why does a cup of coffee taste so much better from a mug?

[vash]

than a paper cup.

i say 80% of my coffee comes from a paper cup. i hate it, but the convience it tough to beat. i dont buy the cheapo coffee from our pool. folgers...(shiver).

it taste better, because of the smell?

[mossguy]

I believe that holding the mug in your hand signifies to your brain that you are reasonably relaxed, enough to take the time to actually enjoy the coffee. The mug provides a sens of permanence and reliability (needs a better word).

A paper cup tells your brain to hurry up, do something else while you are drinking coffee, multi-task, don't get further behind, etc., etc.

I am typing this while I am enjoying another cup of coffee in my favorite mug!

Best,
Tom

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by mossguy

I believe that holding the mug in your hand signifies to your brain that you are reasonably relaxed, enough to take the time to actually enjoy the coffee. The mug provides a sens of permanence and reliability (needs a better word).

A paper cup tells your brain to hurry up, do something else while you are drinking coffee, multi-task, don't get further behind, etc., etc.

I am typing this while I am enjoying another cup of coffee in my favorite mug!

Best,
Tom

Couldn't have said it better myself. Bang-on.

Same psychology in having beer in a mug or stein versus in a plastic cup (or worse, can).

[The Gaijin]

A first is cools the coffee quicker so you can drink it at a more reasonable temperature - and a mug retains the heat better so it stays close to optimal temperature longer..

That and all the psychological benefits as noted above.

[pwd72s]

Mug man here as well...make your own...take it to work. Stainless thermoses work great! Cindy & I even take our own espresso to the pool hall in a small Thermos. I should go easy on the stuff tho, makes my stroke jerky.

But then, the only stroke I'll ever have will put me in the hospital...

[Sunroof]

I prefer to drink coffee in a big ceramic white MUG such as those found on Navy vessel chow rooms. Those nice heavy feeling, thick mugs that communicate the feeling that all that weight plus the liquid it holds is really something special.

Coffee always tastes better in a nice ceramic MUG. Like taking a bite out of a York Peppermint pattie!

[Dantilla]

The worst coffe is in a styrofoam cup.

[trekkor]

I'm getting ready for a cup in above mentioned white ceramic mug!


KT

[911Rob]

I agree, it's in your head; although I never drink coffee from anything other than my favorite mug. 2x each morning, can't live without it.

[vmisquez]

Coffee from a breast is best

[vash]

i think i have a ceramic breast mug. you sip from the nipple. i had to leave that in texas away from my wife.

on weekends i make coffee with my french press. i boil plenty of water, so i can use some to warm my mug. on weekdays, i sprint from home, and buy coffee and sip it from that damn plastic holed lid, on my paper cup. weak.

[vmisquez]

Those ceramic breasts were a common item aboard many US Navy Vessels BEFORE women were allowed to serve aboard. You could get them in Subic Bay for about US $1.00 if you had any cash left over from nightly outings of live rock-n-roll, barbecue, syrup, booze, pot and sex.

I no longer partake of afore mentioned activities..... except for the sex.

[the]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Same psychology in having beer in a mug or stein versus in a plastic cup (or worse, can).

Many of my best memories are associated with drinking beer from plastic cups.

[Dueller]

Speaking of coffee...why does restaurant coffee always taste better. I'm not a coffee afficionado but I do like a cup on a chilly morning in my garage. I've got a basic Krupps coffee maker. I suspect it has something to do with the temp of the water or sumpin' like that.

[Sapporo Guy]

hmmm, my GF and I recently bought very large mouth mugs (almost double the size of what we normally used). Dam coffee cooled too fast. However, the mugs look great and felt good in the hand ... oh well.

I hate styrofoam ... even when I was younger ... just plain bad.

I have never really noticed a big difference in quality paper cups or mugs. At times, the paper probably actually added to the flavor

MY father is a fanatic when it comes to his coffee:

#1 don't -- wash the coffee pot often, if you do use vinegar or just plain water. lolo, I agree, I freaking hate soapy tasting coffee!

#2 don't -- never, ever, drink old coffee. Freshly made "cheapo stuff" tastes better than day old "good" coffee.

#3 use -- freshly ground beans always taste better than grounded canned or bagged varieties. Hmmm, I would argue the point that a freshly opened bag would be equivalent but he's my dad and his standard response would be ... "get me some more coffee".

#4 follow the above and even a cheapy machine ends up being a better.


Recently I've been contemplating on moving up from my $40 machine. The grinder on the side is pretty handy but Dueller's point of about the temp of the water has been bothering me for a while. My GF's old machine seemed to use less water and if memory serves correct, tasted better. lolo, my machine takes in 5 cups and puts out 4.1 cups of water ... wtf?

Anybody have any comments about brewing?

I visit local coffee shops all the time and the best stuff has been hand poured with a long nosed tea kettle and cloth filters. hmmmm

note: I'm currently hooked on the vanilla something beans from COSTCO. Though obviously my first love is anything from KONA.

[mossguy]

Any drink with vanilla in it, is not coffee!

Best,
Tom

[gr8fl4porsche]

Why does Starbucks coffee at a Starbucks taste like crap but the Starbucks brand beans you buy in the grocery store taste so delicious?

I'm sure its the amount of coffee they use to brew with, way too strong for me.

[Aerkuld]

I don't think it has much to do with psychology, although maybe it does play some part.

I think a minute amount of the of the styrofoam/ paper/chemical treatment/wax coating or whatever gets dissolved in the coffee which taints it's flavor. A ceramic mug has a hard, smooth, glossy surface with nothing to dissolve. I've previously poured coffee at work into the styrofoam cup as I was passing the coffee pot then tipped the contents of the styrofoam cup into my mug when I got back to my desk and it still tastes like a styrofoam cup.

The same is true for beer. The old aluminum cans definitely had an effect on the taste of the beer and it was still there even if you pour it into a glass. The newer cans with a thin membrane liner are a big improvement and a bottle has very little effect on the taste. As far as glasses for beer are concerned, some are actually designed specifically to enhance certain aspects of a particular beer in much the same way that a wine glass is different for red or white wine. Of course I am assuming the wine makes it as far as the glass.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by mossguy

I believe that holding the mug in your hand signifies to your brain that you are reasonably relaxed, enough to take the time to actually enjoy the coffee. The mug provides a sens of permanence and reliability (needs a better word).

A paper cup tells your brain to hurry up, do something else while you are drinking coffee, multi-task, don't get further behind, etc., etc.

I am typing this while I am enjoying another cup of coffee in my favorite mug!

Best,
Tom

Excellent post.

[slakjaw]

I got a question.. Why does coffee taste like crap every time I wash my mug? if I dont wash it just rinse it out everyday coffee tastes awesome.