Coffee and water: why is water served with coffee and what water is served with coffee

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.

The history of espresso

Italians are the inventors of coffee machines. And they also taught us how to serve such drinks correctly. Residents of Italy drink this coffee with a feeling of pleasure.

And tourists get acquainted with the ceremony, how to serve espresso coffee correctly and continue the traditions at home.

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.

How to drink coffee with water correctly?

To get maximum pleasure from drinking the drink, you should follow certain rules, which, of course, can be adjusted to your preferences:

do not rush, before you start drinking coffee, you should take a couple of sips of water to cleanse the receptors, preparing them for the perception of aroma and taste;
when alternating coffee and water, you need to take small sips, holding them in your mouth for a short time;
do small intervals, because the rapid alternation of drinks dulls sensitivity, drowning out the taste and having a detrimental effect on the teeth;
water washes away the aftertaste of the aromatic drink, so everyone decides for themselves whether to drink the coffee to the bottom.

A coffee drink allows you to feel fresh and invigorated, toning your body for the whole day. After coffee, you should drink water, because alternating will bring more pleasure and allows you to get a richer, bright aroma.

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.

What should the water be like?

They drink different types of water after coffee. It can be simply boiled, bottled or even mineral. But there are some features in its selection and use, for example:

coffee should be served with water whose temperature does not exceed +10 degrees; if it is too cool, it can damage tooth enamel, which suffers from changes in the temperature of food and drink;
serve water in a glass or goblet half filled;
in hot weather, serve water with a slice of lemon or lime to enhance the cooling and thirst-quenching effect;
They drink water in small sips, as if tasting it and rinsing their mouth.

Water softens the effects of caffeine

If you want to leave a coffee taste in your mouth, you need to take water before or during drinking the drink. Do you drink mineral water less often, when and why do you drink it? Mineral water quenches thirst better and, due to its salt content, fixes moisture inside the cells. This achieves a moisturizing effect for a longer period.

Now it is clear why after coffee they drink an additional portion of liquid. Not many people do this, but it is much healthier and more enjoyable to follow age-old traditions and extend the coffee ceremony with a glass of cool water. This rule will benefit your health and well-being.

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.

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.

Interesting! The benefits and harms of coffee for human health, its effect on the body and substitutes

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.

Why do we need clean water?

Why do baristas serve glasses of cold water with espresso coffee?

Italians believe that it is necessary:

To cleanse your taste buds and prepare you for a fuller coffee experience.
Thanks to water, fluid is replenished in the body.
After coffee, caffeine remains in the body, which works there for about 30 minutes. If you drink espresso first and then water, its content decreases. And stabilization of renal activity also occurs.
Due to water, the stomach works with a reduced amount of hydrochloric acid.
The formation of dark plaque on teeth is prevented.

How does a coffee machine make coffee?

The coffee beans are ground and compacted into a tablet, which is inserted into the espresso machine. When we press the desired button, the coffee machine supplies water, the temperature of which is exactly 90-95 degrees; the pressure in machines is usually 9 bar. The drink is prepared in about 20 seconds. During this time, the boiling water dissolves the solids in the ground coffee. A dark, almost black liquid immediately pours out of the machine, which gradually begins to lighten. The color becomes less dark due to the fact that the solids in the coffee are washed out in smaller quantities. When the drink becomes completely light, the water supply is turned off - and you can taste real espresso. To understand whether you drink quality coffee or not, you need to learn to understand a few simple rules:

If the taste of the drink is sharp and sour to such an extent that discomfort and tingling are felt in the tongue area. This means that all the solids have not been washed out of the coffee. The same reason can also cause salty taste sensations.
However, modern coffee shops make the opposite mistake - on the contrary, these solid substances are washed out too much, which is why the coffee turns out to be bitter and unpleasant in taste.

But don’t scold the barista from the neighboring coffee shop; most often the problem is that many establishments brew the drink from over-roasted and low-quality beans. Even knowing how to properly drink espresso coffee with water will not help here.

How to serve and drink espresso correctly

Serving only hot coffee, immediately after it is prepared.
You need to drink the drink quickly so that the unique taste does not disappear.
Coffee is poured into heated cups at a certain temperature. To prevent the coffee from cooling down immediately.
Residents of Italy usually savor coffee at bar counters.
Saucers and spoons for visitors are brought in advance, before coffee is served.
After ordering, the bottoms of the cups are wiped with dry, clean napkins.
To serve coffee, baristas always prepare compliments for guests in the form of sweets.
The cups are brought to the table and placed at a short distance so that guests can move them towards themselves.
Espresso coffee is brewed only with aromatic foam. All additives are excluded.
It is correct to drink espresso from small ceramic cups of a certain thickness while the coffee is slowly cooling.

How to drink coffee drinks

Depending on the recipe, different containers can be used - tall glasses with handles for latte, medium glasses with thick walls for cappuccino, transparent for puff drinks so that the components that make up the dessert are clearly visible.

A saucer with a cup of espresso is placed on the tray, and a spoon is placed next to it. Milk or cream is served in a separate small container with a spout. The tray is placed a little further from the visitor so that he can move it independently when he decides to start drinking coffee.

How is espresso made?

The drink can be prepared if the water temperature reaches 90-95 degrees and passes under pressure through tightly compressed coffee. You don’t have to understand the technology, because it’s not possible to brew espresso at home. There is not enough coffee and hot water from the kettle here, because it’s all about pressure.

The process of brewing any coffee is based on washing away solids from the surface of the beans with water. It turns out that when coffee comes into contact with water, some of the substances end up in our cup. And only part of it dissolves because many of the substances that make up coffee simply do not dissolve in water. To get the best possible flavor, you should learn how to drink espresso coffee with cold water.

Cooking rules

To answer the question of how to drink espresso, you need to know how to prepare it correctly. In any restaurant, bar and cafe, espresso is prepared in coffee machines. Before brewing coffee, you need to carefully prepare the coffee machine, wipe all necessary equipment from condensation with a clean napkin. The coffee machine should not be dirty or have coffee stains, so after each preparation it should be thoroughly wiped dry.

For preparation, the client can choose any favorite type of coffee. Each establishment has a huge selection of ground coffee for every taste, and also has its own signature variety.

Coffee beans are roasted for a deeper, stronger flavor. Then they are crushed using a coffee grinder and poured into a coffee machine. While the cooking process is underway, they are preparing the cups. They need to be warmed up.