EXCLUSIVE: Whether you’re ordering coffee from your local cafe or Starbucks, Costa or Pret, you shouldn’t make this mistake with your order. A barista said getting ‘extra hot’ drinks is a no-no
A barista has revealed why you should never order an “extra hot” coffee – and the reason may surprise you.
While you may think temperature is kept lower to prevent customers from burning themselves, this isn’t the only reason. We spoke to Tahsin Ahmed, of Baristas Lounge in Whitechapel, to find out why temperature is actually a massive deal.
Tahsin told us he’d never serve “extra hot” coffee, emphatically stating “as a barista, extra hot, no, no way”. This is because the coffee beans can burn – and it also impacts the consistency of drinks too.
Pumping all of that extra steam into the milk pitcher risks causes it to taste more watery. Tahsin elaborated: “When you make the milk so hot, the coffee is definitely getting watery.”
To demonstrate his point, the barista explained that it’s just like when you melt butter. He said: “When you warm it a little you see it getting softer but when you heat the butter too much, it gets watery – it’s the same thing with hot milk”.
Tahsin’s baristas are skilled and experienced enough to not have to rely on thermometers, intuitively knowing when everything’s correct by placing their hands on the pitcher.
He explained: “When the milk is made properly it is a silky milk creating that foam on top and creating such a nice texture so when you serve it, it looks very shiny on top and looks beautiful.”
When it comes to espresso extraction itself, temperature also plays a crucial role at this initial stage of coffee making. If you don’t take this into consideration, you risk altering the flavour profile and making everything taste too bitter.
Most machines have a single boiler, but Tahsin’s four-boiler machine makes things much easier. Regardless of the season or the weather his coffee beans are grown in, he is able to adapt the temperature as he pleases.
This way, it’s a lot easier to balance the acidity, bitterness and overall flavour of the espresso shots.
So there you have it – don’t order extra hot coffee. Not only do you run the risk of annoying your barista, you could also be handed a very bitter drink!
