What kind of coffee is drunk with water. How and why to drink cold water with hot coffee

Once in a coffee shop or restaurant, visitors often wonder why they are served a glass of water with espresso. Connoisseurs of taste, sensitive to the process of preparing a drink from a coffee grinder to a coffee maker, as well as its tasting, will appreciate this approach.

Many people know that it is right to drink coffee with water, but not everyone knows the reason for such a tandem. Where does such an unusual tradition originate and what is it for?

It is believed that for the first time cold water was served with coffee in Greece. Supporters of this version explain such an unusual combination by the hot climate of the country and the opportunity to freshen up after a hot drink. In Turkey, the custom of serving a glass of water with coffee also took root, from where it was brought to Europe. Later, in Vienna, the tradition was “reinvented” in a European way and began to accompany a glass of water.

In southern and European countries, water with espresso or just black coffee is drunk in different ways. Residents of Europe are more accustomed to alternating sips of coffee with water, while southerners start drinking water after a hot drink.

Each of the methods of reception gives a different effect:

• if you drink a hot drink alternately with cold water the taste buds are cleansed. Each new sip of coffee is rich, bright;
• if you drink water after espresso, then the dehydrating effect of coffee on the body is reduced, the coffee aftertaste is removed.

Why is drinking coffee with chilled water becoming more and more popular?

Arguments for"

Gourmets around the world savor espresso in combination with cold water. This is not so much a tribute to fashion as health care.

The ceremony includes: grain preparation, drink preparation and tasting. Coffee is consumed slowly, in small sips, appreciating the taste and aroma. An important role in the coffee ceremony is played by the table setting and the serving of the drink. The containers used should not exceed a volume of 90 ml and keep the temperature of the drink up to 15 minutes.

If the menu provides for sweets or light snacks, then they are placed to the left of the coffee accessories.

Chilled water is served in an individual container for each participant in the ceremony and is served simultaneously with a coffee drink.

If the event is organized as a coffee party, then the timing is important here: between lunch and dinner. This is dictated by the etiquette of today, modern fashion traditions and ceremonies of the past. When holding cozy home gatherings, time frames can be neglected, limiting yourself to a pleasant company and a positive attitude.

photo: depositphotos.com/lada 10, Neirfys, tairen 10

About 1.6 billion cups of coffee are drunk a day worldwide. Some studies claim that this statistic is incorrect, with daily consumption of coffee drinks approaching 2.7 billion cups, which equates to at least 500 billion servings of coffee per year.

Many variations on the coffee theme have been invented: black (espresso, americano), with milk (cappuccino, latte), glaze with ice cream, Viennese with whipped cream, Greek frappe with ice, cooked on sand with spices, and so on.

The above options for preparing coffee, in turn, are also divided into subspecies, for example, depending on the size of the serving, espresso (approximately 30 ml) can turn into ristretto (15-20 ml) or lungo (60 ml).

Most coffee shops and restaurants serve water for coffee. But not everyone understands why this is happening. It is not necessary to dilute the drink with water, it seems to be washed down, too. Then why is it needed and when should it be used? This article is devoted to these questions.

All self-respecting institutions supply water to:

Why is cold water served with coffee?

With regards to spring, icy water, which usually complements coffee in southern countries, the reason is obvious: water cools, cleanses the receptors, quenches thirst and helps prevent dehydration.

It has been proven that coffee provokes excessive loss of moisture in the body, and adding to this extreme high temperatures, you can get not a surge of vivacity, but unbearable thirst.

Water after coffee - why?

The European tradition of serving a glass of water with coffee originated in Vienna, around the 19th century, and absolutely did not involve the use of this water.

The fact is that in Viennese coffee, which was very fond of European aristocrats of that time, whipped cream is added, which forms a dense foam on the surface of the drink. After stirring the drink, the noble ladies were faced with the question of a dirty spoon: you can’t put it on a saucer, etiquette doesn’t order, and even more so you can’t lick it, it looks terribly inelegant.

This problem was solved by a glass of water: a spoon was lowered into the water, and then they calmly continued to enjoy a coffee drink.

Why water for coffee?

In the same place, in Europe, the habit of drinking coffee with water has taken root. In the 19th-20th centuries, and even now, Europeans spent a lot of time chatting, reading books and discussing news in coffee houses. It was supposed to rest by drinking coffee, but not all elderly visitors to the institution, for health reasons, could treat themselves to several cups of coffee in a row. Therefore, having ordered one, it was alternated with sips of water, which allowed them to calmly communicate until the end of the evening without abusing caffeine.

The tradition took root in all European countries, and later spread throughout the world.

Why serve water to coffee?

Water that complements a cup of coffee performs a number of functions:

• Cleansing of receptors.

Coffee is a rich and dense drink. Due to these properties, the taste buds quickly "turn off" and cease to perceive subtle coffee notes. Alternating a sip of coffee with a sip of liquid helps to restore sensitivity.

• Influence on pressure.

It is well known that coffee raises blood pressure. Water consumed in parallel with coffee reduces the concentration of caffeine in the body, preventing sudden pressure surges.

• Enamel whitening.

Coffee drinks contribute to the formation of plaque. To prevent the pigment from settling on the teeth, it is necessary to drink coffee with water.

• Help stomach.

Due to the hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach in response to the intake of coffee in the body, this drink should not be consumed in pure form. Water regulates the production of hydrochloric acid, having a beneficial effect on the condition of the digestive tract and preventing heartburn.

Why a glass of water with coffee?

Bottled, boiled or spring water is best suited for coffee drinks at 10-15°C (if the region is hot, then up to 20°C is allowed). It should not contain unnecessary odors (such as bleach) and be too cold, because tooth enamel is very susceptible to sudden changes in temperature.

If desired, citrus fruits or mint can be added to the water. However, you should be careful with the dosage, because obvious side flavors will not allow you to fully experience the taste of coffee.

Why drink coffee with water?

As for the rules for drinking coffee with water, there are several of them:

• alternating drinks, you need to take small sips and hold the liquid in your mouth for a short period of time;
• do not change coffee with water too quickly;

Whether to wash down the final coffee sip with water is an individual matter. The density and richness of the drink leave a noticeable aftertaste, so many refresh the mouth, ending the pleasant process of drinking coffee with a large sip of water, thereby erasing the coffee aroma.

It is most correct not to drink a fragrant drink, give yourself half an hour to fully perceive the aftertaste. And then freshen up by drinking a whole glass of water.

Well-brewed coffee is a very fragrant drink with a “dense” taste. But taste buds quickly get used to irritants - therefore, if you drink coffee without alternating it with anything, after two or three sips, the taste and aroma cease to be fully felt. A sip of pure cool water, which does not have its own taste and smell, allows you to cleanse the receptors - and each new sip of coffee in this case will allow you to feel again all the captivating shades of bitter coffee taste. Therefore, if a barista serves you coffee with water, this allows you to hope that you have a drink worthy of tasting in front of you.

It is recommended to drink water after a sip of coffee and doctors. It's no secret that caffeine. But a sip of cool water can reduce the harmful effects of coffee on the body: it reduces the concentration of caffeine, avoids sudden pressure surges and normalizes heart rhythms.

The alternation of a sip of coffee with a sip of water also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the teeth. People who constantly drink coffee know that an invigorating drink has the insidious property of staining tooth enamel - as a result, a dark plaque forms on the teeth. But, if you drink water immediately after drinking coffee, the pigment will not have time to be absorbed and will be easily washed off your teeth.

In hot weather, a glass of water served with coffee will help you get double pleasure from this drink: not only invigorate the body, but also refresh. Coffee improves the tone of the body, "warming up" it - and cool water helps to cool down a bit. By the way, in some hot countries it is customary to drink water not with coffee, but after it - the refreshing effect in such cases is more pronounced.

What kind of water is served with coffee

The best option for drinking coffee is spring, bottled or boiled water, its taste is the softest and most neutral. Water should be chilled, cool - but not icy. A misted glass of stunningly cold water with ice is certainly pleasing to the eye in hot weather - but it will create too sharp temperature changes and "stun" the taste buds.

Some people like to drink coffee mineral water. She has her own taste, which will affect the perception of the taste of coffee. But the taste contrast will still be preserved, so the effect “every sip of coffee is like the first one” will be pronounced.

Sometimes coffee water is lightly flavored. You can dip a slice of lemon or orange, a leaf of fresh mint into the water and let it stand for a few minutes. The main thing is that the taste does not turn out to be too sharp, repelling the taste of coffee.

There are no hard and fast rules in this regard, so you can experiment by choosing the option “for yourself”.

How to drink coffee with water

If you want to get the most out of a cup of coffee, do it slowly. Before drinking coffee, take a few small sips of water to "refresh" the receptors and prepare them for the rich taste of coffee. At the same time, this will help you internally tune in to the “coffee ceremony”.

Drink coffee and water in small sips, alternating a sip of coffee with a sip of water. Water can be briefly held in the mouth, not so that it “washes” your receptors better.

Take breaks between sips: quickly alternating hot coffee with cold water will not allow you to feel the taste of the drink, dulling the sensitivity. In addition, such a "contrast shower" will have an adverse effect on the teeth. Enjoy every sip.

To finish the water after coffee or to leave the right of the "last sip" for a thick aromatic drink - everyone decides for himself. Water washes away the aftertaste, but at the same time makes you feel more vigorous and fresh.

Often in coffee establishments, a glass filled with water is served with a fragrant invigorating drink. The tradition of drinking it together with a cool liquid originated many years ago. In European countries, this coffee ceremony has taken root relatively recently. Therefore, many are still wondering why water is served with coffee. It is worth understanding what this is due to and how to drink drinks in such a combination.

To figure out why cold water is served with coffee, you first need to find out how this tradition appeared. It is believed that this custom originated in Ancient Greece. According to historians, here for the first time a glass of cool liquid was brought to a hot drink. The goal that was then pursued was the opportunity to get a charge of vivacity, freshness and cool off a bit. This is due to the fact that coffee beans have a tonic effect, and Greece is characterized by rather hot climatic conditions.

There is also a version that water is served along with coffee for a completely different reason. This tradition originated in Turkey. Here, the use of liquid was due to the fact that an invigorating drink was prepared on the sand with the help of a cezve, and they drank it separately from food. Before enjoying the contents of a small cup, it was necessary to neutralize the taste of previously eaten foods. Therefore, they first drank water and only after that coffee.

The tradition of such an unusual serving, which came from the East, is also due to the need to avoid dehydration. It is known that the coffee drink has a diuretic effect, and in hot climates, fluid loss increases even more. Therefore, local residents began to resort to such a combination in order to maintain water balance.

Four reasons why you should drink coffee with water

1. Espresso, brewed according to all the rules, is a rich, aromatic drink. At the same time, taste buds quickly enough cease to respond properly to stimuli. Accordingly, the taste of coffee after a few sips is not felt properly. Therefore, it must be drunk. Just one sip of the tasteless liquid helps cleanse the receptors. It is possible to feel the bouquet of shades of rich espresso again. As a rule, drinks are drunk like this High Quality prepared in compliance with all the features of the technology.
2. Among the reasons to drink water after coffee, it should also be noted that cool liquid reduces the effect of caffeine. The concentration of the alkaloid decreases, and due to this, it is possible to avoid sudden changes in blood pressure, to bring the heart rhythm back to normal.
3. This combination of drinks, which are drunk alternately, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the teeth. Coffee, as you know, changes the shade of tooth enamel - brown plaque appears on it. Thanks to water, the coloring pigment is not absorbed and is easily washed off.
4. In addition, in hot weather, in this way it is possible not only to get a charge of vivacity, but also to freshen up.. Espresso helps to tone up, and cool water cools. To achieve the most vivid refreshing effect, it is recommended to drink it at the end of a coffee meal. This is how it was practiced in Greece.

What kind of water is served with coffee

Espresso is usually served with boiled or purified bottled water. It is extremely important that it does not contain chlorine. At the same time, the liquid is cold, but not icy, with a neutral, mild taste. Icy, and even more so with ice, will drown out the receptors, create a sharp drop in temperature regimes. The best option is about ten degrees. More chilled will harm the tooth enamel, which is sensitive to sudden changes in heat and cold. The glass is only half filled.

Many people prefer to drink coffee not with ordinary, but with mineral water. It has a special taste that affects the perception of a coffee drink. The contrast is preserved, and the presence of caffeine becomes more pronounced.

It is allowed to add products that give a special flavor to the mineral water. It can be orange zest, a slice of lemon or mint leaves. At the same time, it is extremely important to adhere to certain dosages, an overly saturated taste will interrupt the smell. Be sure to infuse this mixture before use. But the addition of sweeteners is unacceptable.

In certain coffee shops, espresso is served with a glass of hot water. This is due to the fact that the coffee drink is very rich and concentrated. A person has the opportunity to dilute it to his own taste. Due to this, the product will not deteriorate, and its use will be much more pleasant.

How to drink

Coffee with water is not always served. For example, you do not need to drink cappuccino. Speaking about how to drink espresso and americano correctly, there are a number of simple recommendations. By following these tips, you will be able to get the most out of your coffee drink. Among them are the following:

• no need to rush. Before you start drinking Americano, you must first take a few sips of water. Thus, it will be possible to clear the receptors and prepare for the perception of taste and aroma;
• alternating drinks, sips are made small. The liquid lingers in the mouth for a short time;
• it is extremely important to maintain small intervals. This is due to the fact that alternating at an accelerated pace will lead to a dulling of sensitivity. The taste will be muted. In addition, there will be negative impact on tooth enamel;
• water leads to the elimination of coffee aftertaste. Therefore, the decision on whether to drink it at the end of the procedure or not, everyone has the right to make independently.

The reasons why cool water began to be served with coffee are far from one. This tradition has taken root in many countries. Nevertheless, everyone has the right to decide for himself how to drink his favorite invigorating drink. No one obliges you to periodically take sips from a glass next to the espresso.

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In self-respecting coffee houses, along with a cup of aromatic coffee, customers are served a glass of clean, cool water. This ancient and beautiful tradition has a practical meaning: a drink like coffee should really be washed down with water - and not only in order to better reveal its taste.

One alkaloid is good, but two is better

Espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte - drinks made using coffee beans, a great many have been invented. However, in terms of the effect on nervous system For a person, the fundamental difference exists only between coffee drinks made from whole grain coffee and from sublimated, that is, from instant. The fact is that the coffee bean is heterogeneous in its structure. Its outer shell contains the well-known invigorating alkaloid called caffeine, which has a pronounced tonic effect. In the inner part of the grain there is another alkaloid - theobromine.

In the manufacture of instant coffee, only the inner part of the grain is used; the outer shell is separated and used for medicines or energy drinks. But if we are dealing with grain coffee, then we need to remember that it contains two alkaloids at once.

reverse process

When we drink coffee, these two alkaloids enter our body at the same time - but they begin to act in turn. First, caffeine begins to work - it is with its action that the invigorating effect is associated. But about 25 minutes later, theobromine enters the scene.

Here's how it all works: caffeine has the ability to constrict blood vessels in all organs - except the kidneys; in them, after a couple of sips of espresso, the vessels, on the contrary, expand. The result is increased pressure and urge to urinate; the latter are associated with improved blood flow in the kidneys.

However, before half an hour passes, the person begins to feel a little sleepy; at the same time, many feel a not too pleasant pulling sensation in the region of the kidneys. This began the action of theobromine: the pressure in all organs increased, and in the kidneys it decreased.

In order to avoid disturbing the blood flow in the kidneys, it makes sense to take a sip of water after each sip of coffee.

The effect of the 30th kilometer

With instant coffee, everything is even more interesting. Since it is made from the inner part of the grain, in which the caffeine content does not exceed 10%, and theobromine is quite high, the effect of it is somewhat different than that of whole grains.

Namely, the peppy phase is not so pronounced, for some it is completely absent, but such a drink has a distinct effect of drowsiness. So if someone you know complains to you that he, they say, has a paradoxical reaction to coffee, he wants not to jump and run, but to sleep sweetly, then, most likely, he drinks not grain, but freeze-dried coffee.

Long-distance truck drivers, who often buy cans of ready-made coffee drinks at gas stations, obviously made on the basis of instant coffee, even invented their own term - “the effect of the 30th kilometer”.

This means this: about 20 minutes after ingesting the contents of such a jar, that is, just about 30 kilometers away, the driver usually experiences a period of drowsiness lasting about an hour. This is the same theobromine phase during which it tends to sleep.

So it is also better to drink instant coffee with plain water - so that you don’t want to sleep after it. Better yet, drink strongly brewed black tea as an invigorating drink: there is no less caffeine in it, and theobromine is completely absent.

Additional reasons

For lovers of good coffee, there are other arguments according to which it is better to drink it with water.

Tasty like the first time. If, without further ado, just drink coffee sip after sip, then the second sip will not be as bewitching as the first. And clean water will wash the taste buds - and as a result, you can fully enjoy every sip.

The pressure is normal. For those who are afraid to drink coffee once again because of the risk of high blood pressure, plain water can do an excellent job - it can weaken the effect of caffeine; if you drink coffee with it, the heart will not beat like crazy.

Teeth like pearls. Coffee contains a pigment that stains tooth enamel. But if after each sip you drink a little water, then the pigment will not have time to be absorbed and the teeth will remain as white as they were.