How mug size is changing the taste of your coffee
For most of us making or ordering a cup of coffee is a ritual. We order or make a drink in the same size and type without thinking about the nuances of the taste that could be affected if we were to change our drinking habits.
But sometimes if we do deviate from our routine, say use a different sized cup, we get some variation in taste. But why does this happen, when you still prepare your drink in exactly the same way?
Well, Researchers at the Food Quality and Preference have found that the size and thickness of your mug has a direct and perceived taste on your morning coffee…
300 volunteers from China, Colombia and the UK were asked to take a survey, which told them to rate a range of coffees in order of aroma, bitterness, intensity, temperature, caffeine-level and sweetness.
These research subjects were also asked how much they would be willing to cough up for the coffee – all based on the size and shape of the mug.
Mug size and perception of size plays a major part in how we perceive our coffee taste
Almost all of the participants from all three nations expected that the coffee served in shorter, more narrow cups to taste bitter, more aromatic and therefore more intense.
When serving coffee from a mug with a wider diameter, the subjects stated that they would expect the coffee to taste sweeter, with those from the UK and Colombia more willing to pay more for coffee served in these mugs.
The Chinese participants were much more forgiving, generally stating that they would be willing to pay the same price, whatever the cup size.
But what does this actually mean?
“If café owners, baristas, and crockery manufacturers want to manipulate people’s expectations of coffee, they should carefully consider the diameter and height of the cups they use/produce, as these features will likely affect expected aroma, bitterness, sweetness, and intensity,” the study concludes.
Researchers also added that it’s advisable to match customers’ expectations, which in turn influences many customers purchasing choices.
So, your best bet is to bring out the big mugs for light and sweet coffee, with small mugs for the hardcore black coffee lovers.
The best thing? We can provide all the mugs for every single coffee drinker who comes to your coffee shop!