Sairme (water) facts for kids
| Type | Mineral water |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sairme Mineral Waters |
| Country of origin | Georgia (Sairme) |
| Introduced | 1945 |
Sairme (Georgian: საირმე, pronounced "sa'eer-meh") is a special kind of mineral water from Georgia. It comes from natural springs in a beautiful area called Sairme, which is also a popular place for people to relax and get healthy.
This water comes from springs about 55 kilometres (34 mi) away from a city called Kutaisi. It's found in a river valley, high up in the mountains at about 915 metres (3,002 ft) above sea level. The weather there is nice, with warm summers and mild winters. People drink Sairme mineral water, and it's also bottled to be sold. There's even a health resort, like a special hotel, in Sairme.
Contents
The Story of Sairme Water
People first started talking about Sairme water around the 1890s. There's a cool legend about how it was found!
A Hunter's Discovery
The story goes that two hunter brothers were following a wounded deer. They found the Sairme water flowing over rocks that were red from minerals. The ground around it was white with salt. They noticed that many deer came to this spot to drink the water and lick the salt. Because so many deer (which is "iremi" in Georgian) visited, they named the place Sairme.
The Mystery Glade
Shepherds also noticed something amazing nearby. About 3 kilometres (2 mi) from the water source, there was a patch of grass that was always green, even in winter. Snow never stayed there, and the ground dried super fast after rain. For a long time, this was a mystery! Later, in the 1900s, scientists called geologists found out why: there was hot mineral water flowing underground in that spot.
Early Studies of the Water
The first time someone tried to study Sairme water scientifically was in 1912. A student named Doctor Kelenjeradze took a sample of the water to St. Petersburg for testing. Professors there were very interested in it! Later, a scientist from Latvia, Robert Kuptsis, also studied the Sairme mineral waters. He was asked by Emperor Nicholas II to study mineral waters all over the Caucasus region, especially in Georgia.
Local stories also say that a road through a nearby river valley was built by hand, without machines or explosives, by German prisoners of war.
Bottling Sairme Water
People started using Sairme water in 1893. At first, it was mostly poured into big containers in a barn and brought out by horses.
- First Factory: The first proper factory for bottling Sairme water opened in 1945.
- Growing Production: By 1954, the factory was finished. It could bottle 400,000 liters of water! Over time, the factory got more modern machines.
- A Pause and a Restart: When the Soviet Union ended, the factory stopped working for a while. But in 1998, new owners took over. They started to modernize the factory and bring Sairme water back to its fans. They even updated the building!
- Modern Times: Since 2010, the Sairme factory has changed a lot. They updated all their equipment and now use automated machines and computers to bottle the water. They also have a fully renovated lab to test the water quality regularly and make sure every bottle is perfect.
Types of Sairme Water
Sairme water comes from several different springs, and each one has a slightly different mix of minerals and healing properties.
Currently, two main types of Sairme water are bottled:
- Sparkling Mineral Water "Sairme": This is a bubbly, naturally carbonated water. It comes in glass bottles (0.3 L, 0.5 L) and plastic bottles (0.5 L, 1 L, 2 L).
- Natural Drinking Water "Springs of Sairme": This water is still, meaning it has no bubbles. It's available in glass bottles (0.5 L) and plastic bottles (0.5 L, 1.5 L).
Sairme water is rich in calcium bicarbonate. This can help make your bones strong and reduce swelling in your body. The sparkling mineral water is often used to help with liver, kidney, and stomach problems. It can also help your body get rid of harmful substances. The still water, "Springs of Sairme," is used for health treatments and even in beauty products!
What Makes Sairme Water Special
The Sairme area has huge amounts of a rock called tufa. This rock helps create the unique conditions for the water. The amount of minerals in the water can change, depending on which spring it comes from. This special water is why the Sairme resort is so popular for helping people stay healthy and treat different illnesses.
