Why Coffee Should Be Drunk Hot: Can Pour-Over Coffee Be Reheated? Is Black Coffee Better Hot or Cold?

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The temperature at which coffee enters your mouth is crucial for taste perception. As everyone knows, coffee tasting should be approached at high, medium, and low temperatures. Different temperatures reveal different flavors in a cup of coffee. In FrontStreet Coffee's view, tasting coffee is a delicate matter. Some believe that drinking coffee involves using the tongue's sense of taste to appreciate the rich aroma that lingers in the mouth. The same coffee tastes different at various temperatures because our sensory sensitivity varies accordingly.

Temperature Effects

Temperature greatly influences our flavor perception. The most obvious example is drinking cola. When cola just comes out of a 3°C refrigerator, the bubbles (carbon dioxide) explode on your tongue like thousands of tiny firecrackers, creating waves of tingling sensation that makes you shiver with pleasure. However, when left at room temperature, cola becomes a strange saccharin-flavored soda.

Coffee Tasting Time

Coffee lovers generally have their preferred drinking temperatures. For FrontStreet Coffee, the ideal range is 50-60°C. At this temperature, coffee is neither too hot for the mouth and retains the richest aroma. Hot coffee is about aroma and temperature; warm coffee is about layers and flavors, while cold coffee is about technique and quality. Whether it's espresso or pour-over coffee, the temperature progresses from high to medium to low, with different flavors at each of these three stages. When food is closer to body temperature, taste buds become more sensitive to distinguishing flavors.

According to research, 20°C-35°C is the temperature range where human taste buds are most sensitive—like having a "flavor amplifier" that allows you to more carefully discern the taste of food. When food is closer to body temperature, taste buds become more sensitive to distinguishing flavors.

Milk Coffee

Regular customers at FrontStreet Coffee should know that when cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites are freshly made, the milk is typically heated to 55°C-62°C. Only within this temperature range can milk achieve its optimal sweetness and blend perfectly with coffee.

The drinking temperature is also very important—try not to go below 45°C. In other words, it's best to finish within 10 minutes for optimal taste. Otherwise, as the coffee cools, the fats and proteins in milk undergo changes during the cold→hot→cold process, not only amplifying milky flavors that overshadow the original sweetness but also losing the initial coffee aroma, making everything inferior and causing you to frown with each sip.

Pour-Over Coffee

When we brew pour-over coffee, the water temperature is typically around 88°C-92°C. During the brewing process, the water temperature continuously decreases, and the final coffee is usually served at about 65°C-75°C.

The brewing temperature for pour-over coffee is typically around 90°C. Although coffee can be drunk at a wide range of temperatures, the suitable brewing temperature range is relatively narrow.

When water temperature exceeds 95°C, it's easy to extract the bitter, burnt flavors from coffee. If water temperature is below 85°C, extraction tends to be insufficient. FrontStreet Coffee recommends controlling brewing temperature between 87-93°C. Generally, the lighter the roast, the higher the brewing temperature; the darker the roast, the lower the brewing temperature.

Through testing, we know that at room temperature 26°C, using 92°C water, a pour-over coffee made within 2 minutes reaches about 65°C. At this point, we suggest first smelling the captivating aroma of this coffee, then taking a small sip and letting the coffee liquid coat your tongue to experience the balance between acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, as well as the body. Then swallow and savor the wonderful enjoyment of the aftertaste. We can taste the unique flavors revealed by coffee at different temperatures—fruit aromas, floral notes, herbal, acidity, and nutty flavors, among others.

Can Cooled Coffee Be Reheated?

This question has probably crossed many people's minds. Some might choose to reheat coffee, but we don't recommend doing so. Reheating coffee changes its flavor structure. If the coffee in your hand has cooled to room temperature, I would suggest simply savor it carefully! (At this time, the coffee's acidity will emerge, and good acidity will transform into pleasant sweetness, further highlighting the coffee's deliciousness.)

Extended Reading

Researchers at the University of Texas in the United States gathered 300 volunteers to test "What is the most suitable temperature for drinking?" The final conclusion was 136°F, which is 58°C.

If you enjoy the juicy quality of coffee, you can wait for the temperature to drop to 50°C-55°C. At this temperature, coffee flavors can showcase richer layers. For example, beans like Yirgacheffe, which are known for their flavor characteristics, will reveal more nuances. If you want to experience the complete flavor profile of this coffee, you can wait for the temperature to drop further. However, as hot coffee cools, it releases tannic acid, making the coffee more acidic as it cools.

Although low temperatures can also present bright and pleasant fruit acidity, most will become overly complex in flavor, with both acidity and bitterness too pronounced, making it unpleasant to drink. Moreover, this acidity isn't the bright fruit acidity but rather a stimulating sourness.

Let me share a secret with you—adding ice cubes can completely change the experience. Those unpleasant flavors can become enjoyable under the stimulation of low temperatures. In summary, whether it's iced coffee or hot coffee, if you want to drink delicious coffee, it's best to enjoy it while the temperature is just right! This way, the coffee's flavor won't change due to the passage of time!

Conclusion

"Drinking while hot" doesn't mean gulping it down immediately, but rather allowing us to slowly experience the continuous changes in texture and flavor as coffee goes from high to low temperature. Experience the different layers of each coffee! This is the charm of coffee.

Important Notice :

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