Sensory Evaluation of Food: Principles and Practices by Harry Lawless & Hildegarde Heymann

This book is about more than sparkling water but it gives a rigorous way to taste it without guesswork. It emphasizes controlled conditions so factors like temperature, glassware, and order do not skew perception. The taster is trained to notice and describe specific attributes rather than react loosely. Applied to sparkling water, that means attending to appearance, aroma, carbonation character, basic tastes, mouthfeel, and finish, then judging intensity with consistency. Carbonation is broken down into bubble size, persistence, and how it shapes texture and flavor on the palate. The approach also leans on blind tasting and repeatable vocabulary so different waters can be compared with discipline. It effectively turns tasting into a method you can refine and trust rather than a subjective impression.