Does the material of the coffee cup also affect the flavor of coffee?

You carefully select coffee beans and brew them carefully. All you can look forward to is enjoying a delicious cup of coffee.

However,coffee cupchoice is more important than you think. In order to fully enjoy your delicious coffee, you should make sure that the material of the coffee cup you choose will not adversely affect the taste of the coffee.

 

To learn how some of the most common ingredients affect coffee flavor, I spoke with Silvio Chang, a certified Q grader and co-founder of Unseen Select co.

 

Why material is important

 

Most takeaway coffee comes in disposable paper cups. In the UK alone, 250 million paper cups are consumed every year. Making them requires 1.5 billion liters of water. While many of these cups are recyclable, only 1 in 400 cups is properly recycled.

 

More and more consumers are aware of the environmental impact of their purchases. Therefore, many people started using reusable cups. But which material is best?

 

While the impact of each material is different, there are a few key factors that have an important impact on the flavor of coffee. Ideally, it should be lightweight, durable, and have good insulation. Equally important, it does not affect the taste of the coffee or create an unpleasant taste.

 

The main materials of common coffee cups are glass, stainless steel, reinforced plastic and ceramics. Next, let’s take a look at how these materials affect the taste of coffee.

Glass

 

Few materials are as attractive as glass. It's smooth and inviting, and you can admire your drink in the glass as you sip it.

 

If your cup is made of tempered heat-resistant glass, it won't shatter or crack no matter how hot the coffee gets. If it is a double-walled glass cup, it is very comfortable to use and easy to carry. Glass is also generally easy to recycle.

 

Silvio said that while glass cups don't affect the taste of coffee, "glass doesn't retain heat as well as ceramic." Since the temperature of the coffee affects its taste, when drinking it, it's best to make sure it's hot but not scalding.

 

Research shows that at temperatures below 50°C, the taste and aroma of coffee become weaker and harder to detect, so it is best to drink coffee while it is hot.

Tempered glass tumblers are also generally more expensive than ceramic, plastic or stainless steel tumblers. While the glass mug looks great, it's not ideal for those who want to take their coffee with them on the go.

 

Stainless steel

 

Stainless steel is virtually indestructible. Unlike glass, stainless steel retains heat well and is very easy to clean because metal is a natural conductor.

 

However, its shiny surface allows grease and fingerprints to easily remain on the surface.

 

Stainless steel also has a strong metallic smell that can affect the taste of your coffee.

 

Silvio points out that while stainless steel has a certain elasticity, the pores on the surface will gradually become larger over time, which means that it will absorb the remaining oils of the coffee, which will have an increasing impact on the taste of the coffee.

 

Dia added: "The acidity in coffee will corrode stainless steel (very, very slowly of course) and release trace amounts of potentially toxic substances such as nickel." While this is less likely to cause major health problems for most people, Silvio still recommends that people only use stainless steel cups and stainless steel bottles to drink water, not coffee.

plastic

 

Reinforced heat-resistant plastics are often used to make coffee mugs, bottles and mugs because plastics are cheap and easy to make. While plastic isn’t as strong as stainless steel, it’s not bad for hot coffee.

 

However, plastic cups are generally less durable than cups made from other materials, such as stainless steel.

 

In addition to this, plastic can also absorb unpleasant odors and flavors over time, which will affect the taste of your coffee. Silvio said: "Although you may not notice it the first time, slowly you will find that the coffee tastes weird."

 

Finally, plastic is also known to be harmful to the environment and is difficult to recycle in some areas. Even if you buy a plastic cup and reuse it multiple times, it will end up in a landfill.

 

ceramics

 

Ceramic mugs are popular because they are cheap, lightweight, and retain heat well. It also won't affect the taste of your drink, making it ideal for coffee mugs.

 

The color and design of the ceramic mug are great. “Ceramic is still the best choice for coffee,” says Silvio, because it has all the advantages of other materials and none of the disadvantages.

 

"Ceramic is very environmentally friendly. Like stainless steel, it is non-porous and heat-resistant." Therefore, Silvio highly recommends WOKY's ceramic mug.

 

Silvio says that with this cup, “your coffee tastes the best, it’s easy to carry around, and it retains heat very well.” Because it’s all ceramic, it won’t affect the flavor of your coffee, and it’s dishwasher and safe. It is also very convenient for manual cleaning.

 

"WOKY is the first fully ceramic portable ceramic cup on the market. It is not just a ceramic lining. Silvio told me: "Many thermos cup linings are ceramic-coated, or stainless steel is used as the cup rim. Dia added that because the bottle is fully ceramic, it is also reusable and can be consumed with juice, milk, tea and even carbonated drinks.

 

"We see a lot of stainless steel thermos bottles on the market, and a lot of people use them to drink coffee. But you also hear a lot of people complaining about the "weird metallic taste" and the difficulty in cleaning.

 

To get the most out of your coffee, you need the right tools. Including the entire process from brewing to drinking.

 

There is a whole range of materials to choose from. While some coffees may be more visually appealing or retain heat better than others, your first priority should be to choose a sustainable option that will keep your coffee warm and taste the best possible coffee.