Down to Earth explored several spots across the planet as Zac Efron and Darin Olien traveled around the world trying to find sustainable, eco-friendly ways to live.
On their trip, they introduced the world to water sommelier Martin Riese.
Here is everything you need to know about Martin Riese.
Who is water sommelier Martin Riese?
Martin Riese started his career in Germany, which is where he was born. He is a Water Sommelier at Petit Ermitage Hotel in West Hollywood, an acclaimed author, a Water Tasting Educator, and the self-proclaimed “world’s foremost expert on water.”
Reise himself said that he won’t drink U.S. tap water and just uses it to brush his teeth.
Riese received his certification from the German Mineral Water Trade Association. Since then, he has appeared on television and radio programs throughout Europe, South America, and Asia.
He also wrote a book in 2009 called Die Welt des Wasser (The World of Water), which is the foremost book in Europe about water.
In 2013, Riese unveiled his signature water program at Ray’s & Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He launched the Water 101 Class, where he teaches students about the unique qualities and characteristics of mineral water.
In 2018, Riese launched the Fine Water ACADEMY, an online-based school for training future Water Sommeliers around the world.
What does Martin Riese do?
A Water Sommelier is a person who helps improve people’s appreciation and enjoyment of water from aspects of nutrition, application, and environment.
To become a water sommelier, a person has to take 80 training unites over nine days. They then have to prove their knowledge of the topics through four written and practical exams. This is only offered to people twice a year, once in German and once in English.
Next to a theoretical knowledge transfer about the widely varying water types and their characteristics, the course is enriched with many sensory training sessions, group tasks, and field trips.
Martin Reise is the only Water Sommelier in America.
Reise also supports plastic-free ways to travel with safe drinking water, and he is an important voice in the face of the $280 billion bottled-water industry.
For fans who want to learn from the expert, Martin Riese also has a podcast called Planet Water.
On the podcast, he and co-host Chance Sanchez travel to discover bottled water from around the world, which is very similar to what fans watched Zac Efron do in Down to Earth.
Down to Earth with Zac Efron is currently streaming on Netflix.