The experience of coffee is related closely with cups. The choice of cups, namely, shapes, materials and colors can affect the ways you experience coffee such as to balance coffee flavour, more aroma, more sou or thinner body…
In this article, we’ll take a look into coffee cups.
Are you a true cafephilia?
If so, you are in the right place because I am about to expose you to the world of coffee secrets!
Let us delve right into The Guide to Choose the Right Cup for Your Coffee!
Does coffee taste different in different cups?
Many may think that cup size does not directly alter the flavor of the coffee.
However, the study shows that human perception increases the intensity of the flavor to your taste buds with a suitable coffee cup. Human psychology comes into action to perceive the experience as more soothing and relaxing.
Therefore, you can sip the delicacy from a suitable mug and feel overwhelmed with tranquility.
The perfect shape of the coffee cup complimenting the flavor is too aesthetic for us. It’s not rocket science!
Now that you are genuinely intrigued by the cup-flavor interaction, let’s get down to the brass tacks.
But, scientifically speaking, it does matters!
Shape and design
Headspace of the cups is very important to smell the aroma. It is the space between the surface of coffee to the top. Hights of headspace will decide the smell of aroma. For example, if the espresso cup size is too small, i.e., 70-100mil, the headspace will be very tight. So, what does it mean? First, our nose cannot get close to the surface to sense the most aroma.
Then, the aroma will hardly be retained in the cup but fly away. These two reasons prevent us from enjoying coffee aroma. As you all know, aroma decides the taste of the coffee in general.
So, what should you do then? Instead of using too small cups, you should use bigger ones. The ones that have enough headspace for the nose to smell and the top is smaller than the bottom to retain the aroma.
Temperature
Temperature is so important when tasting coffee, because when it’s hot, our tongue cannot taste the sour or sweetness of coffee, but we can taste these when it cools down.
That is the reason why in Cupping Protocol 2009, SCA advice that we should evaluate flavor, aftertaste at temperature of 71C (after pouring water in the cup about 8-10 minutes) and acidity, body at 60-70C, sweetness under 38C simply because it will be most clear under such temperature.
Thickness
Other factors that affect the temperature-retaining ability of the cup are thickness, diameter and the amount of coffee inside the cup. If we look deep into thermal mass, a technical term that relates to keeping temperature. The larger the thermal mass, the longer the temperature is retained.
You find this familiar, with the design of the espresso machine, the group head physical features with big and heavy brass to maintain the heat.
Factors to consider when choosing cups for the best coffee experience
Bear in mind, that you should never get the first thing you lay eyes on. There are a few factors you need to consider when choosing the best cup for your coffee. These are:
Size
The size of your coffee cup plays an important role in deciding your overall coffee experience. It is apparent how size impacts the weight and mobility of the cup.
But do you know about its instrumental role in regulating the intake of your favorite coffee type?
The prescribed intake for each type is different. This may lead to creating confusion between the right and wrong volumes every time.
Do you want to put a lid on this muddle?
The right cup size will act as a basic guide to take care of the right consumption.
Handle
The handle is like the heart of your coffee cup. All coffee lovers can relate to how it feels when the handle perfectly wraps around your fingers to give you a boosted self-esteem.
Do you belong to the percentage that holds the cup by the walls?
If yes, your best match should be a double-layered insulated cup to keep your fingers safe and sound against the heat of the coffee.
Shape
The first impression is the last impression.
Shape, design, texture, and print of the cup are the first impressions in the majority of cases. It triggers emotions and holds a key role in optimizing the drinker’s experience.
For instance, if you want to play safe against accidental spills and maintain the true essence of your coffee, you’ll look for a cup with a lid.
Best coffee cup for my coffee
We have classified each type of coffee along with a mug that suits it the best. This way you’ll unleash the best cup to hold your drink.
Espresso:
Espresso is a classical coffee, perfected with efficient brewing and grinding, and is popular worldwide.
The roasted bittersweet is what makes espresso outstanding. The best part about espresso is that the sweeter it gets, the more flavorful coffee’s bitterness gets.
A perfect mellow cup of this coffee requires a suitable cup size. The preferred cup size for an espresso is 2-3 oz. This cup size keeps coffee warmer and provides less exposure to air.
The cups for espresso coffee are usually wider at the rim and get narrower down the structure. This shape not only retains the delectable aroma but also looks appealing.
Latte:
We all love coffee a latte, don’t we?
A latte is widely known for its unique bittersweet flavor and served with artistic embellishments.
It contains one or two shots of espresso combined with steamed milk to provide an essential creamy texture to the drink.
A latte requires about 8-12 oz. of a coffee cup as it contains milk frothing at the brim.
The preferable mugs for such coffee include ceramic and porcelain cups. Moreover, the cup should be wider at the top where froth lies to provide perfect taste to the coffee.
Cappuccino:
It is an espresso-based delicacy that is famous worldwide.
Cappuccino has frothed milk, steamed milk, and espresso shot all in equal parts. The bold flavor and requisite creamy texture are a conspicuous element of a perfect coffee.
The guidelines for the size of the cappuccino cup is 5-6 oz. A pear-shaped cup is preferred to serve this type of coffee to give off a traditional touch. Moreover, the cappuccino cups come along with similar saucers for an Haute Coffee Effect.
Drip coffee
An affordable, refreshing, and light cup of drip coffee is a go-to option for a large population.
The goal for the flavorsome drip-coffee is to keep it hot for a longer time.
At around 70°C, the volatile vapors in the coffee stimulate our aromatic perceptions. This is when it is bitterly roasted, and the sweet flavor that perfectly complements your tongue.
Ceramic demitasse is a suitable cup choice for a drip coffee as it keeps the beverage warmer for a long time. Moreover, being cheaper and easy to handle, this cup type is perfect for your daily use.
Turkish coffee:
There is a popular Turkish proverb which translates as:
“The heart wants neither coffee nor coffeehouse, the heart wants to talk – while coffee is an excuse.”
Turkish coffee is a traditional delectable beverage with a strong, bittersweet aroma. Turkey introduced this mouth-watering coffee to the world in 1543 during the Ottoman Empire.
The coffee is served in specialized cups called fincan with a size of 1.7 oz. (espresso cups can be used likewise).
The fincan is wider at the bottom and gets narrower at the top. This shape disables the foam dispersion and keeps the drink warmer for a long time.
For an authentic experience, you may purchase a galeri set.
Conclusion:
So far, we have discussed how to choose the right cup to enjoy your coffee. We looked upon the way the size of coffee collaborates with the aroma and consistency of a relevant coffee type.
We hope our effort assisted you to get the cream of the crop understanding of the mentioned content.
Coffee is an elixir for us to survive daily struggles. The aromatic experience that transcends you to peace can be made more soothing by choosing the right coffee cup. Yes really!
A wonderful cup of Joe to take away your woe!
Comment down below and tell us what you think about it. We would love to hear from you!
Read more: The Six Advantages of Consuming Coffee