"I'm the OG": SA Water Sommelier Fires Back After Stranger Questions Her Water Taste Knowledge

• South Africa’s top water sommelier went on record defending a local bottled water brand against a stranger’s online criticism
• Barry created Africa’s first restaurant water menu and introduced eight international waters for tasting long before it was trendy
• The expert maintains there is no such thing as premium water and that local brands can hold their own at any fine dining table

The woman who built Africa’s first water menu is not here to be questioned about Valpre.

Candice Barry, South Africa’s foremost water sommelier, defended her Valpre recommendation on TikTok on 30 January 2026. A follower had left a dismissive comment suggesting Barry needed more fine dining experience to have that opinion. Barry did not let it slide.

She walked her followers through exactly who she is and what she has built in this industry. She brought eight international waters to South African tables for tasting before water pairing was even a concept here. She made diners start flipping bottles to check the total dissolved solids on the label.

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She did not come to play

Barry goes by @watersomm on TikTok and has grown a following of over 46,000 people. She has spent years pushing back against the notion that expensive water is automatically better water. She has consulted for hotels, restaurants, and beverage manufacturers across the globe.

She also curated glassware and pouring experiences so restaurants would stop dropping tap water ice into still water.

Through her distribution company OriginFloe, Barry was among the first in Africa to introduce restaurant water menus. She paired different water profiles to food the same way a sommelier pairs wine to a dish.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi reacts to the clip

Briefly News compiled some comments from the clip below.

@Born_Trippy commented:

“The OG is out, and the new lioness is taking over the water pride. 🤣 Miss T Zulu has no time for the OG water somelier.”

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@zaripatel said:

“Can Valpre start giving us 5-litre still water bottles for home use, though? 😔”

@dan.co.za wrote:

“When it comes to water taste, nothing will ever beat the random tap at the end of the school sports field.”

@The_Cats_Whiskers commented:

“My friend's grandparents owned the Valpré farm in Paulpietersburg. I stayed there one weekend when I was about 11. The pool was filled with water from the spring. So technically, I swam in Valpré water.”

@Anonymously said:

“Go to the UK, the Wales side. Their tap water beats anything we have, hands down. And the best part is cold straight out of the tap.”

More articles involving Mzansi water

• Briefly News previously reported that a Cape Town-based author had a specific question for a popular water sommelier and TikTok content creator on Woolies water.
• South Africa’s worsening water crisis has reached a critical point, driven by climate change, failing infrastructure, and pressure from mining activities.
• South African water expert Candice Barry broke down the findings of a study that found antiretroviral drugs in tap water supplies.

Source: Briefly News