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Coffee

(24 Posts)
MawBroon Mon 23-Apr-18 11:01:50

Could somebody with a scientific bent, please explain why coffee with cold milk tastes so different from coffee made with hot?
The former is Eurgh IMO but I feel I am sounding precious if I ask for hot milk in a restaurant.

Scribbles Mon 23-Apr-18 11:05:36

I'm not a scientist and can't answer the question, Maw but, as I sit here with a glorious mug of Taylors' Italian to hand, I couldn't help reflecting that your sentiments about milk are the exact opposite of mine. Hot milk? Nooooooooo!

Panache Mon 23-Apr-18 11:06:44

A learning curve for me indeed as quite frankly......and excuse my ignorance!........but I did not even know it possible to make and drink coffee made with cold milk!
As a great lover of coffee,the percolated kind.............I love it piping hot,whilst mainly black.
If with milk............. it is -hot- milk always
I am sure you will find someone reply with the necessary knowledge,but for now,cheers and drink up Maw!

sunseeker Mon 23-Apr-18 11:07:36

As long as the caffeine content is high I really don't mind! Yesterday we had a power cut from 10.00 a.m. until 8.00 p.m. and I was without coffee ALL DAY - not a pretty sight!

MawBroon Mon 23-Apr-18 11:26:25

Oh poor sunseeker you must have been desperate!

Just to add to my general pickiness, I also detect a difference in flavour in the coffee between milk heated for 20 seconds in the microwave and milk heated in my milk “frother” (and prefer the latter)
☕️

GrandmaMoira Mon 23-Apr-18 11:39:08

I think frothy milk tastes completely different to ordinary milk and I don't like it. I can't taste the difference between hot and cold milk in coffee though always have cold myself, otherwise you have to wait for it to cool before you can drink it. I hate milky coffee like cappuchino and latte.
I'd rather have tea anyway!

Greyduster Mon 23-Apr-18 12:22:33

I am another who prefers cold milk in coffee, or black coffee, and yes I think hot milk alters the taste of the coffee. I will drink the occasional cappuccino but was served one recently, in a rather expensive, ‘artisan’ coffee shop, about which the only good thing was the intricate pattern on the top. It was less than lukewarm and was sent back to be remedied. While on the subject of hot milk, can anyone explain to me why, if you tap a cup of hot milk with a spoon, it has a different sound to cold milk, or a cup of any other hot liquid?

Welshwife Mon 23-Apr-18 12:33:46

It is the same sound if you tap a cup of hot chocolate made with hot milk - strange - I was thinking about that very point a couple of days ago.
I am not so affected by hot or cold milk but I really do not like UHT milk in drinks - when put in cold has a very distinctive smell as you raise the cup to your lips.

lemongrove Mon 23-Apr-18 12:38:38

We’re into physics now! grin I must do a mug tapping experiment.
Hot milk really does taste different to cold in coffee, we make it with both depending on the coffee, instant gets cold milk, filter gets hot milk.

Agus Mon 23-Apr-18 12:56:05

I only drink black coffee but some visitors request brown/white and I just add cold milk accordingly. No complaints so far.

Sunseeker I drink probably far too much coffee so a couple of hours never mind a full day without it!!! Impossible?

Farmor15 Mon 23-Apr-18 15:43:39

I think it might be the effect of heating the milk- it changes some of the proteins. After all, milk that’s been boiled and let go cold, tastes different from unheated cold milk. Even though cold milk added to hot coffee gets heated, it’s not heated to as high a temperature so the proteins don’t have time to be changed. UHT milk tastes different because of heat treatment.

I’ll have a guess at different sound for tapping cup of hot or cold liquid- might be because cold liquids usually have air dissolved in them, or because density changes when heated (someone did suggest there might be a scientific answer!). I’ll have to get out my lab coat and do some experimentssmile

Witzend Wed 25-Apr-18 20:27:04

Just a little cold milk, please. I hate even the smell of hot milk. And STRONG coffee - I can't bear that weak, widdly stuff.
Presumably things taste different to different people. Tea with milk tastes absolutely vile to me, but obviously it tastes nice to most people.

Chewbacca Wed 25-Apr-18 20:34:53

Strong black coffee with just a dash of cold milk is perfect. Hot milk, even the same quantity, makes it taste like a bed time drink, to me. And like another poster said, cappuccinos and frothy coffees are just not for me. I really don't like all that frothy stuff taking up room in the mug where good coffee should be.

travelsafar Thu 26-Apr-18 08:10:51

I always make instant coffee with the cold milk in the mug before the hot water. I was told this tip when I worked in a cafe. Apparently when you pour hot water onto granules you burn them and make the coffee taste bitter, putting the milk in first protects them.It does make a difference to the flavour.

MawBroon Thu 26-Apr-18 08:19:47

Instant coffee in a cafe sad - that brings back unhappy memories.
Mind you I am sick of all the flat white/latte/cappuccino nonsense, if I want filter coffee with hot milk (which I usually do, not a beige hot milk bedtime drink) I apparently have to ask for an americano.

MawBroon Thu 26-Apr-18 08:20:58

Thank you Farmor that is the sort of explanation I was looking for ☕️

Charleygirl Thu 26-Apr-18 08:27:49

I used to order a capuccino (sp) when out but it was too milky and was delivered with hot milk which I find revolting.

I now ask for Americano served with cold milk and that is perfect.

I was at a meeting last week and both coffee and tea were served with hot milk. I do not drink tea and gave the coffee a miss.

I am not a lover of milk, hot or cold maybe that is why I prefer a little cold with my coffee. Ihave never offered any friends hot milk with their coffee and no complaints to date.

MawBroon Thu 26-Apr-18 08:34:57

I would hope no friends would be rude enough to complain!
#gratefulforacuppa

Marthajolly1 Thu 26-Apr-18 08:40:59

One large strong hot black coffee first thing to get me going. Then tea all day with cold milk. It has never occurred to me to offer hot milk to visitors. I will do in future but for me definitely cold milk if I do take a day time coffee. Are we all tapping our drinks with spoons today? That's new to me. wink

Panache Thu 26-Apr-18 08:46:08

I could cheerfully kick myself for obviously not thinking clearly when answering your initial posting Maw,my head was stuck someplace else for sure!!
Of course I am accustomed to adding hot.........or cold milk......to coffee,but as for my preference it is for black percolated coffee * and* more brown sugar than is truly recommended!
Why are all the things that you love seemingly "bad" for you?
I do drink lattes for instance when out sometimes and I even managed "surviving" on a drink that went under the name coffee whilst in Hospital.........until my man took great pity on me and brought in a jar of the bought of a shelf stuff.
But surviving without? Nigh impossible.
Were I stranded on a desert island yes,the humble coffee pot would be one of the first things I would grab.........plus the coffee itself of course!!!

TerriBull Thu 26-Apr-18 09:36:12

Maw Broon you are not alone, my husband also asks for hot milk. I too find hot milk preferable, we have a Dualit milk frother, if you press once it comes out frothy, but press twice it doesn't, it's just hot. Personally I like a flat white rather than a frothed up affair. I love a couple of really good coffees in the morning they are very important to me and how I function. The latest "yoyo" advice I've read on coffee consumption, 3 coffees or so have many health benefits. No doubt there will be a contrary opinion to that theory before too long.

JackyB Thu 26-Apr-18 11:16:22

I can't stomach coffee, unless it is diluted with a lot of milk, so I drink it with frothed up milk, which, by definition is warm. With the proportions like that, the milk would have to be hot or it would be a coffee milk shake!

Fennel Thu 26-Apr-18 11:20:15

I don't like any milk in coffee ( sorry Maw that doesn't answer your question.)
I used to love those tiny cups of very strong black coffee they sell in France, with lots of brown sugar. Still do.
Afterwards you walk around in a daze for an hour or so.

travelsafar Thu 26-Apr-18 12:42:23

MawBroon thats all that was available back in the late 60's early 70's unless you were lucky enough to have Wimpey bar in your town. We were none the wiser either.