Why so hot?
When I go into a coffee shop to buy a coffee it is because I want to drink a cup of coffee and I want to drink it now, not in 20 minutes when it has cooled down.
My coffee of choice is an Americano. I like simple things and an Americano is just that, espresso and hot water. And it’s the hot water that some places seem, to me anyway, to be getting it wrong. The worst offender is Costa Coffee in the UK and this post is inspired by my burnt tongue experience on Saturday. On our way down to the south coast to visit a relative we stopped in to a Costa Coffee to get some drinks for the journey, my family got Cappaccino’s and I got my usual Americano. As I collected it, the paper cup and sleeve gave no protection to my fingers and I had to put it down on the counter and take the lid off to allow the super charged steam to escape. I tried to take a sip before leaving the store but it was still too hot to enjoy, which was annoying as I wanted to enjoy my coffee now as I had bought it now to enjoy. The idea of waiting for my drink to cool, just did not make sense. Should I plan my drink purchases in advance?
‘Humm I am not thirsty now…but I might be in 20 minutes…I better order a drink now so it’s cooled in time.’
Even in just a plain paper cup and not a drinks tumbler my Costa Coffee Americano continued to be warm after 45 minutes of our journey. I think it’s perfect drinking temperature was about 30 minutes after I bought it.
How have people got used to such hot drinks? Why do Costa, in my experience, think we want scolding hot drinks? I personally think adding scolding hot water or over steam milk spoils the coffee and destroys the natural flavours of the drink. But everyone has their own taste.
Out of all the large retail chains in the UK Costa Coffee is the worst for over heated drinks, which is a shame as I think they make a very good espresso which is then ruined. Cafe Nero I slightly better, but I think Starbucks have it right and serve drinks at the correct temperature to enjoy your drink immediately, when you bought it.
