2021-02-03

Blog - How Hot Should Coffee Be?

How hot should your coffee be?

We all know that there is a ‘right’ temperature to have your coffee but what is the difference that temperature makes in a good cup?

Generally, the science says when brewing your cup of coffee you want to aim for 90.5 – 96.1 degrees Celsius. Why? Well, when the temperature of the coffee is lower, it will taste more acidic. Low-temperature coffee has a lower body and a lower sweetness. Higher temperature coffee has high body, high bitterness and is very sweet.

To create a better flavour in both home and café brewed coffees it is easier to adjust the grind of your coffee rather than water adjustments, however, if you want to create that temperature perfection there are some tools you can use to help.

The most common and effective tool to create the perfect temperature for your coffee is a gooseneck kettle. Sounds fancy, and it is. It’s a tool for the perfectionist in all of us, the gooseneck kettle controls how you pour which means that you get a better overall saturation in the brew.

One highly rated example of the gooseneck kettle is the Coffee Gator Pour Over Kettle. This is a gooseneck kettle with a built-in thermometer to help you achieve the perfect pour and temperature. $178.00

The Hario Buono V60 Drip Kettle is another gooseneck kettle which has a streamlined design and is a stove-top kettle. Again, the Hario Buono V60 pours slower than normal kettles which means that you can achieve greater control and precision with your pour. $48.99

The Bonavita Gooseneck Electric Kettle is another highly rated product; this kettle has a hold and temperature set button meaning that you can pre-set temperatures and have quick access to them, as well as hold that temperature for up to 60 minutes. $104.99

For those who like to integrate their coffee and their tech, the Ember 295ml Temperature Control Mug 2 from Apple should scratch that itch. This mug and its mobile app companion can control the temperature of your brew and keep it at that temperature for 1.5 hours on a single charge.

The La Pavoni Temperature Strip is a tool which is best used on café coffee machines. The tool communicates the temperature of the group head on the machine. It changes colour as the temperature heats up and shows temperatures from 75 to 105 degrees Celsius.

Low tech or high tech, home based or commercial, these products mean there’s no excuses for a lukewarm brew!