Stop Skipping This 30-Second Mug Trick That Makes Your Coffee Taste 10X Better

There are a few simple coffee-making tricks that baristas know which can upgrade your at-home coffee in seconds. According to Matt Woodburn-Simmonds, the ex-barista who founded Home Coffee Expert, one of the most important is pre-heating your cup. As Woodburn-Simmonds notes, "Pour[ing] coffee into a cold porcelain cup can drop the temperature massively; this can ruin the flavor balance of espresso." While I hated being asked for extra hot drinks when I was a barista, I agree that temperature is key to a good cup of Jo. Luckily, ensuring your coffee is warm enough couldn't be easier. Just pour hot water into your mug and leave it for 30 seconds before swapping it with the coffee.

While it might be hard to believe something so simple could improve a hot drink, Woodburn-Simmons says, "By pre-heating your cup you'll reduce the amount the espresso cools when it is first brewed ... Espresso that cools too fast can taste flat and bitter." He went on to add that espresso that stays warm is usually better balanced in sweetness and acidity and has a crema that holds up.

As for what temperature to serve it at, Woodburn-Simmons says, "The best temperature to serve your coffee is 130-150 degrees Fahrenheit." Coffee's flavor comes from volatile organic compounds which are sensitive to temperature. As Woodburn-Simmonds puts it, the right temperature will mean your morning brew is "still hot but cool enough to taste the more delicate fruit flavors from the beans without highlighting the bitter compounds."

If you want the best flavor from your coffee and have time to do it, Woodburn-Simmonds recommends pre-heating your brewing setup as well as your mug. "Running a cycle on your coffee maker with no coffee before your first brew of the day will get all the internal parts warmed up and should result in a more consistent extraction temperature and better coffee." This should be possible whether you own a decent drip coffee maker or you've splurged on a high-end coffee machine. If you're a more analogue coffee lover, you can pre-warm a French press with hot water just like you did with the mug or boil water in a stovetop mocha pot before you start making espresso. 

Keeping coffee warm is a little trickier than serving it at the optimal temperature. Woodburn-Simmonds says, "Some coffee warming pads do a good job of keeping your coffee at a set temperature, but be careful: too much heat will 'cook' your coffee and make it taste terrible." The solution to this is simple: investing in good quality mugs. "Double-walled glasses are more than just pretty; the air insulation layer helps to keep your coffee hotter for longer than a regular glass." 

If you do invest in a warming pad, look for one with adjustable temperature settings. That way you can keep your coffee in that magic 130 to 150 degree zone all day, enjoying the same balanced flavors after lunch as you did at 7 a.m.