waters like Geral Steiner, Crazy Waters, Vichy Catalan, or in a pinch, tap water with added real salt. [60:51]

For Wine Pairings:

• Room temperature, low-mineral still waters (e.g., Saratoga).
• For sweet or rich foods, experiment with high mineral, sparkling water. [38:52], [39:04]

Water Filters:

• Invest in a high-quality filtration system (e.g., Delta Faucet RO); maintain all filters regularly.

At the Store:

• Look for brands transparent about their total dissolved solids (TDS) and mineral composition.
• Use Martin’s upcoming app (“Sourced”) for instant info via barcode scan. [46:30]

How to Try Water Tasting At Home

1. Buy 4–5 different bottled water brands (ideally with various TDS/mineral profiles).
2. Bring to room temperature: cold dulls flavor.
3. Taste side by side to experience texture and aftertaste differences.
4. Make it a fun experiment—“Nobody is allergic to water!” [51:25]

Final Remedy for a Healthier Culture

“Believe in yourself. That’s the most important thing...You are an individual on this planet. There’s just one of you. Be proud that you’re on this planet and give love to others who maybe sometimes need a little bit more love and understanding.” —Martin [61:51]

Where to Follow Martin Riese

• TikTok: martinrieseofficial
• Instagram & others: martinriese

For fans of health, culinary adventure, or anyone curious about water, this episode dissolves the boundaries between everyday necessity and refined enjoyment. It also leaves you wanting to check that label—and to find out what water might best go with dinner tonight.