Tag Archives: fine waters

The Road to Stockholm – the bridge between water and tea

As I am gearing up to make my way to Stockholm, Sweden to attend the Fine Water Summit, I am putting my finishing touches onto my presentation. I will be highlighting opportunities between the tea industry and the fine water industry and hopefully open avenues and amplify the message for both industries.

What I admire the most about both industries is the passion people have for their product. I have now met many people around the world who have the great ability to tell a story about wonderful high-quality loose-leaf teas and fine waters. Both communities are filled with an extraordinary drive to show the public a side that will add value to their day to day lives. Both the water and the tea communities are filled with giving people who will go out of their way to connect you to their product.

Myanmar

Myanmar has a diversified tea culture. Tea is everywhere. During meals in tea shops, in tea breaks during the day, it is present in many shapes and forms. Often you find simple Chinese green tea, but often Myanmar people will enjoy their tea with milk and sugar. Everybody has their own preference: stronger, sweeter, lighter, not so sweet. It is in the moment a culture of purified water, something I am gearing up to speak further about. Slowly I am seeing that people are mindful of their choices and try to incorporate one of the few brands of spring water which are available.

In a country with a lot of people having little or no income, it’s no easy task to use spring water, but the trend is positive. People are starting to see the need for proper hydration and the need for minerals in their daily fluid intake. I see the start of people becoming aware of the advantages of certain brands and most importantly, the differences in taste. It is my goal to shine a more prominent spotlight onto water and tea and pull them out from the back of the menu to become more front and center in a dining experience.

Tea plantation on the hill near Pindaya, Myanmar

If you are a manager at a workshop, a restaurant chef in a fine restaurant, a teacher in a busy school or a student in a university, water and tea play an important role your life. Many people appreciate these beverages and select their favorite brands or type as they bring them joy and happiness into their often demanding and busy lives. Some people however take these liquids for granted. They accept an average taste as the norm, without knowing what taste, flavor and aroma water and tea are capable of. They are happy to down a glass of tap water to quench their thirst quickly. They dunk a cheap tea bag into a cup of lukewarm water and are happy with the tea-like taste in their cup.

The journey

That is the journey that fascinates me. To connect amazing products to amazing people, who deserve better then just a cheap tea bag or tap water. We all work hard and look for the best possible life, a life full of happiness, joy and fulfillment. Affordable luxury can be had simply by upgrading the tea quality to a loose-leaf tea or by selecting a nice spring or mineral water. We just need to reach out and invest a little to gain big. If relatively simple products such as tea or water can make a difference, how can we achieve this?

Over the past months I have faced the challenging task to bring that message to the public, one person at a time. I found it a victory of the day, when I convinced a shopper in a supermarket in Myanmar to try a spring water rather then the purified water. During my stay I enjoyed in-depth talks with restaurant owners to find avenues for them to fine waters as profit centers for their restaurants and to add another layer to their story. I treasure the talks with water brand owners who want to seek further reach of their product in the global market. I sense, that we are on the way of opening up the fine water industry to a larger segment of the public.

Sommelier

As a sommelier, I aim to add value by exploring interesting ways of connecting tea and water. I explore the different taste structures and present my readers with a small token of information which might get people thinking. Many people do not think about paying attention to their tea water. They are not aware of the possibilities to amplify the taste experience of their beverage.

Many people think, that ‘water just tastes like water’. It is my mission and objective to find the different layers and provide you with a sense of exploration and become more mindful when we taste. How do I describe the taste of water? What difference does that make? What are the products which can change by using different waters in tea? How important are water and tea for my wellness and health?

These are questions I plan to tackle in Stockholm in a few days. I am looking forward to immersing myself in discussions with the champions of the fine water industry and find inspiration in their work and presentations. And I hope I can add a little bit of value to what I am sure will be a fantastic event.

I will certainly bring you a recap of the fine water summit on my blog in the coming days.

Watch this space and stay thirsty!

Water is a Human Right

Whoever you are, wherever you are, water is your human right

As we marked World Water Day last week I would like to highlight the importance of access to clean water around the world.

This year’s theme of World Water Day has been “Leave no one behind – clean access for everybody by 2030”.

The heartbreaking reality

Here are some of the realities we are facing in today’s world:

2.1 billion people live without safe water at home.
One in four primary schools have no drinking water service, with pupils using unprotected sources or going thirsty.
More than 700 children under five years of age die every day from diarrhea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.
Globally, 80% of the people who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas.
Over 800 women die every day from complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
Around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams.
Around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year.
700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.

Water in Myanmar

As a United Nations staff member in Myanmar I can see the challenges of access to clean water every day. Since I moved here, I have been faced with the reality of having to use water from bottles and filters as the tap water cannot be used, not even for brushing teeth. While I am in the fortunate position of being able to buy clean water for my family, many people in Myanmar do not have that ability due to their limited income.

Inle Lake

I was glad to see that Myanmar has been chosen as a backdrop in the official World Water Day poster. Inle Lake is located in Shan State in the north of the country, a complex area with a long history and inspiring sights. The fisherman you see in the poster has a unique way of peddling on the lake, wrapping his leg around the pole to steer the boat. They also use the traps you see to hunt for fish. To me Inle lake as been an inspiring region were tradition and innovation is coming together. You can see amazing projects where renewable and sustainable energy meets traditional Myanmar and Shan state culture.

It is also a reminder of how precious these water reservoirs are. They provide livelihood to thousands of people.

Water is essential

Since we all need water to survive, people are forced to drink the tap water, resulting in many people becoming sick and even dying from water born diseases. People in the developed world do not think much about water as it is readily available around us. Once something becomes scares it will rise as a priority and gain our attention. We do not see water as a critical element for survival. In most developed cities, water is available as tap water or can be drank from clean fountains as I have experienced in Rome, Italy.

Living in Myanmar made me realize how important clean water is for our survival and wellness. Since water is clear and odorless there is a lot of trust we need to exercise when drinking water that it will be good for us and safe to drink.

We often rely on known water brands to be certain that the water will be safe and clean for us to drink.

The fine water industry

The fine water industry takes this important step forward. Not only do premium brands provide clean and safe water to drink, they also ensure that minerals are available in their waters which will promote wellness in our lives. You will find a description of the mineral content on the water bottle label. The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) will give you s sense on the overall mineral level in that particular water.

We are constantly in search of improving ourselves and performing at our highest level and with water we have an easy-to-implement product right in front of our noses.

Take a moment to think about the state of our planet when it comes to water and consider what action you can take to improve the current state.

Stay Thirsty!

Energize Yourself to Make Your Day More Productive

Over the past year I spent a lot of time implementing habit loops, to make my days more productive and ensure I can get the best results out of my time. I love the concept of ‘Return on Energy’, asking myself the question: with a minute (or an hour or day) spent, what did I got out of it? How has this energy spent on this minute helped my life? Has it been able to grow me as a person? Of course there will be minutes you perceive as ‘boring’ or ‘normal’ but it will be about your perspective on how you value your time and what you decide to do with it.

In this blog post I will give you powerful tips to implement small hacks to create positive habit loops that will help to advance your life. I sorted them by time of day, so you can decide what best fits into your daily routine. Hydration is tricky. We normally drink water when we get thirsty. When your brain receives the ‘thirsty’ signal it is normally too late, your organs have already started to struggle to function optimally. The key in hydration is to drink water throughout the day to keep the engine and your systems running smoothly. Most people underestimate this. If you hydrate constantly, good for you and you are ahead of the game.

Your body is made from 70% water. Give it the attention it needs.

Wake up

Our normal instinct is to get up and kick start the brain with caffeine, either a coffee or a tea. What our body needs most first thing in the morning is a glass of water to replenish the liquid lost during the night. With every breath we are exhaling tiny droplets of water. By the end of a good night’s sleep, you will have exhaled a cup of water! That first glass in the morning will jump start your organs and will prepare the metabolism to be ready for breakfast.

Add a few drops of lemon juice which will give you a good initial boost of Vitamin C in the morning. If you have water with a high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) available, go for it. Minerals will help your body to get started. If you only have tap water within reach, add a little salt to it to help your body with minerals. The key will be to develop a daily routine to help your body to become stronger and healthier.

Breakfast

Make it a habit to have a glass of water with your tea (or coffee) for breakfast. While cups of coffee and tea will help with your daily liquid intake, it is the caffeine which will dehydrate you. A nice glass of water with breakfast will help you to hydrate better and assist your body with digesting the food. You can brighten your day by adding a nice brand of fine water from an interesting part of the world. When you eat with your family this could be a good conversation starter and a way to learn something new.

Morning

Hydration does not stop after breakfast. As you jump into your busy day, water can become your companion. I always carry a water bottle with me and sip once in a while and it gives me a good feeling. I feel that despite the challenges I am facing that day, I continue to invest into my body and support my wellness. In addition, I love to have a cup of tea by my side and I always take a moment to appreciate the taste of the tea I have picked for myself that moment.

We are working together with people, we are working towards larger projects, but it is important not to forget about investing in yourself constantly. The better you become, the more productive you will be. Always remember the safety instruction on an airplane. First put the oxygen mask onto yourself and then you can help your loved ones and those you travel with.

Lunch

Make every day special. The more you can mix things up and create variety the better and happier you will be. We all face challenges and we all are surrounded by things we cannot control, but focus on the things you can control. When you have lunch, be curious and select a new brand of water you have not tried yet. Focus on the taste. How does it compare to the water you normally drink? It will add a new little taste experience and it will enhance your day.

Afternoon

My energy normally drops in the afternoon. That’s where I get my secret weapon out – a strong black tea. I have been trying this habit for a few weeks now and it works like magic. The strong tea will bring back my needed energy more gradually and it will help me to focus and accomplish my remaining tasks for the day.

Evening

Dinner will be an opportunity to relax and unwind from a busy day. Adding a nice fine water rather then the dull glass from the tap will add a little pleasure, a little piece of luxury, to celebrate your accomplishments of the day. Try a nice sparkling water, which will also have the benefit to replenish your minerals, aid with your digestion and will get you ready for the night.

Night

Have a water near your bedside. This way if you get thirsty in the middle of the night , you can replenish your fluids quickly. Pick a water with a medium to high TDS to add a bit of minerals and help your body in the middle of the night. As you fall asleep and recover from a busy day, remember that water and tea have been there to boost your day a little bit and make it more pleasurable.

I hope these little reflections and hacks got you thinking about how you can improve your day. We certainly do not focus on water or tea the whole day and surely I am thinking about this way more then you need, but I am here to help.

Feel free to reach out to me if you need ideas for specific brands and where to get them. That’s what we sommeliers are for, to give you ideas which match your taste. With hundreds and hundreds of amazing brands, it’s no easy task, but somebody’s got to do it.

Stay thirsty!

5 quick changes before Valentines Day that will make your life better

The internet is full of articles about making your life stronger and better. Companies will try to sell you stuff which you don’t need or will promise you a short cut to an easier life. We are disappointed when they do not live up to their promise and sink further into despair.

The following five tips are from my own life, they are proven and have done amazing things for me. And most importantly they will not cost you a fortune, some of them are even free, and will improve your live in significant and long lasting ways. We are looking for big changes but sometimes the best improvements are right under our nose.

Hydration

The game changer. One of the areas that will have the biggest impact on your life. Chances are that you drink water once you are thirsty or you have a beverage with your meal. You don’t think about water on a constant basis, even though you consist of 70% water. We focus on so many things in our life but we ignore the most important aspect of our body because we believe it is working and does not need much attention. Many meetings and places I go to, I am the only one carrying around a water bottle with me. If you are one of the few people who bring (hopefully reusable) water bottle, you are ahead of the game. Just by sipping water through the day you support your body and your brain in many functions, you provide the oil for your engine. Try the 8 x 8 rule, 8 glasses of 8z per day, easy to remember. After a few weeks of sipping water on a constant basis, you will not even notice it anymore, sip on autopilot and your body will be up and running.

While many people reach for the faucet in the morning, you can kick start your day in a much better way. Drink a glass of fine mineral water first thing in the morning and you tell your day that you mean business. Your body will receive a jump start portion of minerals to fire up all vitals. Your organs and metabolism will thank you. You can even add a spritz of lemon to the water for an extra boost of vitamin C.

Fine Water at Dinner

The conversationalist. With most people using water from the tab, using water for dinner becomes uninspiring, dull and boring. By having an interesting, exotic and unique mineral water at your dinner table will enhance your experience, you can add something special to your evening at small cost. We will have the opportunity to talk about where the water comes from with our family, dream about an exotic location at a rain forest or mountain area. We will experience a unique taste from a different part of the world. Life is all about special moments and creating unique experiences, even during a normal, routine work day. The more you can enhance your normal day and make it special, the more value the day will have to you and your mood will increase. Life for me is to create a growing mosaic of meaningful moments.

With valentines day around the corner, you can make your dinner special by ordering a wonderful bottle of fine still or sparkling water along side your food. Impress your date with stories about where the water came from, the romantic environment of a rain forest or mountain stream. Water is life and it is good sometimes to dream.

Fine Water Tea

The enhancer. Most people make their tea with tab water. You work hard, you invest everything you got into your life,you purchased an amazing high quality loose leaf tea, you deserve the best cup of tea possible. Using the right water for making your tea will bring out the best flavor and your taste buds will thank you for that. Tea water is a vessel to bring our the best in tea as the tea master has intended. Use high quality spring water for tea water. I know it will be a bit more pricey then running it from the filter or tab, but you deserve a good cup of tea and not just an average one. Look at the label. Select a water with a super low TDS level (below 50 if possible) and a ph level of 7. Any other water will not give you the best possible experience. A water with a high mineral level will interfere with the minerals in the tea itself and the ideal taste will be off.

Life is too short to drink a bad tea.

Tea of the day

Diversity. We are living in times where diversity and cultural connections are more important than ever and that’s good. Diversity will make us stronger and we can only learn more from each other. The most interesting thing about tea is the thousands of different types and blends and mixes which are available around the planet. We could drink a different tea for the rest of our lives and just have experienced a fraction of what is available. And new types are coming onto the market every day. Sommeliers are here to identify the best solution for you. You like a certain taste. You might like it more fruity, more sweet, more milky or like me ultra pure. Make it a habit to include a new tea every day, learn about different tastes, research the tea, ask sommeliers more about a certain tea type. I am here to help you to make the best out of your day and make your day special.

Fine Water and Friends

The socializer. Water and tea are great platforms to share new experiences with friends and family. Next time you go to a restaurant, see what waters or teas are on the menu. Ask the waiter what they have. You can share this new experience with your friends and you can impress your family with your knowledge about a certain water or tea. Like any knowledge there is so much around us which we have not experienced yet, which is just waiting for to be explored.

You can gift that knowledge. You can gift a special someone in your life with a water 101 course at the fine water academy to learn more about water.

I hope these tips have send a spark of inspiration your way and make you think about trying one of these tips out for yourself. They are small ideas and changes but can have a big impact on your life.

Stay thirsty.

How to smash your day with water and tea at your side.

We all want to get the most out of our day. You want to be full of energy, conquer your goals and be successful. We are constantly on a quest to find the best inspirational solutions to get us trough the day. Sometimes the best solutions are where we least expect them – right in front of our nose.

To master the challenges of the day we need loads of energy, inspiration, good mood and grit to stand our grounds in the complex world we are living in.

Millions of dollars are spent each month on bigger and better things to make us grow. Sometimes it is simply what we call affordable luxury, a small token with high purpose which will have the biggest impact on our life.

We normally treat water to quench our thirst, many do not see water as an indulgence to make our day. This is when fine water comes into the picture.

Start the day

To start the day with a fine water which suites our taste, may it be with bubbles or without, will set our mood into the right direction. Knowing more about where the water came from, picturing the clear mountain stream or the snow capped mountain will enhance our spirit. We can choose a water from a tropical paradise or from a stream nearby, the possibilities are endless. The important element is that we bring meaning into our present moment, rather then just opening up the faucet and get some tab water.

In the past years I made it a joyful practice every morning to pick out one tea a day and drink at the office, re-steeping a high quality loose leaf tea which keeps on giving. This year I am going one step further. I am selecting several teas and matching them to my energy and mood level throughout the day. I found one more habit loop which can make me more productive and brings more joy to my day.

Having tea and fine water in my life is something I am always grateful for and which I am trying to appreciate on a daily basis.

Fine Water

Fine Water gives me the ability to fine tune my hydration needs and to make sure that I take in the right level of minerals needed for my daily growth. My zero-calorie drink habit forces me to search for the most desirable taste and flavor paired with the satisfaction that I am fully in charge of my calorie intake.

Select a Tea to fit your mood

My tea selection in the first half of the day is normally more mellow – white and green teas are the order of the day. I still enjoy the ritual in the morning to fill up empty cotton tea bags with my favorite high quality loose leaf tea. It brings me so much joy to check in with my mood for that day and select the perfect match. Some days I select a Japanese Sencha or a Dragonwell tea from China. Other days I will go for a Anji Ba cha or a Yin Zen. For the afternoon normally I pick a strong black tea. I tend to lose some of my energy in the afternoon, so I am in need of a pick-me-up. I normally tend to pick a strong second flush Darjeeling tea or a traditional Earl Grey. It has made a big difference in the dynamics and productivity in the afternoon.

For me the tea and water experience is a complete package. Try to explore the terroir of a fine water and tea, research the source of a water, look at the TDS and mineral levels to better understand what to expect from a certain fine water.

Research the terroir of a tea, where it comes from , what the desired taste should be and how it should be brewed. Select a cup or mug which connects with you. All these elements combined set the foundation for a great beverage experience. When the fine water or tea hits your taste buds, it will build on this knowledge and the experience becomes so much more rich.

These are the simple pleasures, the affordable luxuries which can positively enhance your day. We are living in a complex world surrounded by challenges, but you have the ability to control and positively impact your day with these little habits and procedures. When your focus zooms away from the noise which is around us and we focus on the joyful moments and environments which we have created, our lives will improve and our mood will change for the better.

Stay Thirsty!

How to Find Tea and Water Inspiration In Stunning Japan

With the holidays now behind us (☹ ) , it is time for me to reflect on the past few days and weeks. For me travel is always a journey of inspiration. Our Christmas trip this year brought us to Japan, a country that has such a deep tea culture. I had also been in Japan in 1993 and was looking forward to showing my family around.

The holiday period also gave me time to look forward to the new year and to think about where to take my sommelier experience. My goal in the tea and water world is to continue to inspire as many people as possible and to raise awareness and excitement for high quality tea and fine water. I want to continue working with the Myanmar hospitality industry to make an impact on raising awareness of fine water and learn more about high quality tea. I am in need of practical tea making experience and hope that 2019 will be the year I can work on a tea plantation. We have only reached the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the best water and tea experience.

My tea and water blog

From now on I will blend both industries into this one blog. My experience in the tea world can benefit the fine water industry. And my amazing experience learning about fine water will help to inspire the tea industry to use better quality water when brewing tea. I aim to further develop my skills to become a bridge ambassador between the water and tea industries and bring value to both. I do not want to have ‘just another tea and water blog’ but want to ‘oooh’ and ‘ahh’ you with my entries. Sometimes thinking about one industry helps me to understand the other one better. They are certainly not in isolation, but are linked to other areas and categories in the hospitality industry.

Tea in Japan is everywhere. It is firmly embedded in traditions, in the culture and for sure in any restaurant you will eat at. Japan produces and consumes 90% green tea. I was excited to find Japanese black tea at a shop on the bottom of Mt. Fuji together with amazing green teas.

It was great to experience the combination of tea as a drink and as a food. Two of my favorite things: freshly brewed Japanese green tea and green tea ice cream.

The first tea experience when we arrived in Tokyo was at the Hama Rikyu Gardens. We found ancient tea houses, some of them have been rebuilt with amazing materials and a passion for original details. A tea house in the gardens offered matcha tea with sweets. I had to think back to my first visit to Japan in 1993 and how we were privileged to experience a traditional tea ceremony. My wonderful tea educator, Donna Fellmann has studied the tea ceremony for decades. It is a world of tea rituals and procedures which work together to create the best experience for its guests.

For the kids there was a different kind of fun – tea cups in Disneyland!

I just love how readily tea is available in Japan. Everywhere there are vending machines dispensing ready to drink tea. I loved this matcha as a morning drink!

In the evening I would order Oolong tea in a restaurant, served in a wonderful tea pot and tiny tea cups. In the western world it is not common yet to drink tea together with a meal, it is rather a dessert option. I found it wonderful to pair my teas with the respective dish. An Oolong with a roasted and complex flavor pairs well with a meaty and hearty dish.

While being inspired by the peace and tranquility of Japan, I was able to reflect on the fine water category as well. The hotel we stayed in had a water dispenser machine. It got me thinking that the relationship of people with water is impacted by such machine. We see wine as precious coming out of a fancy bottle. However we are used to water coming from a tap or a dispensing machine.

How do we change this relationship? How to we make people feel more interested in fine water and the benefits it comes with? These are questions I will ponder more in 2019.

I will leave you with my wish that you spend 2019 a bit more mindful about water and tea and get inspired to try the best of the best for a little piece of affordable luxury.

Stay Thirsty!

How to create your happy life in 2019 guaranteed – Turning wine into water

As we approach the end of the year, we start reflecting on what went well and what did not. We will search deep for our desires and sometimes will feel regret on what we didn’t have time to do. What if I can show you a way that your desires will come true in 2019 without promising you a magic pill? What if there are achievable ways to make time for your dreams and growing as a person? What if I told you that there is a way to become happy by making small changes? And it is all in front of you in and it is as simple as water.

This year has been amazing in so many ways. Working with Michael Masha and Martin Riese to become a Water Sommelier has been a life changing experience. Becoming the first graduate of the Fine Water Academy has just been the icing on the cake.

What this year has done has changed my relationship with liquids, in particular with alcohol and my transition to my zero-calorie drink intake.

Yes, you read that correctly. I do not consume any calories when taking drinks. Period. What sounds like a dull and boring experience has become an elevation of my life perspective and a substantial improvement of my health to levels I would have never imagined to be possible. It is an entirely different world.

I only consume three type of drinks: Water, Tea and Coffee. All of them in their natural and purest form do not contain any calories. That requires skipping sugar or milk or anything else. The trick is how to make it interesting, have fun in life and experience joy and flavor with this horrible sounding drink mix.

Let’s start with the benefits.

Go back 15 months ago and you would find me in the evening on the couch in a sad mood having consumed glasses of wine to dull the sadness. I was exhausted, depressed due to heart problems, and morbidly obese. I did not have any energy and was not looking forward to what was coming. My marriage and my relationship to my kids where hanging by a thin thread, spiraling downwards. My doctors did not make my life outlook too promising unless I decided to change something radically.

Then came October 2017. Something made ‘click’ and the pieces were slowly falling into place. I joined a group called ‘One Year NoBeer (OYNB)’ to find that straw of hope to cling on to. Once you sign up, you receive a short daily video on Day 1 , Day 2 and so on. Each video would focus on what can be done to change your life, one single step at a time. I started to take small steps, and made small changes. Eventually the small changes started to lead to big changes. The OYNB community would lift me up, put energy under my wings to make me fly higher and be myself. One day became 28 , 28 days became 90 days and 90 days became 365 days. One year without a single drop of alcohol!

What sounded like a horrific, sad and uncomfortable journey has become the best journey of my life. Back to the present. I lost 75 pounds, maintained my target weight for the past 5 months (BMI 22.5), have perfect blood pressure (114/71) and I am starting to see the shape of a six pack (not in the form of cans but on my stomach). I experience levels of energy I haven’t seen in 15 years and my family could not be more happy with me.

Having control over your calorie intake for drinks gives you better control over your nutrition management and ultimately over your wellness for the day. Instead of a constant roller coaster ride of cravings and energy lows and highs, it is a more stable and joyful experience. One that lets you focus on growth and a balanced approach towards health and happiness.

That single step in October 2017 created a journey which continues to elevate me to new heights.

How to do it?

Being a water and tea sommelier has helped a lot. Through the fine water academy I learned to experience and appreciate water on a different level. I learned to see water as an affordable luxury. I started to learn about the origins and the taste profiles of water and how water can become not just a hydration tool but also an enjoyable part of my dining experience. During my journey I learned that balance is essential to move forward and grow as a person. Complement this with the varieties of tea and coffee and I have all that I need to enjoy my life, while maintaining my health.

When we grow up we are culturally programmed. We are told at a young age that in order to have fun we need to drink alcohol and that it is cool to drink with your friends. Advertising for alcohol is all around us and many studies are trying to convince us that alcohol in moderation is good for our health. What the ads do not tell us is what alcohol is doing to our body, not only the drink, but the sugar and the calories. The ads do not tell us what alcohol does to our energy levels and to our development.

“Having alcohol is borrowing happiness from tomorrow”

We all want to be happy. Our whole life purpose is to stay happy or to become happier. We are told that alcohol is the solution, that once we drink we will be happy. Yet sometimes we do not understand the difference between happiness and pleasure. Pleasure can be good or bad and it might not lead to the road to happiness. A short term pleasure kick might set us on the path to illness. A lot of addictions prove that. Our body likes the feeling once we drink alcohol but regret sets in the next morning when we have a hangover. Somehow we forget and the cycle starts over again, looking for that happiness.

Shortcuts

The marketing world around us is so helpful. They present us with shortcuts so we do not have to put in the hard work to grow or to achieve happiness. They suggest us that short term pleasure (over and over) is good for us and that sustainable and long term happiness is a fiction. Here is a pill to make you happy. Here is a pill for weight loss. Have a beer to make you feel better and to get comfortable. Take this drink to achieve great things. Have this comfort food to make you feel better.

Wrong.

Short cuts (the way marketing suggests) almost never lead to happiness. They give us instant gratification but they will be soon over and the problems will be still there, in some cases even worse.

Over the past year I have learned to become happy by drinking water. I enjoy the different tastes and stories behind the waters. I am on a path to show people that drinking mineral water can be cool and can improve your taste experience and your wellness. This is my mission as a water sommelier and I am joined by a few converted who hopefully can join together to reach the broader masses. With my OYNB friends we feel like the unplugged from the movie ‘The Matrix’, seeing real life as it really is. A big part of becoming a better human is to help others and as a water sommelier I am planning to do just that.

Having a life that makes me a happy, while at the same time makes me grow, keeps me healthy and elevates my ability to function as a better human being. It is priceless. I am trying to reach out to you, to help you to see that once you give up a little bit (like booze) you can gain something bigger (a happy and fulfilled life).

I hope you can join me on that quest. Feel free to reach out to me for further details. For my fellow OYNB friends, I have written 10 blogs on the OYNB facebook page on my main success factors to stay sober and have fun for 365 days.

Stay thirsty!

Water Sommelier : The journey to a hydrated world

I have been a water sommelier for 4 weeks now and it is time to share by initial reflections with you. My emotions have been stirred up this way (in a good sense) in seeing opportunities and challenges on the road ahead.

This new path has been a wonderful journey so far.

It is largely a path where you do not see a lot of foot prints but that will change in the future. You can for sure see the clear footprints of Martin Riese and Michael Masha on this path and they lead us to a brighter and more elegant experience for water.

You are what?

When I tell people that I am a water sommelier, I get two very different reactions. One is from my friends and colleagues, which is normally a blank stare and confusion of what to do with this piece of information. 65 percent of our body is made of water, yet we are not comfortable to deal or discuss the most essential liquid on this planet. Most people accept the fact that it is around them and as long it serves the purpose of saving our lifes on a daily basis the world is ok. It is when it is not present, the attention turns towards water and the priorities shift. I see this on a daily basis in Myanmar how difficult the struggle for clean and drinkable water is and how much harm polluted water can do to a person.

The better ones will start seeing me as a novelty act, some sort of circus attraction and wait for me to perform magic tricks. Once I explain more what a water sommelier is, the interest sparks and their eyes brighten and the understanding kicks in. This is the hardest part of being a sommelier: use the moment of confusion to turn it quickly into interest and fascination about this important subject.

The other reaction is from people in the restaurant and water business and it reassures me that not all is lost and that we are heading towards a bright water experience. Here is a story which describes this the best.

The spark

I recently was invited to a business breakfast on behalf of my organization (WFP) to network with people. Just by coincidence a famous owner of a restaurant chain was sitting next to me, someone I highly admire for his innovation in Myanmar and the hope his creative food brings to the country. I introduced myself and we exchanged pleasantries about our line of work and why we are here. He had just recently given an inspiration talk at TEDxYangon, which was the highlight of this event. I showed my respect about his work and the talk and after a few minutes we went on to the next person in this networking event.

At the end of the event I took all my courage (I am a bit of an introvert) and joked on the way out about his main restaurant in Yangon being my life line for Aqua Panna and San Pellegrino in the city. When I told him that I am a water sommelier his mood changed and his eyes showed a spark. He introduced me to his brother (an icon by himself – the only certified chocolatier in Myanmar and the creator of the best ice cream in Yangon) and we started talking water. Water became our connector, it had this magic spell in igniting passions in us and brightened the conversation tenfold. That is the essence of being a water sommelier, connecting people and transferring a piece of passion to them about fine water.

When you are passionate about something, life will bring you the most amazing opportunities. Keep an open mind and when you see an opportunity grab it and turn it into something magical.

The road less taken

I am still at the beginning of this journey, but I can see that it will be a road less taken. I can see a future where people pay attention to the quality of their water and enjoy the experience of learning and tasting fine waters around the world. While we are still challenged in hydrating properly to make the best of water for our wellness, water can be so much more. It can complement our restaurant experience and interact with tea and wine and different types of food. The opportunities are endless, we as water sommeliers can open the door for people to experience something wonderful, something that will enrich their life. Water creates an opportunity for affordable luxury, bringing both wellness and a tasting experience to the table.

Where to go from here?

My first couple weeks thought me that small improvements will lead to bigger changes in the future. I will not be discouraged that my passion for water and (tea) is not widely shared (yet) but if I can make people think about high quality water for 5 minutes of their day that will be a huge success. I will continue working with the restaurant industry and water brands here in Myanmar. What initially was a means for assignments for the Fine Water Academy continues to amaze me and there is so much potential for Myanmar and the world. My dream is to bring a fine Myanmar mineral water to the global market for everybody to enjoy and hopefully compete in water competitions around the world.

I will continue to educate my friends and family and organize intimate water tastings in combination with tea and food. I hope to organize a larger event here in Myanmar for more people to enjoy this experience.

I will share my experiences around the world on this blog, keeping my eyes and taste buds open and share with you interesting stories around water and tea from my travels.

Stay thirsty!

My passionate journey to become a dual water and tea sommelier

When I started my studies with the World Tea Academy my teacher, Donna Fellmann, noted in one of her first comments to me: “I wonder what your niche will be…”. That question stuck with me throughout my studies. Once I graduated as a tea sommelier in 2016, I was on cloud nine, sharing my knowledge on my newly created tea blog ManwithaMug and life was good. Over the years, that question however came back, what value do I provide to the tea industry? What makes me unique compared to the hundreds of other tea blogs out there? I don’t just want to review countless teas and write about them, I want to create something new and special. So I went back to the drawing board and look at what my biggest passions during my tea studies have been. I remembered with a smile the segments about tea and water. I poured my heart into that month, as I find it fascinating how good quality (and the bad and ugly) water affects the taste of the final tea.

Fine Water Academy

When Martin Riese and Michael Mascha announced the opening of the Fine Water Academy a light bulb went off. I was following them since years as they stand for high quality and standards in the water industry in an informative, innovative and entertaining way. Learning more about water would mean more value for my contribution as a tea sommelier. I plunged into the journey and signed up to take the water sommelier course. What started has been an eye opening and liberating process to take my understanding of water to the highest level. Not only did I became more aware of my understanding of the capacity of the water industry in Myanmar, it opened up new avenues to explore amazing and talented staff in restaurants and driven owners of water brands who want to make a difference. I started to learn more about the use of social media to present and explore different aspects of the water industry. In the back of my mind has always been how this will help the tea industry. As I blogged about here many times, we spend a lot of time focusing on good quality tea but not on the other 95 percent of which tea is made of.

Fine Water journey

The number of water brands is quite limited in Myanmar and can be counted on one hand. It is still challenging to get clean drinking water and access is still limited. In order to accomplish the challenging assignments for the water sommelier course, I had to bring in suitcases of water from Bangkok! (Ms. Tea declared me officially insane!)

I started engaging with Addy, the owner of Birmanie, the only spring water in Myanmar and his brand has so much potential for the international market. My journey with the fine water academy created something I did not expected in this journey: a sincere appreciation for the complexity and challenges of the water industry. To this day I get blank stares from some people when I tell them that I am a water sommelier. Many of them have not heard of this term. Yet more then 60 percent of our body is water. Water can be an culinary and elevating experience in a restaurant besides just the jug of water we “wash” our food down with.

I did it!

Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined, that I became the first graduate of the Fine Water Academy (Certificate 001!) and I am aware of the responsibility this comes with. I will support Martin and Michael in amplifying the message, that water is not just water and that there is place for fine water as a culinary experience and as an affordable luxury. I want to become a bridge ambassador between the water and tea industry to benefit them both.

I feel I regained new motivation and energy to take this blog (now a water and tea blog) to the next level and inspire and entertain you with my insights into both worlds. Please let me know your feedback what you would like me to focus on and what you would like to learn more about. In the meantime please check out my final project, where I explore the opportunities between water and tea.