As I have become interested in various types of bottled water, I figured I had to give Perrier a try.
It’s been a long time since I have purchased it that I can no longer remember if I liked or disliked it. But what better time than now to give it a try.
Perrier is a French brand of bottled mineral water with its origins taking it to a spring known as Les Bouillens in Vergeze in the Gard departement. The spring was used as a spa since Roman times and it was bought by Dr. Louis Perrier in 1898 and operated a commercial spa and bottled the water for sale.
The spa was purchased by St. John Harmsworth, younger brother of newspaper magnates Lord Northcliffe and Lord Rothermere and he closed the spa and renamed the spring “Source Perrier” and bottled the water in green bottles.
To this day, Perrier is certified by the French government as a natural mineral water.
In 1992, Perrier was bought by rival Nestle (who also owns the rival San Pellegrino which is from Italy).
According to Wikipedia (which I do not know if this story is factual or made up), “The original spring is naturally carbonated and so both the water and the natural carbon dioxide gas are captured independently. In the bottling process, the carbon dioxide gas is added, so that the level of carbonation in bottled Perrier is the same as the water of the Vergeze spring.”
Perrier (which is owned by the Nestle Corporation) is featured in five different flavors: Unflavored, Lemon, Lime, Pamplemousse Rose (Pink Grapefruit) and Citron Lemon-Lime.
And the bottled mineral water is marketed as a healthy alternative to soda.
The first thing you notice is that once you pour it, there are many bubbles due to the carbonation.
I’ve read that Perrier last long after the bottle is opened and it costs less in the USA vs. other countries. But I figured let’s give each a taste.
It’s important to note that water can be an acquired taste for some.
I’ve tasted water all around the world and there is always a difference. While I prefer the bottled water in plastic bottles, the worst water I have tasted so far is from Hanford, California.
And the same can be said with bottled water, it’s an acquired taste and carbonated water is delicious for some, and some…not so much.
With Perrier, I found myself enjoying the grapefruit, then the lime, followed by the lemon. Which is surprising since I dislike grapefruit and I love lemon beverages.
But I must be truthful, when I drink regular bottled water, I can drink it completely and have more. With Perrier, one glass is all I’m good for.
It’s more of a preference and what I’m used to.
But it’s no doubt an acquired taste that I know some people will love and some people would taste a sip and go back to bottled water.
Do you like Perrier or mineral bottled water in general? And if so, what flavor and what do you enjoy about drinking bottled mineral water?
