Do you have a favourite cup?
How is it going, coffee lover?
If you are a cup hoarder like Vikra (he has 15+ cups), you might have a favourite cup for different coffees, moods, activities, etc.
I have my favourites too. The coffee just tastes better, or a more accurate way of saying this would be drinking from my favourite cups feels wonderful.
I was curious to know why. Not long after, I found myself in another rabbit hole.
Science suggests that the vessel you drink from plays a surprising role in how you perceive your coffee’s taste.
We will talk about it today.
New fav cup
— Aravind Balla (@aravindballa)
1:07 PM • Nov 25, 2024
Why does coffee taste different in different cups?
Eating or drinking is not the only way your tongue interprets taste. It is a complete sensory experience. Smell, sight, touch, and even our subconscious expectations shape the experience.
The smell makes up for more than half the experience.
We feel we can’t taste food when we catch cold. Wondered why? That’s because our smell is blocked. You can test this for yourself. Close your nose and have food.
Fun Fact: This is also the reason behind using the same cups while cupping coffee (standard protocol to grade coffee worldwide). Imagine not being graded as a specialty coffee because the cupper didn’t like the cup. That would be weird.
What does the research say?
I brewed coffee and poured it into 2 different cups. I was fascinated to observe a heavy black ceramic cup made me feel the coffee was bold and robust. While a light transparent cup tasted brighter. However, both coffees tasted almost identical as I kept sipping. Probably because I knew the coffees were the same and my brain adjusted.
Here are the key differences summarized from the notes I took while researching.
Color: White cups tend to amplify the perceived intensity of coffee’s flavor compared to transparent mugs. This might be due to the contrast between the dark coffee and the bright white interior, which primes our brain to expect a more robust taste. Blue and clear cups, on the other hand, often lead to perceiving coffee as smoother and less intense.
Shape: The cup’s shape influences more than just how we hold it. Taller, narrower cups tend to concentrate aromatics, enhancing our perception of floral and fruity notes. Wider cups, with their larger surface area, can emphasize chocolate and nutty undertones by allowing more oxygen to interact with the coffee.
Touch: The texture and weight of your cup add another layer to the experience. Heavy cups often make us perceive coffee as richer and more substantial, while lighter cups might lead us to focus more on the brighter, acidic notes.
Things to explore
If you are looking to expand your already big collection of coffee cups, I highly recommend the Aroma series of cups that Origami came up with. I bought one myself.
Here is some more info about such cups.
If you have a favourite cup, let me know why it is your favorite and how it makes you feel.
If possible, attach a picture as well. Vikra says he’d love to explore new cups (and probably add 10 more to his collection.)
Have a great weekend!