The Hot Water Trick That Prevents Your Cup Of Coffee From Cooling Down
Hot coffee or iced coffee? Deciding which form of the globally beloved beverage reigns supreme is undoubtedly one of the longest-standing debates in society, and it probably isn't getting settled anytime soon. No matter how you prefer to get your caffeine fix, though, most would probably agree that on a frigid winter day, hot coffee is the obvious choice. A steaming, fragrant, smooth cup of joe is sure to warm you up from the inside out.
The problem, as any avid coffee drinker can tell you, is how fleeting that warmth is, especially for those who take their coffee in small sips. A lukewarm coffee doesn't carry nearly the same appeal in terms of its delivery of aroma, flavor, and, of course, heat.
One simple trick can help prolong the warmth of a coffee cup, so even the slowest of sippers can relish in that warmth all the way through.
A coffee is only as hot as its container
All you have to do to keep your coffee nice and warm is preheat the mug. This can be done by running the mug under a hot tap or swishing boiled water for a few seconds. It's a simple method, and it takes mere moments to implement into a morning or afternoon coffee ritual. While popping the cup in the microwave can do the job too, this method (depending on the microwave's strength) might also overheat the mug itself to the point that the handle is too scalding to hold; the hot water sloshing method is usually a safer bet.
Whether you prefer a classic drip, a foamy latte, a spot of tea, or a hot beverage of any form really, this method is sure to help you retain as much of that sweet heat as possible. On a chilly day (or a day of any temperature for the true hot coffee stans) it's definitely worth giving a go.
For those who like to keep it cool
On the other hand, heat turns from friend to foe for those who stand firmly on the iced coffee side of the debate. And as spring and summer appear on the horizon, that foe becomes more and more of a threat to the lifespan of the icy cool drink. We all know how it goes — when the ice cubes melt, they water down the coffee and dilute the sacred flavor, leading to a significantly less appealing caffeine concoction.
There is no need to get heated on the issue, though, because there are ways to keep that coffee cool and full of flavor for longer too. One of the most creative solutions can be traced back to Reddit in the early 2010s and has since made its way to every corner of the internet – coffee ice cubes. Freezing coffee in an ice tray and using the frozen cubes instead of traditional water cubes means twice the coffee flavor and none of the watery dilution, all while keeping that cup nice and cool.
No matter where you find yourself on the iced-to-hot spectrum, if you wish to venture to either extreme end, these hacks can certainly help you get there.