Why is water served with coffee? Is it possible to do without it?
Water is brought for a reason.
Its purpose is not the aesthetic side of the issue or the rules of table setting. Although most people prefer to go without water when drinking coffee, professional baristas do not recommend drinking coffee this way.
Reasons for this appearance:
Water enhances the taste of coffee.- Water reduces the amount of hydrochloric acid produced by the body. It helps with heartburn or when taken on an empty stomach in the morning.
- Caffeine increases blood pressure. Water reduces caffeine levels in the blood and regulates blood pressure.
- Coffee affects the diuretic system and removes water from the body. To avoid dehydration and restore water balance, you must not forget to drink water.
How to drink coffee with water
If you want to get the most out of a cup of coffee, take it slowly. Before drinking coffee, take a few small sips of water to “refresh” your receptors and prepare them for the rich taste of coffee. At the same time, this will help you internally tune in to the “coffee ceremony.”
Drink coffee and water in small sips, alternating a sip of coffee with a sip of water. You can hold the water in your mouth for a while without swallowing so that it can better “wash” your receptors.
Take breaks between sips: quickly alternating scalding coffee with cold water will prevent you from experiencing the taste of the drink, dulling your sensitivity. In addition, such a “contrast shower” will have an adverse effect on the teeth. Enjoy every sip.
Whether to finish the water after coffee or leave the right to the “last sip” of a thick, aromatic drink - everyone decides for himself. Water washes away the aftertaste, but at the same time makes you feel more alert and fresh.
Should it be consumed before or after a coffee drink?
In order for the drink to benefit the body, give a unique sensation to the receptors and not leave a bad aftertaste, you need to drink a few sips of water before, during and after drinking espresso. Each of these actions has its own logical explanation.
Drinking water before drinking coffee is necessary in order to eliminate the remnants of previous food on the taste buds and prepare them to perceive coffee notes. Then a person will be able to enjoy the whole palette of sensations and retain a pleasant aftertaste for a long time.
During administration, you need to alternate between the drink and H2O . Even after the first sips of espresso, you cannot fully feel its taste and aroma. Therefore, to sharpen the sensations, coffee lovers are advised to drink some water.
Then the next sips will again become rich in sensation, and the invigorating property will appear even more intensely. Water also dilutes the cloying or sourness if it is present in the drink and relieves the feeling of thirst after a while.
You need to drink water (about 200 ml) after coffee about 15-20 minutes so as not to deprive yourself of the coffee aftertaste. Reasons for drinking water after espresso:
- Teeth protection .
The drink leaves a yellow coating on the enamel, which is absorbed into it and spoils the whiteness of the teeth. Dentists advise drinking a little water after espresso to wash away the coffee pigment and prevent it from being absorbed. Otherwise, a subsequent negative effect on the enamel will be ensured. - Cardiovascular protection . If you drink a little cool, clean water immediately after drinking the drink, the drinks will mix in the stomach, and the effect of coffee on the heart and blood vessels will be minimized. Water protects the cardiovascular system from overload, regulates heart rate and prevents sudden increases in heart or blood pressure.
- Protection against vasoconstriction of the kidneys . If a person suffers from kidney disease, he simply needs to drink a glass of water to prevent narrowing of the renal vessels and prevent the occurrence of aching pain.
- Protection against dehydration . Having diuretic properties, coffee can have a bad effect on human mucous tissue and skin. By drinking water after espresso, a person prevents excess fluid loss.
- Eliminating aftertaste . To get rid of the cloying bitter or sour feeling in your mouth, you need to drink a glass of water.
Reasons why you should drink water after coffee
General
Drinking water with coffee is believed to be good for health. The method allows you to enhance the taste and aroma. In some countries, it is a tradition to serve a cup of invigorating Americano or espresso with a glass of still mineral water in coffee shops.
There is still no single rule for drinking water with coffee: before, after or during drinking.
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Let's find out why cold water is served with coffee.
Activation of taste buds
Each type of coffee bean gives a unique aroma, taste and aftertaste after preparation. After a few sips, the taste buds are no longer so keenly aware of all the subtleties of the drink.
A little water between drinks helps restore the brightness and richness of taste. So every sip will bring pleasure.
Enamel protection and vigor
With regular consumption of dark drinks, teeth begin to change shade. An unpleasant yellowness appears on the enamel.
To maintain a beautiful smile with snow-white teeth, you need to wash down every sip of coffee with water. In this case, the coloring pigment is washed off from the tooth enamel, which does not have time to be absorbed.
20-30 minutes after a cup of strong coffee, the body relaxes and drowsiness appears. Cool water neutralizes this effect and invigorates.
Relief from thirst and dehydration
Often after coffee you feel thirsty. Drinking a hot drink in hot weather puts additional stress on the body and makes you thirsty. Cool water protects against overheating.
A glass of cold water helps prevent dehydration. It's all about the properties of the coffee bean, the shell of which contains caffeine, and the inside contains theobromine.
Caffeine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. The blood vessels in the kidneys dilate, causing increased urination. Theobromine dilates blood vessels after 20 minutes, but in the kidneys they narrow. As a result, blood pressure first increases, and then a pulling sensation appears in the back. Therefore, it is important to drink coffee with water.
What should H2O be?
Cold and clean water is used for supply, but does not contain chlorine and is not distilled. Its temperature should be in the range from 10 to 15 °C.
Do not add ice cubes, sugar or sweeteners to the water. It is also not advisable to mix it with lemon juice, fruit juice or herbal decoction.
Mixing with juice or decoction is allowed only if the drink is prepared according to the original recipe , and such a drink serves to enhance or emphasize the taste sensations.
Peculiarities
Choice of water
When choosing water, certain requirements are observed so as not to spoil the taste and emphasize the entire aroma of coffee. Pure spring or boiled water is best. It should be soft, without bleach. Distilled is also not suitable.
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The temperature should be at least 10 degrees. In hot weather, warmer temperatures are allowed, but not more than 20 degrees.
It has become common to add a few drops of lemon juice or any other juice that does not contain sugar to the water. This enhances the natural acidity of the coffee drink.
The liquid must not contain sugar or substitutes. Serve in a high-sided glass.
In some countries they serve mineral water that has its own taste.
Sometimes they bring additional boiling water to reduce the coffee strength.
Suitable drink
Water in coffee shops is served with the following coffee drinks:
- Americano;
- lungo;
- ristretto;
- macchiato;
- black with yolks;
- Viennese coffee is drunk with water and in small sips to overcome the taste of cream;
- in Turkish – reduces the bitterness of the drink, drink afterwards;
- black - drink in small sips.
Continuing the topic, we recommend that you read the article “How to properly drink espresso with water.”
Which is correct?
Hot water is never served with drinks. The liquid should be cold, but not icy.
Secrets of European coffee drinking:
first take a few sips of water;- drink the drink slowly;
- alternate between espresso and water;
- for 3-5 sec. retain water in your mouth to thoroughly cleanse your taste buds;
- pause between sips to taste the espresso;
- take the last sip and leave a coffee aftertaste for 20 minutes or immediately refresh your mouth with water.
Everything you need to know about drinking water can be found in this section.
What kind of water is served with coffee?
The best water option for drinking coffee is spring, bottled or boiled water; its taste is the mildest and most neutral. The water should be chilled, cool - but not icy. A foggy glass of staggeringly cold water with ice is, of course, pleasing to the eye in hot weather - but it will create too sudden temperature changes and “stun” the taste buds.
Some people like to drink coffee with mineral water. It has its own taste, which will affect the perception of the taste of coffee. But the taste contrast will still remain, so the effect “every sip of coffee is like the first” will be pronounced.
Sometimes water for coffee is slightly flavored. You can put a slice of lemon or orange or a fresh mint leaf into the water and let it sit for a few minutes. The main thing is that the taste does not turn out to be too strong, taking away the taste of the coffee.
There are no strict rules on this matter, so you can experiment, choosing an option “for yourself.”
How to enjoy espresso
Some interesting tips.
- It is better to drink hot espresso twenty minutes after eating. This way you won’t lose the aftertaste of the dish and enjoy the drink.
- If you want to diversify the taste of your coffee, you can try an unusual combination. First, take a small sip of sugar-free espresso. Then stir sugar in a pre-prepared tall glass with cold milk. Drink half of the sweet milk. And add espresso to the rest and drink the resulting cocktail with pleasure. Visually, the drink looks very attractive: dark espresso draws patterns in the snow-white milk.
Knowing how to drink espresso with water or milk, you can choose the best option for drinking the drink, leaving room for experimentation in the form of various coffee additives.
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First steps and development
The first espresso machine was called La Pavoni and was invented in 1903, and already in 1905 an improved version of it was actively sold on the market. The most important difference between the espresso of that time and the modern one was not so much in taste and density, but in the speed of preparation.
Launched in 1905, La Pavoni was already preparing coffee many times faster. There was a real boom here, the so-called coffee revolution. The industry was actively developing, there were even more people who loved the drink, and a huge number of people wanted to make money from it. Now coffee shops have become the most profitable business, and the market is actively developing. Then coffee etiquette began to develop, and the question of how to properly drink espresso with water became very relevant.
