At what temperature should I drink my coffee?

"It's cold." This is a common complaint from people trying specialty coffee for the first time. Instead of finding their espresso or latte at the temperature of the Earth's core, capable of searing their taste buds and even melting their teeth (and hands, if it's to go), they come across a hot, but not overly hot, drinkable beverage that can be sipped and appreciated in all its richness.

Why is specialty coffee served less hot?

Specialty coffee is not volcanic lava for the simple reason that extracting coffee at too high a temperature causes the loss of the coffee's organoleptic properties. In addition, tasting it too hot makes its nuances not to be perceived well, and the same happens with milk.

The Liebeck vs. McDonald's Case

In the famous Liebeck vs. McDonald's case in 1994, the company had to compensate the plaintiff, 79-year-old Stella Liebeck, more than half a million dollars because the coffee she had just ordered fell on her and caused her third-degree burns. No wonder: per protocol, her coffee was served at about 88°C. Liebeck's lawyer argued that coffee should never be served at more than 60°C, and he wasn't wrong.

Recommended temperature

The extraction temperature can affect the quality of coffee because it alters its total dissolved solids or TDS. Furthermore, a very high temperature can mask a poor quality coffee that, once tempered, would be very (even more) unpleasant to the palate.

In general terms, coffee is extracted at around 90ºC and served between 49ºC and 60ºC. However, there are some exceptions: if the sweeter and rounder notes are to be highlighted, it can be served at a higher temperature, between 68ºC and 79ºC. On the other hand, coffees with shinier and sharper profiles are recommended to be served between 49ºC and 60ºC. If milk is added to the coffee, the Specialty Coffee Association advises not to exceed 65ºC and not to go below 55ºC, and that the temperature of the final beverage should not be lower than 50ºC or higher than 70ºC.

Science confirms these observations. In a study of the Coffee Center of the University of California Davis for which more than 3 thousand cups of coffee were tested to a group of 100 people, it was concluded that the majority of people prefer their coffee at a temperature between 58ºC and 66ºC, which is quickly reached when served between 68ºC and 70ºC.