Coffee is usually served hot. But what happens after you brew it at home? Are you going to drink it right away and finish it? Or are you making coffee to enjoy for a longer period of time? What if (and this happens often) it cools down to a point that you’re not enjoying it anymore?
Ember has teamed up with Onyx Coffee Lab - the nation’s most awarded independent roaster journeying to source only the finest and most unique coffees in the world - and a few of their U.S. Coffee Champions to answer all your burning questions about coffee’s optimal drinking temperature and why reheated coffee tastes so bad.
Q: Do you recommend reheating coffee?
A: No... The process of reheating coffee changes the flavor. It can change the body, and it’s just not the same after reheating. I recommend brewing the amount you plan to drink in one session instead of a big batch. - Andrea
I don’t recommend reheating coffee because you’re going to break down the flavor compounds when excessive heat is added to it. Your coffee won’t taste as vibrant and sweet; it may taste more bitter. - Elika
Q: What are your thoughts about continuously heated coffee in a standard drip coffee pot?
A: Self-heated glass coffee pots don’t have enough thought process with them. The heat plate will just continually add heat, and your coffee will eventually be burning through all the flavors and natural sugars. Whereas, if you have a thermal pot, it will keep the coffee inside at a nice hot temperature without burning it or losing flavor, but it doesn’t solve the issue of your coffee getting cold in your cup over time. - Andrea
Q: Do you recommend different drinking temperatures to enjoy the flavor notes from your different roasts? Are there recommended drink temperatures for different coffee?
A: Generally, the closer to your body temperature that you taste, the more accurately you should be able to taste. So 110°F is a good place to experience the full potential of any beverage when you are trying to pinpoint the flavor, body, and acidity. However, a lot of it is also personal preference. Just because 110°F is the place that you might experience the most potential, doesn’t mean it’s the temperature you should drink it at to enjoy your drink the most. I like to drink coffee at a specific temperature, and for me, that’s 135°F. - Andrea
I like to drink at 136°F; it’s not too hot and not too cold. - Elika
With darker roasts, I like it hotter, and with lighter roasts, I like it cooler. I find the acidity to be a lot more exemplified at a cooler temp, while with darker roasts, you get the nutty and baker’s chocolate notes at a hotter temperature. - Lance