March 20, 2009

The proper temperature to serve coffee

As MacDonalds found out and common sense tells you, hot coffee can be too hot. For best flavor, you should serve coffee at between 155ºF and 175ºF (70ºC to 80ºC). Most people will want their coffee in the upper temperature range, closer to 175ºF. Many restaurants serve in the mid-to lower range. Some at-home coffee brewers keep brewed coffee at temperatures lower than this, which tastes cold

Of course, coffee is brewed at a higher temperature, just below boiling at 200 °F (93 °C). This is an ideal temperature to properly extract flavor from the ground coffee. Cooler temperatures do not release the flavors from the beans. If your water is too hot, you will get bitter  coffee because because the water will extract more of the less soluble elements from the grind tha you don't want. And if you keep running the coffee through the grounds (like a coffee pot percolating on the stove) well...just don't.

Keep in mind that coffee can be dangerous.

Serving coffee at 200 °F is way too hot to drink. It will scald your tongue and throat and can even cause third degree burns if spilled on a person. Even the upper temperatures of around 175°F can be dangerous.

Do you remember the "scalding hot coffee" lawsuit against MacDonalds a few years back? A customer scalded herself with MacDonalds coffee after accidentally spilling her coffee cup. At the trial, MacDonalds said it served coffee at between 180 to 190 degrees for optimal taste. The first trial awarded the customer $2.7 million dollars (about two days of McDonalds' coffee sales at that time). That original award was reduced later and the parties settled. Various sources now report that McDonalds serves coffee at about 158 °F.

Brewed coffee should not be maintained at those higher temperatures of above 175 °F, even if it is cooled slightly to serve. That's because oils in the coffee will continue to evaporate, along with water, and the coffee will lose some of its lighter flavor.

Please keep in mind that any liquid hotter than 140 °F can cause severe burns. You should never gulp a cup of coffee, because you could badly burn your mouth, tongue and throat.

So for serving, you will like to drink coffee at 175º. But if you are concerned about safety you may want to reduce that slightly.