Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[AndrewT]

The water bottles given out by the cocktail waitresses at the Venetian proudly state that they are carbon neutral.

That would be the bottles of water from Fiji - 5700 miles away.

[redarmi]

Actually Fiji water is carbon negative in that they offset 120% of their carbon footprint and not just with regard to the carbon footprint of the logistical element of transporting their product but also the manufacturing of it too.  To date they have planted 250 acres of new trees in Fiji with the intention to grow that to 2000 acres.  I think they are pretty good example of corporate responsibility personally.

[mondatoo]

It does taste nicer than tap water 

[Laxie]

It does taste nicer than tap water 

I know think you're only messing but...that tilts me big style when people claim taste is an issue!  Unless yours is supplied by a countryside well and the mineral content is just too much for ya, it's a load of rubbish.  I drink water all day every day.  Pints of the stuff and ALWAYS from the tap.  Yes water varies slightly in taste from tap to tap but there is no real difference to validate the expense of buying in the bottled kind just for the taste factor. 

I've heard the health factor excuse too, but those people shut up once it was proven that bottled water is just as likely to have some 'not so nice' stuff in it. 

[rex008]

Tests have shown that perception of taste is mostly influenced by temperature. Give someone tap water at 4C (fridge) and bottled at 20C (room), and majority will say the tap water tastes better.

I'd cite a source, but I couldn't be bothered searching.

[Jon MW]

It does taste nicer than tap water  

I know think you're only messing but...that tilts me big style when people claim taste is an issue!  Unless yours is supplied by a countryside well and the mineral content is just too much for ya, it's a load of rubbish.  I drink water all day every day.  Pints of the stuff and ALWAYS from the tap.  Yes water varies slightly in taste from tap to tap but there is no real difference to validate the expense of buying in the bottled kind just for the taste factor.  

...

It tastes different (rather than better) to tap water - it's people's own individual preferences to decide which is nicer.

And tap water from one area tastes different to tap water from another area - and one bottled water tastes different to another bottled water.

Blended tea (like PG Tips and Tetleys) tastes slightly different from each other but people pay plenty of money for brand names rather than generic own labels - it's quite like you're suggesting that the taste of a drink matters if it's something like tea or coffee or almost every other drink, but the flavour of what you're drinking doesn't matter if it's water?

[Jon MW]

Tests have shown that perception of taste is mostly influenced by temperature. Give someone tap water at 4C (fridge) and bottled at 20C (room), and majority will say the tap water tastes better.

I'd cite a source, but I couldn't be bothered searching.

They sound like quite shonky tests. If I was doing one I'd have 10 types of bottled water and 10 types of tap water, each one I'd have one at room temperature and one fridge temperature and I'd get 1000 people to taste test these 40 samples.

In the absence of that I'd make do with science rather than surveys - http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-53058.html

Basically cold temperatures suppress your sensitivity to flavours - so refrigerating tap water suppresses the mineral and trace deposits which make it taste different.

[Ironside]

I can't drink tap water taste is vile, on 3 occasions bars have given me tap water instead of bottled each time it was easy to taste the difference

[gatso]

where are you gonna get 1000 people from to do your tests jon? even family fortunes can only get 100 and you get to meet les dennis

[kinboshi]

Sparkling water tastes different to tap water.

[kinboshi]

The water bottles given out by the cocktail waitresses at the Venetian proudly state that they are carbon neutral.

That would be the bottles of water from Fiji - 5700 miles away.

Fiji water in the Aria tastes much better than in the Venetian.

[Moskvich]

From a sample size of one, I'm pretty sure that London tap water tastes terrible but in lots of other places it's fine.

[mondatoo]

It does taste nicer than tap water 

I know think you're only messing but...that tilts me big style when people claim taste is an issue!  Unless yours is supplied by a countryside well and the mineral content is just too much for ya, it's a load of rubbish.  I drink water all day every day.  Pints of the stuff and ALWAYS from the tap.  Yes water varies slightly in taste from tap to tap but there is no real difference to validate the expense of buying in the bottled kind just for the taste factor. 

I've heard the health factor excuse too, but those people shut up once it was proven that bottled water is just as likely to have some 'not so nice' stuff in it. 

I do think bottled water is nicer but it is insane how big an industry it is for what the benefit of it is.Are you not a fan of them water filtering machines either ? I prefer them to tap water also.FWIW I drink a ton of tap water everyday and hardly ever have bottled water.

[Laxie]

It does taste nicer than tap water 

I know think you're only messing but...that tilts me big style when people claim taste is an issue!  Unless yours is supplied by a countryside well and the mineral content is just too much for ya, it's a load of rubbish.  I drink water all day every day.  Pints of the stuff and ALWAYS from the tap.  Yes water varies slightly in taste from tap to tap but there is no real difference to validate the expense of buying in the bottled kind just for the taste factor. 

I've heard the health factor excuse too, but those people shut up once it was proven that bottled water is just as likely to have some 'not so nice' stuff in it. 

I do think bottled water is nicer but it is insane how big an industry it is for what the benefit of it is.Are you not a fan of them water filtering machines either ? I prefer them to tap water also.FWIW I drink a ton of tap water everyday and hardly ever have bottled water.

For us to get a filter machine it would mean a huge contraption right outside the front door as that's where the mains enters the house from.  Not an option.  I can't be bothered with those filtered pitcher style things as I drink too much water and would be forever re-filling it. 

I guess it's just a case of 'not bothered' all around really.  Keeping in mind I grew up on a farm with 'well water' that had the taste and smell of rotten eggs so any thing's an improvement.

[Claw75]

From a sample size of one, I'm pretty sure that London tap water tastes terrible but in lots of other places it's fine.

depends where you are in London.  When I lived sarf of the river the tap water was fine.  Up here in leafy middlesex there's a definite hint of chlorine taste in the water and it's dead hard too (scale appearing on a new kettle within a day or two).  I filter all my water before drinking and it tastes a lot better for it - cheaper than bottles in the long run too.