Is There An Ideal Temperature For Brewing Coffee?

Everyone who's had the misfortune of trying to gulp down a lukewarm cup of joe will know that coffee tastes much worse at room temperature. But serving it hot is just half the battle: To get the most flavorful experience, you need to brew the beverage at the correct temperature to begin with. Food Republic consulted Matt Woodburn-Simmonds of Home Coffee Expert to find out the magic number. He recommended a temp of 200 degrees Fahrenheit — but of course, it's a little more complicated than that.

"Ideal coffee brewing is always a combination of factors," the expert explained. "Grind size, amount of coffee, volume of water, water temperature, pressure, and time. Changing any of these will alter the outcome of your coffee ... Ideally your water will be 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius) though anywhere between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit is fine."

How does the water temperature affect the flavor of the finished drink? "Too hot and you'll burn your coffee grounds," said Woodburn-Simmonds. "Colder than this and it's most likely that your coffee will be sour and under-extracted." Under-extracting results from water running too fast through the grounds, so it hasn't extracted all the tasty oils. The coffee could taste watery, weak, and even sharp or tangy. There's such a thing as over-extracted coffee, too, which means too many compounds have been extracted from the grounds. This can happen if you use boiling water (212 degrees Fahrenheit), creating an unappetizingly bitter and strong taste.

Matt Woodburn-Simmonds' ideal temperature range is useful to keep in mind no matter how you're making your cup of Joe. "The water should be the same temperature for brewing both French press and pour over," he said. "Keeping the water [at] a constant temperature makes it easier to adjust your grind size and extraction time to get the best results."

The rule even applies to drinks designed to be served cold. "Iced coffee should be brewed like regular coffee and then chilled as fast as possible," explained Woodburn-Simmonds. "Some espresso nerds pull espresso directly over the giant, spherical ice cubes you put in negronis to get the best results." If you fancy a more convenient way to cool hot coffee fast, just shake it for up to 30 seconds in a sealed jar filled with ice. You may also need to alter the amount of liquid you use for brewing, to avoid the water ratio mistake that's breaking your iced coffee.

There is an exception to the temperature rule: cold brew. Cold brewing is a much slower method — the coffee grounds are steeped in water for a minimum of 12 hours — that gives the java a less bitter flavor. Whether you use a a rapid cold brew machine or go with a simpler method, the process always involves room temperature or cold filtered water.