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What is the best temperature to brew coffee?
Sun, 2006-01-15 22:13 — Daniel
According to the SCAA, the optimal water temperature for coffee is 92 - 96C (197.6 - 204.8F) for 90% of the contact time.
Comments
Serving Temperature
Brewing coffee at 197.6 - 204.8F (which I can do at home) certainly produces the best results for me. However, a liquid at that temperature burns my tongue something fierce. I work at a cafe with pretty low-grade equipment; we use a large drip coffee pot and the coffee comes out at around 185F. I recognize that this is too low but our management won't do anything about that. That being said, 185F is too hot, even for me, a heavy coffee drinker, to enjoy. I think I can figure out how to adjust the temperature of the warmer (a hot plate) that maintains the temperature after brewing is complete.
Would letting coffee cool to a certain temperature and then keeping it there before serving affect taste? I was thinking that somewhere around 155 - 160F would be a good temperature to serve at--immediately drinkable, I think, while still hot enough for it to be at least warm until it is finished.
Love coffee but can't take the heat
I am SO glad to read your post, because I have the same problem. Everyone who knows me is aware that I love coffee, so they are flabbergasted when they see me put an ice cube into my coffee cup before I serve myself. (You can use filtered water for ice cubes just as you can for coffee.) If the coffee was made strong with this in mind, the ice doesn't dilute it too much.
Another solution is to use "cubies" - reusable pillows of liquid that you freeze. I bought mine in the camping department, near the ice chests. You put them into your beverage and they don't dilute it. But since they're made of plastic, you may notice their flavor. When I use these at home, here's what I do to minimize that risk: I put several cubies into a large cup like I would do if I were about to have a glass of iced tea. I pour my coffee into the cup right over the cubies, which cool the coffee as it passes over them. Then, I immediately remove the cubies with a spoon, wash and dry them, and return them to the freezer for the next time. Sometimes I add a little more coffee to bring the temperature up a notch. Now my coffee is ready to drink - not too hot, and black, just the way I like it. If I am especially lazy, I just pour a cup of coffee and drop a couple of cubies into it; but then I do notice a plastic taste, so it's not as good a solution.
I'd love to read anyone's solutions to this problem - and I won't apologize for having a sensitive mouth. It's served me well all my life, so I should treat it well in return. :)
RE: Serving Temperature
I have mixed feelings on this. The good is that you are going to burn the coffee a little less. The bad is that you are essentially serving cold coffee. At some point someone is going to add milk to the coffee. This knocks the warmest coffee down to immediately drinkable so will probably knock what you are suggesting down to cold. I also think but can't prove that there is an unequal loss of heat in a cup of coffee where the coffee cools from the top therefore you have warm coffee longer where as if you start off will cool drinkable coffee you may have cold coffee before you hit the bottom but like I said that is just a theory. The milk/creamer is my big worry.
There is an interesting
There is an interesting discussion regarding flat & ramped brewing temperatures on commercial espresso machines...
https://www.espressoquest.com/Blogs/6/43.html
The author discusses how starting a lower temperature of 92C and finishing at 88C and can produce "smoother, richer and more chocolaty" espresso. He suggests that the high flat brew temperature of commercial espresso machines (even high end machines) within the 92-96C range are "too hot and too stable".
I have a related question,
I have a related question, and can not seem to find the answer online:
What is the ideal hold temperature for coffee, if such a thing exists? I suspect that the electric hotplate warmer on our office coffee maker is running too hot. 15-20 minutes after brewing the coffee tastes burnt.
I have begun to leave the warmer off and simply microwave tepid coffee, which seems to have made this a non-issue, but my science background won't let it rest. I would like to know the ideal hold temp, and if possible what specific chemical degradations are causing such a strong burnt flavor.
Cheers!
~Mike
Hold temp.
If one uses Two(2) filters (paper) you will have no "burn" at the 2 hr. mark. I use one mesh & one paper filter.
It's not the heat so much but the sediment that burns.
RE:Hold temp.
This may work for your tastes but you are also trapping most of the oils that give coffee a coffee flavor.
RE
The coffee is most likely being burnt. That and too hot brewing will turn the coffee bitter. Too cool will leave it weak and acidic. The flavor will start to deteriorate after about 45 no matter what. If you keep it in a thermal container (thermos, insulated carafe) it will stand a better chance of lasting than a hotplate. I use a French Press with RO filtered water @ 190 deg (just when bubbles start to rise should be close if you don't have a thermometer) for 5-6 minutes before separating the grounds. Then pour into a thermal cup. Can't do much better than that for good flavor. Even Maxwell House tastes good if it is brewed right. Most auto drip units won't do well brewing and then burn the bejezzes out of it. Look into a Bodum Santos unit if you want automatic brewing at its best. Comparable results to a press but I still prefer a $15 press any day.
Cheers
coffee too burnt
The older coffee makers burn the brew as noted. One method [seen at a surplus electronics store] is to find and locate a 'muffin fan' safety cover/screen. Clip off the side spokes, leaving only a wire structure that looks like concentric circles and to be set on top of the elemen. The glass pot sits on top of that screen and provides some buffering to lower the temperature to a more reasonable level. Looks goofy at first, but the coffee wont burn right away.
re: coffee too burnt
That's a good idea. I had never thought of that. If you prefer something you can get at a well stocked kitchen store look for a stove element diffuser (not sure if that is the exact name). I use one for my vacuum pot on the stove and it works well.