Why is Turkish coffee served with water? Why is it good to drink water after coffee?

Probably, each of us has noticed more than once that espresso in a restaurant is sometimes served not just with one small cup, but additionally with a glass of cold water. Less often, there can be two glasses of water at once, and this state of affairs discourages some visitors: what to do with water, why is it needed?

Where did the tradition of drinking coffee with a glass of cold water come from?

The tradition of drinking coffee with cold water has been known for a very long time - since ancient Greece. Since Greece is a rather hot country, and coffee is loved and honored there, it is not surprising that the drink is consumed in large quantities.

Accordingly, in a hot climate, the consequences of constant dehydration can be unpredictable and not the most pleasant. Therefore, there was a tradition to drink a glass of cool water after strong coffee. It ensures the restoration of water balance in the body and at the same time makes it possible to refresh as much as possible after a hot drink.

Naturally, in those ancient times they did not yet know that coffee dehydrates, but then they simply felt that cold water was perfectly refreshing, and that was quite enough. A little later, the tradition of drinking coffee with cold water migrated to Turkey, but this happened only after several decades. Then this tradition spread all over the world, although now not always and not in every institution they can offer a glass of cool water.

Today, cold water after coffee is not just tasty and convenient. This tradition has a number of reasons, which can be found below.

So, cold water, as you know, is the most versatile natural solvent. We all studied chemistry and know about it from school. So - after a sip of coffee, our receptors feel a sweetish and tart taste, which completely covers the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue. If you do not drink a sip of cool water, which will wash away all the coffee residues, then the next sip of coffee will no longer be so bright and rich in taste.

In addition, physicians recommend drinking every sip of strong thick espresso with cool fresh water. Experts say that hypertensive patients and those who are afraid for their cardiovascular system can easily drink a cup of coffee a day if they drink water. Water dilutes the blood and makes the concentration of caffeine less dangerous.

Also cool water is good for our teeth. As you know, coffee is a natural dye. Its pigment is so strong that even after drinking one cup, brown spots remain on the tooth enamel. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to rinse your mouth with water after each cup of coffee you drink. Then your teeth will not cease to please with their cleanliness and whiteness.

How to drink espresso coffee with cold water - not everyone knows about it. It turns out that you need to drink water not after drinking coffee and not before it, but while you are drinking a hot invigorating drink.

There are no specific rules for alternating water and coffee - you need to drink as your body tells you, but only in small sips.

Soft water is used for the traditional glass of water. It has a neutral taste, and its composition is balanced enough not to lose important elements and antioxidants that were in natural coffee. In addition, such water perfectly cleanses the receptors, and does not clog the real and unique taste of good coffee with extraneous aromas and taste inclusions.

Different establishments use completely different water. It can be bottled, or just boiled and chilled. Some gourmets prefer to drink glacier melt water with coffee, although ordinary mineral water with a slice of lemon also tastes good. You can experiment an infinite number of times and, in the end, find your ideal option.

What is the best water for making coffee?

As for the coffee itself, it is also better to prepare it with soft water. Few people know, but a lot also depends on the quality of water. So, if the water is soft, then you don’t have to use a large amount of ground grains to get a rich and aromatic drink. The softness of the water in this case will play into the hands of the barista.

Hard water is generally rarely used in professional coffee houses, since when it is heated and boiled, a large amount of salts and heavy elements are released. Subsequently, they settle on the surface of the heating elements of coffee machines and coffee makers, which leads to the rapid failure of such devices.

As for the true coffee gourmets - Italians, everything is not as simple here as in other countries. The tradition of drinking coffee with water is also present in Italy, but it is not as common as in Greece or Turkey. In some regions of Italy, they drink water before starting aromatic coffee. This is done to prepare the receptors. In other regions, on the contrary, after coffee they drink a glass of cool water to refresh themselves and fill the body with fluid.

Sometimes they don’t drink espresso at all, but try to enjoy its coffee taste and strong and thick aroma as much as possible. It also happens that they prefer to drink coffee with cold water in two doses. That is, one glass of water is drunk before coffee, and the second after. In order not to get into a mess, you need to know the rules of traditional filing.

So, when preparing coffee, the barista must arrange the correct serving of the drink. First, a saucer is placed on the utility table, and then a coffee spoon is placed on it. In some establishments, it is also customary to put mini chocolate on the saucer, but this is not required.

When the coffee is ready, do not immediately put the cup with it on the saucer, but first scroll it on a sponge so that the drops from the coffee machine do not imprint on the dishes. The espresso must be placed neatly in front of the client. It is not permissible to move the cup around the table - this is a sign of a disdainful attitude towards the guests of the institution.

Care must be taken to ensure that sugar is always within reach of the customer. Sometimes a jug of cream or milk may be offered for coffee. But again, this is only at the request of the guest of the institution or the personal initiative of the barista. It looks ugly when a saucer and a coffee spoon are prepared directly on the bar in front of the guest. This is also a sign of disrespect, although in establishments with a large flow of customers, this option of serving may be permissible.

Usually, cold water for espresso is served only in elite and expensive establishments in our country. In budget coffee shops and cafes, this tradition has not taken root. The water in the glass may be only half of its volume, but it will be enough to drink the traditional 30 ml of hot and rich espresso coffee.

When there is a need to quickly cheer up, we instantly remember coffee. For many, this drink really brings to life. But there are those who experience the opposite effect after drinking coffee, experiencing even more drowsiness. Why does this happen, can it be avoided, and why do many experts recommend drinking coffee with water?

Custard VS instant: material differences

There are many types of coffee and coffee drinks, but the only significant difference is between instant and freshly ground whole bean coffee. The fact is that the coffee bean is heterogeneous, as it contains two substances that are different in their properties, respectively, having a different effect on the body. The outer shell of the coffee bean contains caffeine - the same alkaloid that provides an invigorating effect. And its inner shell includes another substance - the alkaloid theobromine.

Thus, ground coffee made from whole grains ensures that two alkaloids enter our body at once. However, they do not act simultaneously - caffeine "turns on" first, while theobromine begins to act on us only after 20-25 minutes.

Caffeine tends to constrict the vessels of all organs, except for the kidneys, the vessels of which, on the contrary, expand. Therefore, a cup of such coffee increases blood pressure, which is accompanied by the urge to urinate (due to improved blood flow in the kidneys). But after about 25 minutes, under the influence of theobromine, reverse processes begin in the body: the vessels of all organs begin to expand, and in the kidneys they narrow, sometimes causing an unpleasant pulling sensation in the kidney area.

To prevent impaired blood flow in the kidneys, 20 minutes after drinking coffee, it is recommended to drink it with water. Not without reason in good restaurants or coffee houses it is considered good form to serve a glass of water along with espresso.

With instant and granulated coffee, the picture is slightly different. For its production, only the inner part of the grain is used, the caffeine content of which is not more than 5-10%. The outer shell of the grain is removed and goes to the manufacture of energy drinks or medicines based on caffeine.

How to drink coffee so that you don't fall asleep later?

That is why instant coffee practically does not invigorate, and in some it even causes drowsiness. Long-distance drivers even have a term in use - the “30th kilometer” effect, when 20 minutes after a cup of coffee (during this time the driver just drives about 30 km), the theobromine phase of coffee exposure begins, which causes drowsiness and lasts about an hour .

This period is the most dangerous for drivers, since it is at this time that most accidents occur on the roads. Therefore, it is very important to shorten the duration of this phase. Moreover, to reduce the effects of theobromine on the body, it is enough to drink coffee with plain water. Or even switch to strong tea, which has only a caffeine phase, which means it does not provoke drowsiness.

What is coffee and how to drink espresso with water? This is a small portion of concentrated coffee, which is actually the most popular coffee drink. And the drink appeared approximately 110 years ago and became a breakthrough, which led to a real coffee industry.

How did espresso come about?

The peak of coffee popularity began in the 19th century. Even then, the coffee business became the most profitable. Those were the days when it took five whole minutes to prepare a small cup of the most ordinary coffee. Every businessman in the 19th century thought about how to start brewing coffee faster in order to make even more money. Everyone wanted this.

First steps and development

The first espresso machine was called La Pavoni and was invented in 1903, and already in 1905 an improved version of it was actively sold on the market. The most important difference between espresso of that time and modern espresso was not so much in taste and density, but in the speed of preparation.

Launched in 1905, La Pavoni already made coffee many times faster. There was a real boom, the so-called coffee revolution. The industry was actively developing, there were even more people who loved the drink, and a huge number of people who wanted to make money on it appeared. Now coffee houses have become the most profitable business, and the market is actively developing. Then coffee etiquette began to develop, and the question of how to drink espresso with water became very relevant.

A new word in the coffee industry

The real breakthrough came in 1938 when Achille Gaggia introduced the world to an espresso machine that ran on steam rather than pressure. The inventor began to actively use it in his coffee shop, and ten years later, in 1948, he founded the Gaggia company, which already mass-produced machines that made espresso for 30 seconds. The 1948 espresso is the drink we know. He changed the idea of coffee, now it was a dense, concentrated drink with foam.

How is espresso made?

You can prepare a drink if the water temperature reaches 90-95 degrees and passes under pressure through tightly pressed coffee. You don’t have to understand the technique, because it’s not possible to brew espresso at home. There is little coffee and hot water from the kettle, because it's all about pressure.

The process of brewing any coffee is based on washing out solids from the surface of the grains with water. It turns out that when coffee comes into contact with water, some of the substances end up in our cup. And only a part of it dissolves because many of the substances that make up coffee simply do not dissolve in water. To make the taste as clear as possible, you should learn how to drink espresso coffee with cold water.

How does a coffee machine make coffee?

The coffee beans are ground and tamped into a tablet that is inserted into an espresso machine. When we press the desired button, the coffee machine delivers water, the temperature of which is exactly 90-95 degrees, the pressure in machines is usually 9 bar. The drink is prepared in about 20 seconds. During this time, the boiling water dissolves the solids in the ground coffee. A dark, almost black liquid immediately pours out of the machine, which gradually begins to lighten. The color becomes less dark due to the fact that the coffee solids are already washed out in smaller quantities. When the drink becomes completely light, the water supply is turned off - and you can try real espresso. To understand the quality coffee you drink or not, you need to learn to understand a few simple rules:

If the taste of the drink is sharp and sour to such an extent that there is discomfort and tingling in the area of the tongue. This means that it was not possible to wash out all the solids from the coffee. The same reason can cause salty taste sensations.
However, modern coffee shops make the opposite mistake of washing out these solids too much, which makes the coffee bitter and unpleasant.

But do not scold the barista from a nearby coffee shop, most often the fact is that in many establishments the drink is brewed from overcooked and low-quality grains. Here, even knowing how to drink espresso coffee with water correctly will not help.

Why drink water with coffee?

Heated debate about the need for a glass of water continues to this day. The issue was studied on the example of Italy. And this is not surprising, because it is this country that is recognized as the biggest lover and producer of coffee. In some regions, it is customary to drink water immediately after espresso, because the concentrated drink increases thirst and provokes dehydration, while in other areas it is customary to drink water before coffee. And somewhere they don’t drink water at all and don’t even know about such a rule. However, in order not to find yourself in an awkward situation in the company of true coffee connoisseurs, you need to learn the following rules, because coffee must not only be prepared with high quality, but also served correctly:

While the coffee is being brewed, a saucer should be placed on the utility table near the machine, and a spoon should be placed on it on the left side and on the right side of the client. When the coffee is ready, it should also be put on a saucer, after leaning the cup against a sponge for a second so that excess liquid does not remain. The cup handle should point to the left. Ready coffee is placed in front of the client, raising the saucer, in no case should it be moved around the table.
Coffee etiquette suggests that water is served along with espresso, usually half a glass. Water is supplied in good establishments without fail. This is because coffee causes thirst, which leads to dehydration. According to the rules, coffee should be drunk before espresso and nothing else, so that all the aroma and taste of coffee remains in the mouth.

Why is water needed?

First of all, water enhances the taste of coffee, so it seems tastier and fully reveals the bouquet of flavors. Water washes the taste buds, and also reduces the production of hydrochloric acid in the body - this is a real salvation for those who suffer from heartburn. Dentists also did not stand aside, who claim that coffee drinkers have plaque on their teeth, which is why a sip of water after coffee will also not be superfluous.

How to drink coffee with water?

True coffee connoisseurs have even come up with a plan on how to drink espresso with water correctly. The algorithm is:

Start with water, refresh your taste buds to enjoy every sip.
Drink coffee slowly, in small sips, alternating water and coffee.
Do not swallow the water right away, keep it in your mouth for a few seconds.
Take your time, savor the espresso and be sure to take breaks to feel the real taste of the drink.
How to drink water with espresso, you now know. Should it be done? Here it is an exclusively individual choice, water washes off the aftertaste, but at the same time refreshes.

In fact, drinking coffee is a real art, the number of varieties of the drink alone is amazing. The main thing is to choose the option to your liking.

In the menu of cafes and restaurants, in machines in offices and public places, there is one of the most popular coffee drinks - espresso. A person who orders a mug of a fragrant drink for the first time has several questions: why is water served with coffee and how to drink espresso correctly. Understanding these nuances, you can understand why this drink is loved by many.

History of espresso

At the beginning of the twentieth century, an engineer from Milan patented his invention - the first coffee brewing machine. The taste of the drink, which turned out in this unit, was unusual and very aromatic. After all, the main idea of the innovator was that in the machine, under pressure, water with steam flows through the pressed and ground coffee beans and, as a result, caffeine and compounds that give taste and aroma enter the cup. The name of the original drink was influenced by the method of its preparation. Modern coffee machines have been technically improved, but the coffee brewing algorithm has remained the same. A drink of rich taste, decorated with light brown foam, has become very popular all over the world. Coffee lovers still continue to experiment with its taste, adding new ingredients.

How to serve flavored drink

The Italians are proud of their invention. They even developed a certain order for serving invigorating coffee on the table and rules for drinking espresso. Tourists can observe the established tradition of serving and drinking espresso in all institutions of the sunny country: from small cafes in villages to large restaurants in bustling cities. The following steps are distinguished in the ceremony.

Serve a fragrant drink immediately after preparation, because espresso is hot coffee.
The brewed drink is drunk within a few minutes.
The containers into which espresso is poured must also be warm, they are specially heated to a temperature of forty degrees.
Special requirements for cups. To enjoy the taste of espresso, ceramic dishes are chosen, into which no more than eighty milliliters of finished espresso can be poured. A feature of such cups is their wall thickness. Espresso cools down more slowly in such dishes.
For Italians, it is more customary to drink a drink at the counter, but for residents of other countries, it is more comfortable and traditional to drink espresso while sitting at a table.
While the espresso is being brewed, the barista puts a saucer and a spoon on the counter so that the client who ordered the espresso can immediately enjoy the hot coffee drink.
Scrupulous Italians always wipe the bottom of the cup with a napkin before putting the espresso container on the saucer. And do not forget to turn the cup so that the handle of the container is under the right hand of the client.
According to tradition, hot espresso is accompanied by sweetness, which is called a compliment.
An important nuance is that a cup with a drink is placed at some distance in front of the client so that he himself can move it.
According to the classic espresso recipe, no additional ingredients are added. Only foam by Italian standards is an ornament. But with the development of the popularity of the drink, a new direction "latte art" began to spread, when coffee is decorated with a pattern.

Espresso and water

Those who order a drink for the first time may be surprised and start looking for information about why water is served with coffee. There are several reasons for this, and the first thought that a sip of water will help reduce the strength of the espresso is wrong.

Without water, you cannot cleanse your taste buds and, therefore, you will not be able to taste the full degree of espresso.
Drinking coffee removes fluid from the body. Water brings balance.
To remember how to drink espresso correctly, you should often enjoy the strong taste of coffee beans, remembering to stir the drink before drinking for a more even distribution of all components.
Drinking any caffeinated drink, a person feels the effect of caffeine within half an hour. The effect is expressed in the fact that the vessels in the heart narrow and, conversely, expand in the kidneys and there is a feeling of cheerfulness and excitement. But after caffeine, trigonelline begins to act on the body, which has the opposite effect and promotes calm. In order for the kidneys to work well, you should not forget that drinking plain water after coffee will help the body.

Taking the first sip of the drink with a small breath, you can feel the temperature of the espresso and its density: watery, thick or enveloping. Aroma and taste palette are evaluated with the second sip. Coffee drink with a rich range of flavors from sour and bitter to sweet. In a properly prepared espresso, all shades are felt, some more, some less.

The wheel of flavors used by the barista to prepare the drink is also reflected in the aroma of the coffee. You can choose a note of walnut, chocolate or caramel shades.

If briefly answering the question of how to drink espresso, then you should know that both the aroma and taste of an Italian drink can be described in words. And this will happen if the espresso is prepared skillfully and from high-quality coffee.

How to drink espresso with pleasure

Some interesting tips.

Drinking hot espresso is best twenty minutes after eating. So do not lose the aftertaste of the dish and enjoy the drink.
If you want to diversify the taste of coffee, you can try an unusual combination. First, take a small sip of espresso without sugar. Then stir sugar in a pre-prepared tall glass with cold milk. Drink half of sweet milk. And pour espresso into the rest and drink the resulting cocktail with pleasure. Visually, the drink looks very attractive: dark espresso draws patterns in snow-white milk.

Knowing how to drink espresso with water or milk, you can choose the best option for drinking the drink, leaving room for experiments in the form of various coffee additives.

Many of the traditions that exist today, hundreds of years ago, were in the nature of a vital necessity. So it happened with the coffee ceremony, which includes the supply of clean water to a cup of invigorating drink. Why do they do this, and what benefits does it bring?

Information from history

It is difficult to determine exactly where exactly the tradition of serving ordinary drinking water to an invigorating hot drink appeared, but it came to Europe from Turkey and underwent some changes. There is evidence that the Greeks were the first to drink water after coffee, thereby quenching their thirst in the summer heat. From Greece, the tradition was adopted in Turkey, and it began to spread further across Asia and Europe.

The era of world coffee conquest dates back almost 1 thousand years, and only the last 400 of them people began to consciously use this drink, not chasing fashion and not trying it as an overseas medicine. In these centuries, many new recipes appeared, and some features of the ceremony began to acquire the character of traditions. So why was cold water served with coffee?

Turkish coffee is always accompanied by a glass of water

Initially, clean cool water was washed down with coffee in order to prevent dehydration and quench the thirst that this drink often causes, especially during the hot season.

It was believed that its tonic effect is not beneficial to health and well-being, and in order to minimize the effect of caffeine, after a cup of the drink, they drank cool water in small sips, 100 ml is a sufficient amount.

In some cultures, it is customary to drink water before and after drinking coffee. For others, the invigorating drink is traditionally washed down with water a few minutes after drinking a cup of coffee. Still others drink water after 1-2 sips of strong espresso. This is what gourmets and connoisseurs of the drink do during coffee tastings and other similar events. How to drink coffee today and how tasty is it?

Science-Based Facts

Scientists always question everything. They did not bypass their attention and some tea and coffee traditions.

Why water is served with coffee: what does science say?

Natural ground coffee has a diuretic effect and helps to remove fluid from the body. If this happens in the heat, dehydration can be provoked, which adversely affects the well-being and condition of the mucous membranes and skin. In hot countries, this is especially true, so the rule to serve water to coffee arose there.
Natural coffee always has a bright taste, and in order to fully enjoy it, it is recommended to alternate its sip with a sip of water. It cleanses the taste buds and allows you to taste the drink every time, feeling the full spectrum of its taste and aroma.
Science has proven that frequent coffee consumption has a bad effect on the condition of tooth enamel, making it yellow. To protect your teeth from this problem, it is recommended to clean the mouth of the remnants of the drink by drinking a glass of water.
Strong coffee is a drink with a good dose of caffeine, which has an exciting effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. To prevent overexertion and high blood pressure, it is necessary to drink water after a dose of an invigorating drink. So it will bring a minimum of harm to a sensitive organism.

Viennese coffee is traditionally served with water.

Drinking coffee with water is really healthy. Do not omit the scientific justification for this statement. This tradition allows you to extend the feeling of pleasure from a coffee break. There is another important point here. Coffee with water is a way to curb your appetite. If you pause 30-40 minutes before lunch or dinner, the portion of food eaten in the future will be much smaller than usual. This will allow you to consume fewer calories and promote weight loss.

What should be the water

Drink water after coffee. It can be simply boiled, bottled and even mineral. But there are some features in its choice and use, for example:

water should be supplied to coffee, the temperature of which does not exceed +10 degrees, if it is too chilled, you can damage tooth enamel, which suffers from a temperature difference between food and drink;
serve water in a glass or a half-filled glass;
in the heat, water is served with a slice of lemon or lime to enhance the cooling and thirst-quenching effect;
they drink water in small sips, as if tasting it and rinsing their mouths.

Water softens the effect of caffeine

If you want to leave a coffee taste in your mouth, water should be taken before or during the drink. Mineral water is drunk less often, when and why do they do it? Mineral water quenches thirst better and, due to the salt content, fixes moisture inside the cells. This results in a longer lasting moisturizing effect.

Now it is clear why after coffee they consume an additional portion of the liquid. Not many people do this, but it is much more useful and pleasant to follow centuries-old traditions and extend the coffee ceremony with a glass of cool water. This rule will benefit health and well-being.