Why do cold drinks taste better?
 

Other than drinks that (in general) are supposed to be served hot (like tea, or coffee, or hot chocolate--though even those have cold variants), why do beverages taste better cold? Soda, juice, beer, even water. All taste better when cold. Is it just me? Is this a cultural/American thing? Beer is often served lukewarm in Britian, no?

My Google-Fu tells me it should be the other way 'round. That cold temp suppresses taste bud activity, thereby making warmer (or room temp) drinks sweeter and more flavorful than chilled ones. But my own taste buds prefer an ice-cold Coke (or juice/beer/water) to tepid stuff.

Throwing this out there with zero scientific study, but maybe since our bodies our warm, cool beverages absorb quicker and go down smoother?

I think that the word is, "refreshing," but putting it into any kind of scientific terms is above my pay grade. It's undeniable, though.

When I was 12 years old, 50 years ago, I took a trip to Guatemala and Honduras with my stepdad and I could not believe that they only had warm Coke in the villages and countryside. I know that they are poor countries but if ever a place needed refrigeration and ice cubes, that was it!

That's exactly the response I wanted. I tried looking at the science, and the science says warmer drinks should be more flavorful. But when I come in after mowing the yard or working on one of the cars, I am much more satisfied by a cold Coke or Gatorade or beer, than I am a warm one which I forgot to pop into the 'fridge.

Yes, more refreshing. Perhaps our American culture has us partial to iced drinks, and hot tea/coffee. My gf is Korean and she tends to drink room temp water. I'm not sure about the Asian Indian culture, but most of the Indian restaurants served me room temp water, too.

In NZ cold drinks are served very cold. I think I must be the only guy in the country that doesn't like them cold. I feel I can't really appreciate the flavours when they are that cold. the cold level I like would be described as cellar, or the coldest room in the house cold. Mind you, when in very hot countries like Samoa or the other islands I like them fridge cold as a way of cooling down.

For flavor, yes. For example, the taste of a good Scotch is many times better at room temp.

Exactly. The cold is needed for refreshment and feels so good being slammed down the hatch.

Ice cold water fills that bill, too.

So does ice cold buttermilk, but that's just me. Haven't had any in a long time.

Haven't done anything strenuous outside in the heat in a long time either, but that's another story.

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I normally don't drink beer to quench my thirst ... but like it ice cold. Everything else... H2O and juice now... room temp. ... and hot, black coffee.

Grew up on iced tea .... sweetened and iced! Yuck.... now.

You do know that many beverages are engineered for flavor palate at a particular temperature range?

People in food laboratories work hard to hit those taste points your body wants.
Plus there's a cultural aspect, as pointed out above.

Best
Les

This isn't your answer but I find his to be true. Cold Gatorade to me has very little flavor warm or hot gator is very favorable. I find the same to be true of warm Coke.

There is nothing like a refreshing cold drink on a hot day or after a good work out or sports. But personally I like room temp water.

Not all beers taste better cold. Porters and Stouts taste better at warmer temps. And then you have wine. A Cab Sauv or a Merlot taste completely different cold than they do at or near room temp.

I had some leftover herbal tea that I bought at of all places, a Hot Tuna concert. It was Ginger/ Hibiscus and was a nice hot tea to drink as a nightcap.

With the heat lately I've been making a lot of "sun tea" and bringing it to work with me in a cooler. After working up a good sweat moving stuff around I took a huge swig (more of a guzzle) and expected clean refreshment.

I don't know, that ginger had such a sharp, spicy bite it completely took away the refreshing coolness I was expecting.

I think I'll just stick to the Lime/ Cucumber Gatorade, that stuff does the trick!

yup. I got introduced to warm beer in England and found it much more flavorful.

oh man. ever drink a warm soda or "fruit" flavored juice? it will be so sweet you would want to puke. they have to put so much flavor into it to overcome the flavor muting that cold does.
just take a sip of a slurpee that has melted into the base syrup. gross. just awful.

cold anesthetizes your taste buds and prevent the bad flavors from affecting you