It's a question as old as time itself: what is the best temperature to serve coffee? Should it be flaming hot the way some coffee shops insist on serving it, or just a little warmer than room temperature, like the way some fast food chains insist on serving it?
Is there a Perfect Temperature for Serving Coffee?
Well, first off, let's address the burning elephant in the room: there is no best temperature to serve coffee. (Also, please, somebody put out that elephant.)
Some people like their coffee piping hot, while others prefer it not-so-piping. Some like it hot, some like it cold, some sweat when the heat is on.
There are plenty of scientific recommendations for brewing temperatures to be found, but these are more based on extraction rate rather than taste preference. (Though there are definitely ways you can alter the taste of coffee by adjusting the water temperature during the brewing stage.)
As far as serving/drinking temperature goes, coffee shops often aim for around 155°-175°F. Some even go as high as 185°F. (As a former barista, I can tell you that customers occasionally requested their coffee at specific temperatures like 185°—which we weren't really allowed to do.)
The 155°-175°F range is hot enough be flavorful, but not so hot that it remains undrinkable for several minutes. But regardless of what "most people do in the real world," here are two very important numbers to keep in mind:
- Any temperature over 110°F can cause a superficial burn.
- Any temperature over 160°F can instantly burn you.
Source: Right as Rain by UW Medicine (University of Washington)
The exact temperatures that can cause burns are different from person to person (which, I don't know, I think that's pretty interesting). And it also depends on the length of contact with the skin/tongue/etc.
But in general, you want to be careful with any beverage over 110°F.
And 110°F is actually a pretty damn low temperature for serving coffee. In fact, it's the dead center of the "lukewarm" temperature range according to this temperature cheat sheet brought to you by the Canadian Broadcasting Company.
But do you really trust the Canadians when it comes to temperature perception? They use that system where they calculate temperatures in relation to the freezing and boiling points of dihydrogen monoxide, instead of a mixture of dihydrogen monoxide and sodium brine! What a bunch of hosers.
Anyway, coffee will continue to cool after it's served. So if you're looking for an "ideal" serving temperature, take that into account.
What Temperature Does Coffee Taste Best at?
Again, subjective. However, science tells us that higher serving temperatures (in general, not specifically with coffee) seem to bring out sweet and bitter tastes. Lower serving temperatures bring out more salty and sour flavors.
So, if you're aiming for a sweeter cup of coffee, you might want to go for a higher serving temperature. But if you're looking to bring out more of the savory notes in your coffee, a lower serving temperature might be better.
Of course, there are other factors that affect the taste of a cup of coffee much more than this. Like grind size, bean type, water quality/hardness, and more. Serving temperature is just one small piece of the puzzle. So it's not something to get too hung up on.
But if you're trying to optimize your cup of coffee, it's definitely something to experiment with!
Bottom line: there is no best temperature to serve coffee. It all comes down to personal preference. That said, people generally aim for somewhere around 155°.
