STUDY – Drinking coffee from a clear cup enhances the sweetness

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Coffee consumed from a white cup tastes less sweet and more bitter than drinking from a clear or blue mug reveals new study released in the online journal Flavour.

The study explained that humans tend to associate color with flavor and white was associated with bitterness and the brown color of the coffee contrasted significantly with a white drinking mug.

Researchers investigated whether consumers’ perception of a café latte beverage would be influenced by the color (transparent, white or blue) of the mug from which it was consumed.  The study idea was inspired by barista who overheard customers claiming that coffee sipped from a white mug tasted more bitter than drinking from a clear glass container.

Researchers noted that drinking from a clear cup enhanced a drink’s sweetness and blue mugs apparently intensified both sweetness and bitterness, so the brew just tasted stronger overall.

Researchers then conducted the study where participants drank coffee from white, clear and blue mugs and were then asked to analyse taste and found that brew tastes “significantly more intense” (less sweet and more bitter) if drunken in a white mug as compared to a clear or blue mug.

The researchers claim their findings on mug color should “be considered by those serving coffee as it can influence the consumer’s multisensory coffee drinking experience.”