I used a Berkey for a few years. I stopped using because I wasn't sure if it was doing anything (was the water going through the filters or leaking through the seals?) and remembering to clean the filters was a hassle. I've been using a countertop distiller for over two years and like the experience much better. It has a similar footprint but you need an outlet nearby.
Great issue, Liberty! I'm interested to hear your findings on the water filters. Ever since our town discovered PFAS in the water, I've been looking into solutions. I was told that reverse osmosis is the only effective treatment, but I ended up opting for delivered water that already goes through that process.
Also, regarding Anti-Charisma… Bill Belichick immediately came to mind. He's an absolute football genius that sits at the far end of the U-curve. Most coaches are on the traditionally charismatic side.
Reverse osmosis seems to be the best at removing almost everything. There are good larger gravity filter methods like the Berkey ones that seem to remove A LOT of stuff too.
Before going the full under-the-sink install, I'm looking at a countertop RO model from Costco that seems to be pretty good and also dispenses hot water (perfect for Green Tea!).
I know very little about sports, so I'll have to trust you on Belichick! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I will probably start with a countertop syste, and see how much we like that. From there we may decide to go with under-the-sink system. Whole house seems overkill since municipal water quality is very good here and we pretty much only drink water from one tap anyway.
But I could understand the need for whole-house if I had bad municipal water or a well with bad water.
I like thinking about the Ship of Theseus in the context of software. What starts off with one developer that blooms into a full blown enterprise… is it even the same program?
On the flip side, I read that the Linux kernel code is still 1-2% by Linus Torvalds. I suspect Sathoshi’s contribution is even higher and will remain that way for decades to come
We love our Berkey. Definitely better than the ultra fancy RO we had under the sink. We don't mind its looks. We're pretty casual about that aspect. RO strips out too many of the micronutrients minerals.
Re Quantum Archeology, reminds me of the ancient teachings from India that says roughly that everything is recorded in the Cosmic Energy Field and although this has been highly distorted and even monetize by some of the New Age folks, it's cool when high-tech/sci-fi/mystical ancient wisdom all converge and somewhat confirm each other.
I wondered about the mineral content of Water 2, period. Ultimately I came down to the fact that we're probably not gonna cook with RO water, and there are plenty of minerals and food and the supplements I take, so hopefully it shouldn't make too much of a difference. But if I find out it does, there are remineralizing filters that could be an option.
Agreed on quantum stuff. I hate when it gets turned into woo esoteric BS. It's beautiful enough on its own without the need for any of that.
Not many people know about the phylloxera situation in the 1800s which wiped out vineyards across Europe. It was imported from the US by British botanists in the Victorian era. US vines had evolved to resist it, but European varieties had no immunity. It lead to the import of US grape varieties in Europe which were propagated and are still used today.
In my book I explore how this situation gave rise to the birth of the very expensive Cognac industry with a focus on Remy Martin Louis XIII, which still sells for about $5,000 a bottle and is prized amongst the rich, famous and royalty.
This is just one of many fascinating stories told in the book. Check it out:
Here is an excerpt from the book - you'll enjoy this I'm sure:
"The eponymous Rémy Martin Cognac brand was first established in 1724. The French brandy being produced was so good that in 1738 King Louis XV granted the Accord Royal to Rémy Martin in honour of his craftsmanship.
As an intriguing side note, Cognac is crafted from a type of wine known as Vin de Chaudière, literally translating to 'Boiler Wine.' This is quite unpleasant to drink, boasting low alcohol content, high acidity, and weak aromas and flavours. Many centuries ago, facing difficulty in selling this wine for regular consumption, a need arose to find an alternative way to monetize it. Consequently, the wine was fermented, distilled into eau-de-vie, and then aged in oak casks for an extended period. Voila! Alchemy that could turn lead into gold, giving birth to the very lucrative Cognac industry.
The business went from strength to strength for over a century, but was then blighted by the phylloxera plague caused by the British.
Botanists had collected specimens of American grape vines in the 1850s and brought them back to the U.K. to be studied, inadvertently bringing with them a tiny yellow aphid insect known as the grape phylloxera. The native North American vines had evolved to become resistant to it, but the European vines were not and the consequences were devastating.
By 1872 this plague ravaged 90 percent of European vineyards, including those owned by Rémy Martin.
The vineyards were replanted with phylloxera resistant American vines, but these would take decades to fully mature which meant significant losses in grape production and revenue. In fact, the supply of French wine and Cognac plummeted throughout the remainder of that century.
With revenue and profits impacted for an entire generation, many wineries went out of business. Those that survived found novel ways to achieve profitability and among them was Rémy Martin.
In the knowledge that there was no way to increase production in the short term, Rémy Martin knew that to make money in a low volume business it had to increase profit margins. That necessitated the creation of a luxury product and, in 1874, Paul-Émile Rémy Martin created the exclusive Louis XIII Cognac.
It was an ingenious pivot, and what followed was a wonderful marketing endeavour to create the mystique and desirability of the product which would enable it to be sold for exceptionally high prices.
Today a 70cl bottle of this cognac will cost you many thousands of dollars and is considered the best Cognac available. It is an exquisite blend sourced from Grande Champagne terroir, the premier-cru of the Cognac region which has been aged in oak barrels for up to 120 years. It is presented in a hand-crafted Baccarat crystal decanter featuring an 18-carat gold neck and 10 distinctive spikes on each side, which was inspired by a 16th-century flask uncovered from the site of the Battle of Jarnac in France.
Of course the history of Cognac and the Louis XIII is never told as it doesn't serve the business objective. Instead a narrative has been created around exclusivity. As with all luxury brands, it is not about the company being grateful for its customers, but making the customers grateful for being a part of an exclusive club.
“The art of storytelling is incredibly important because that’s how the money works. The money flows as a function of the story. A venture capitalist gets to see all kinds of storytellers'. Don Valentine
The brand is perpetuated by the fact that Louis XIII is enjoyed by the wealthy elite, including most royal families. For example, it was served in 1938 at a state banquet honouring King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. It was served again in 1957, on the occasion of the first official visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to France. More recently an engraved bottle of Louis XIII was presented to King Charles III on his first state visit to France following his coronation."
I used a Berkey for a few years. I stopped using because I wasn't sure if it was doing anything (was the water going through the filters or leaking through the seals?) and remembering to clean the filters was a hassle. I've been using a countertop distiller for over two years and like the experience much better. It has a similar footprint but you need an outlet nearby.
I'm curious about why you went with a distiller vs RO?
Great issue, Liberty! I'm interested to hear your findings on the water filters. Ever since our town discovered PFAS in the water, I've been looking into solutions. I was told that reverse osmosis is the only effective treatment, but I ended up opting for delivered water that already goes through that process.
Also, regarding Anti-Charisma… Bill Belichick immediately came to mind. He's an absolute football genius that sits at the far end of the U-curve. Most coaches are on the traditionally charismatic side.
Reverse osmosis seems to be the best at removing almost everything. There are good larger gravity filter methods like the Berkey ones that seem to remove A LOT of stuff too.
Before going the full under-the-sink install, I'm looking at a countertop RO model from Costco that seems to be pretty good and also dispenses hot water (perfect for Green Tea!).
I know very little about sports, so I'll have to trust you on Belichick! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Interested to hear what you decide as well. I have been looking at whole house systems from Culligan.
I will probably start with a countertop syste, and see how much we like that. From there we may decide to go with under-the-sink system. Whole house seems overkill since municipal water quality is very good here and we pretty much only drink water from one tap anyway.
But I could understand the need for whole-house if I had bad municipal water or a well with bad water.
I like thinking about the Ship of Theseus in the context of software. What starts off with one developer that blooms into a full blown enterprise… is it even the same program?
On the flip side, I read that the Linux kernel code is still 1-2% by Linus Torvalds. I suspect Sathoshi’s contribution is even higher and will remain that way for decades to come
Great example! 💚 🥃
Great post. Again.
We love our Berkey. Definitely better than the ultra fancy RO we had under the sink. We don't mind its looks. We're pretty casual about that aspect. RO strips out too many of the micronutrients minerals.
Re Quantum Archeology, reminds me of the ancient teachings from India that says roughly that everything is recorded in the Cosmic Energy Field and although this has been highly distorted and even monetize by some of the New Age folks, it's cool when high-tech/sci-fi/mystical ancient wisdom all converge and somewhat confirm each other.
I wondered about the mineral content of Water 2, period. Ultimately I came down to the fact that we're probably not gonna cook with RO water, and there are plenty of minerals and food and the supplements I take, so hopefully it shouldn't make too much of a difference. But if I find out it does, there are remineralizing filters that could be an option.
Agreed on quantum stuff. I hate when it gets turned into woo esoteric BS. It's beautiful enough on its own without the need for any of that.
Another Ship of Theseus is the Seattle Gum Wall😀
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gum_wall,_Seattle,_Washington,_Estados_Unidos,_2017-09-02,_DD_19-21_HDR.jpg
It's kind of beautiful and yucky at the same time. Bigger than I expected!
Seattle Gum Wall..? Dare I look that one up! 😬
Not many people know about the phylloxera situation in the 1800s which wiped out vineyards across Europe. It was imported from the US by British botanists in the Victorian era. US vines had evolved to resist it, but European varieties had no immunity. It lead to the import of US grape varieties in Europe which were propagated and are still used today.
In my book I explore how this situation gave rise to the birth of the very expensive Cognac industry with a focus on Remy Martin Louis XIII, which still sells for about $5,000 a bottle and is prized amongst the rich, famous and royalty.
This is just one of many fascinating stories told in the book. Check it out:
https://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Success-Threads-Tapestry-Business/dp/B0D5W7B9W1
I didn't know about it until researching for an example to give here. Thanks for the extra detail!
Here is an excerpt from the book - you'll enjoy this I'm sure:
"The eponymous Rémy Martin Cognac brand was first established in 1724. The French brandy being produced was so good that in 1738 King Louis XV granted the Accord Royal to Rémy Martin in honour of his craftsmanship.
As an intriguing side note, Cognac is crafted from a type of wine known as Vin de Chaudière, literally translating to 'Boiler Wine.' This is quite unpleasant to drink, boasting low alcohol content, high acidity, and weak aromas and flavours. Many centuries ago, facing difficulty in selling this wine for regular consumption, a need arose to find an alternative way to monetize it. Consequently, the wine was fermented, distilled into eau-de-vie, and then aged in oak casks for an extended period. Voila! Alchemy that could turn lead into gold, giving birth to the very lucrative Cognac industry.
The business went from strength to strength for over a century, but was then blighted by the phylloxera plague caused by the British.
Botanists had collected specimens of American grape vines in the 1850s and brought them back to the U.K. to be studied, inadvertently bringing with them a tiny yellow aphid insect known as the grape phylloxera. The native North American vines had evolved to become resistant to it, but the European vines were not and the consequences were devastating.
By 1872 this plague ravaged 90 percent of European vineyards, including those owned by Rémy Martin.
The vineyards were replanted with phylloxera resistant American vines, but these would take decades to fully mature which meant significant losses in grape production and revenue. In fact, the supply of French wine and Cognac plummeted throughout the remainder of that century.
With revenue and profits impacted for an entire generation, many wineries went out of business. Those that survived found novel ways to achieve profitability and among them was Rémy Martin.
In the knowledge that there was no way to increase production in the short term, Rémy Martin knew that to make money in a low volume business it had to increase profit margins. That necessitated the creation of a luxury product and, in 1874, Paul-Émile Rémy Martin created the exclusive Louis XIII Cognac.
It was an ingenious pivot, and what followed was a wonderful marketing endeavour to create the mystique and desirability of the product which would enable it to be sold for exceptionally high prices.
Today a 70cl bottle of this cognac will cost you many thousands of dollars and is considered the best Cognac available. It is an exquisite blend sourced from Grande Champagne terroir, the premier-cru of the Cognac region which has been aged in oak barrels for up to 120 years. It is presented in a hand-crafted Baccarat crystal decanter featuring an 18-carat gold neck and 10 distinctive spikes on each side, which was inspired by a 16th-century flask uncovered from the site of the Battle of Jarnac in France.
Of course the history of Cognac and the Louis XIII is never told as it doesn't serve the business objective. Instead a narrative has been created around exclusivity. As with all luxury brands, it is not about the company being grateful for its customers, but making the customers grateful for being a part of an exclusive club.
“The art of storytelling is incredibly important because that’s how the money works. The money flows as a function of the story. A venture capitalist gets to see all kinds of storytellers'. Don Valentine
The brand is perpetuated by the fact that Louis XIII is enjoyed by the wealthy elite, including most royal families. For example, it was served in 1938 at a state banquet honouring King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. It was served again in 1957, on the occasion of the first official visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to France. More recently an engraved bottle of Louis XIII was presented to King Charles III on his first state visit to France following his coronation."
Thanks! 💚 🥃