Can a Cup's Material Affect Your Coffee's Taste?

Have you ever taken a sip of your favorite coffee blend (or single origin, if you prefer) and noticed that it tastes different in your usual ceramic mug versus a metal travel mug?

Maybe your morning coffee isn't that deep, but recently, I began noticing that when I drank my coffee from a stainless-steel insulated mug the coffee tasted much different than if I was having it in my favorite ceramic mug at home. I have a particularly sensitive palate — my husband didn't think I was crazy, but he couldn't much tell the difference on his own until I pointed it out— so I decided to consult a few coffee experts to see if I was on to something, or if this theory was all in my head.

It turns out that not only can the material of the coffee cup have an impact on how your drink tastes, but also there are many other factors at play. Of course, the taste of your coffee begins with the soil where it's grown and how the beans are picked. But you'll further impact your coffee's taste by the way your grind your beans (if you do so), what water you use, and what machinery (e.g. French press, pour over, drip) you use to brew your coffee. But let's start with the cup itself.

How the Cup's Material Affects Your Coffee's Taste

From a purely scientific standpoint, stainless steel is a stable and inert compound; the material itself should not be able to alter the coffee's flavor. However, stainless steel is porous, which means past coffee drinks or anything else you've had in that cup, including the dish soap, may impart some flavors. But that's not where this story stops.

"You are going to perceive at least the taste of your coffee in a metal cup versus paper cup versus ceramic, says David Duron, co-founder of Brazen Hazen, Kona coffee. "Paper and metal can play tricks on your mind based on the smells and taste."

And you should just avoid drinking anything hot out of plastic. It is generally the worst culprit because it is known to impart nasty particulates and flavors into your coffee. Most professional coffee roasters and tasters will use white porcelain or double-walled glass.

"Somehow, glass can even taste a little sweeter, and porcelain more well-rounded," says Chris Chacko, owner of Sparrow Coffee in Chicago.

How the Cup's Shape Affects Your Coffee's Taste

Just as with wine, the spot where coffee hits your mouth and tongue will change the flavor profile. Chacko likens it to drinking wine out of a Pinot Noir glass (where the wine hits the front of your tongue), as compared to drinking out of a wider Cabernet-style glass (where the wine hits the middle of your tongue).

"Shape matters in taste — coffee included — in where it hits your palate," Chacko says.

Often times you may drink from a wider cup at home but a skinnier "to go" cup on the road. You may even be sipping it through a smaller cup opening, too.

That brings up another issue in flavor: how much room you leave in the cup. If you fill it to the top you won't get that same nose feel, or whiff of coffee, when you drink if there isn't room in the cup.

"The first thing that your lips touch is the cup," says Duron. "The smell and aroma are the second thing — they all come into play."

How the Cup's Color Affects Your Coffee's Taste — Yes, Really

Believe it or not, even the color of your coffee mug can make a difference in what you taste. Think about food plated on a white plate versus food on a black or other colored plate. White adds an intensity that you may not noticeably recognize, but your brain does — that's why you often see chefs plate their food on white plates. There was even a study done in 2014 in Australia demonstrating this phenomenon.

"All of our senses are interconnected," Chacko says. "Maybe what we are really looking at is contrasting colors — dark colors become more pronounced in a white cup, more intense flavors. In glass, you have less of that contrast so in your mind, it may not taste that intense."

How the Coffee's Temperature Affects the Taste

The temperature of the coffee plays into how it tastes, too. Different cups retain levels of heat differently. For example, your stainless steel to-go cup may keep your coffee hotter for several hours, whereas your coffee mug at home cools off quicker. You never want to drink your coffee too hot, or it may burn your tongue and dull all of your senses. Sometimes a cooler cup of coffee can actually help you taste more nuanced flavors.

Related:

• How to Store Coffee So It Stays Fresh
• How to Make Coffee
• 40 Coffee Shop Drinks and Treats You Can Make at Home