No more Hot Coffee
So the more I cup coffee the more I am convinced that we should not be serving any coffee to customers that is over 160 degrees F. When we cup we don't even really taste anything untill it reaches below 160 degrees F. And it is best between 80 to 130F.
SO I keep thinking that we have to figure out a way to have customers only drink coffee that is less than 160F degrees. Sounds crazy but the coffee tastes so much better cooler. When it is too hot people want to add cream and adulterants to cool it down and to make it have more flavor. But as it cools people don't do that.
So I have not come up with a reason yet as to why I should not go ahead and only serve coffee that is below 160 degrees.
Brew it at our normal 204F but then cool it somehow and then store it in the Luxus at around 160 or so.
hmmm.,..
SO I keep thinking that we have to figure out a way to have customers only drink coffee that is less than 160F degrees. Sounds crazy but the coffee tastes so much better cooler. When it is too hot people want to add cream and adulterants to cool it down and to make it have more flavor. But as it cools people don't do that.
So I have not come up with a reason yet as to why I should not go ahead and only serve coffee that is below 160 degrees.
Brew it at our normal 204F but then cool it somehow and then store it in the Luxus at around 160 or so.
hmmm.,..
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Chris Hooton on
-
For some reason I gag when coffee is under 140... I wonder why...
-
Permalink Reply by Adrian Badger on
-
I agree there is a hotness "sweet spot" for coffee flavor. My fear of doing this would be that the coffee will drop below the sweet spot faster... and in my opinion the flavor of coffee colder than the sweet spot is decidedly less enjoyable than coffee that is hotter than the sweet spot.
-
Permalink Reply by Brady on
-
Neat idea. I personally enjoy the progression of flavor as the cup cools... but don't think that first scalding-hot bit is terribly important. It would be kind of nice for coffee's first sip to be as satisfying as other beverages'.
Agree with Adrian, you might have less time in the optimum zone, especially in a poorly-insulated paper cup. This might not be a big deal in ceramic or a preheated travel mug.
You would lose some customers. There is definitely a segment that really wants it to be ripping hot, despite any suggestion otherwise. I have some regulars that add cream and then hand the mug back for me to zap with the wand. Why they like this is beyond me - I've asked and the answer is that it tastes better to them. But I'm sure your customer-ed efforts would be good, so maybe you wouldn't see this.
What if you brewed into a big milk pitcher, FP beaker, or other conductive vessel and then poured over? That would get you close by the time you dispensed into a mug or go-cup.
Please let us know how it goes.
-
Permalink Reply by Matthew on
-
I think that the progression of cooling is important not only for analyzing the flavor, but for the development of the coffee itself. I think that(and this is based just on uncontrolled experimentation) oxidization plays a key roll in the overall cup. This primaily happens over the first few minutes after brewing, then rapidly onward after that. If there is a way to preserve the oxidization of the cup directly after the primary drop in temperature, I think the cup quality would be on a more level playing feild.
I wish I knew what half of those words meant.
-
Permalink Reply by Benza Lance on
-
I think Andy and the 'Foot crew do milk, especially for capps, a bit hotter than we do at Temple. Here, we shoot for 140 on the button, and if I'm not mistaken, the 'Footers go for that 155-160 mark.
Andy, I'll be heading down to see you guys this next Friday (the 10th) if you wanna chat about this thing.
-
Permalink Reply by Matthew Gasaway on
-
I know we offer French Press but I know its unrealistic to serve every customer with the Press.
Can you change the temperature of your machine? Just an idea i guess.
I don't really understand the whole "so hot that my taste buds fall of my tongue" hotness of coffee.
What really scares me is when people want their milk that hot...eeek.
-
-
You can totally change the temp, but is it going to inversely affect the proper extraction of the coffee?
Damn, I love rhetoric.
Matthew Gasaway said:I know we offer French Press but I know its unrealistic to serve every customer with the Press.
Can you change the temperature of your machine? Just an idea i guess.
I don't really understand the whole "so hot that my taste buds fall of my tongue" hotness of coffee.
What really scares me is when people want their milk that hot...eeek.
-
Permalink Reply by Andy Newbom on
-
I am not talking about milk nor espresso. I am talking about drip coffee. NOT french press which gets funky if its cold but filter drip.
100 degrees of heaven.
-
Permalink Reply by John P on
-
Andy,
I think I can agree with your testing. From what I understand, the closer the coffee is to our body temp ~100 degrees, the more we can recognize all the flavors present.
I usually find all the best flavors start jumping out about mid-cup, which is probably near 120. I really don't start drinking my coffee until about 140 anyways.
I'm not sure how to rapidly bring it down without compromising the cup. I wonder if there is a natural progression that must take place, or could you blast the stream with some Freon and cool it down on the spot. :)
What if you brewed it into a chilled vessel? And then tested that vs. the normally brewed coffee when both are at the same temp... see if there is any difference in flavors.
Best bet is to tell everyone, "Don't burn your face off." or "I'd recommend waiting four minutes before drinking that. The flavors REALLY start to come out then. Trust me, you'll be glad you waited."
There's the ever popular. "Dude, what's the f#ckin' rush?"
Most likely you will have to invent something spectacular and sell your great idea to everyone else after you are penniless from all the R&D.
-
-
I am in coffee so I am already penniless but the idea of maximizing it so I am dollarless is appealing....
John P said:Andy,
I think I can agree with your testing. From what I understand, the closer the coffee is to our body temp ~100 degrees, the more we can recognize all the flavors present.
I usually find all the best flavors start jumping out about mid-cup, which is probably near 120. I really don't start drinking my coffee until about 140 anyways.
I'm not sure how to rapidly bring it down without compromising the cup. I wonder if there is a natural progression that must take place, or could you blast the stream with some Freon and cool it down on the spot. :)
What if you brewed it into a chilled vessel? And then tested that vs. the normally brewed coffee when both are at the same temp... see if there is any difference in flavors.
Best bet is to tell everyone, "Don't burn your face off." or "I'd recommend waiting four minutes before drinking that. The flavors REALLY start to come out then. Trust me, you'll be glad you waited."
There's the ever popular. "Dude, what's the f#ckin' rush?"
Most likely you will have to invent something spectacular and sell your great idea to everyone else after you are penniless from all the R&D.
-
-
Andy Newbom said:I am in coffee so I am already penniless but the idea of maximizing it so I am dollarless is appealing....
Of course the tax rate on the dollars is much higher. You're screwed either way.
....
On the coffee issue. How about having a block of dry ice that everyone has to lick before drinking? :)
-
-
Andy Newbom said:I am not talking about milk nor espresso. I am talking about drip coffee. NOT french press which gets funky if its cold but filter drip.
100 degrees of heaven.
Sorry if i sounded confusing. I know you can change the temp on espresso machines but I was wondering if that was even possible with drip coffee machines. Probably not though after reading your comment.
I apologize for the confusion.
Barista Exchange Partners
Barista Exchange Friends
Keep Barista Exchange Free
Are you enjoying Barista Exchange? Is it helping you promote your business and helping you network in this great industry? Donate today to keep it free to all members. Supporters can join the "Supporters Group" with a donation. Thanks!
© 2024 Created by Matt Milletto.
Powered by
