Coffee Mugs: Espresso Cannot Walk in Latte’s Shoes (How the Wrong Mug Can Give You the Blues)

Do you know what is the worst type of people to serve coffee to? Those who, when asked how do they take their coffee, answer with: “seriously. Very seriously”. These people love coffee, they use precise preparation methods and measurements, and most importantly, they look at the mugs. No, they don’t just look at the mug – they analyse it because they know exactly in what type of mug should each coffee be served. So, if you thought you could use the ordinary porcelain small coffee mugs and serve latte in them, you got it wrong my friend. You’d literally ruin the day of these people if you’d serve them coffee this way.

I have to agree actually; as a huge coffee lover, I am also not a fan of improperly served drinks, especially coffee. And cocktails. When this happens in a bar or cafe, I instantly get the feeling that my money isn’t appreciated and neither is my presence, which is so not the way to be a good worker in hospitality. Which is why, knowing all the types of coffee mugs and glasses needed in a kitchen that prepares a lot of coffee over the day, is a very good idea.

There’s this study about how the coffee mug can affect the taste of coffee. The colour, the size, the material, the design and finally the shape, all have their influence on the entire coffee drinking experience. And when you think about it, maybe colour and design aren’t that much relevant (I am whispering this, because to the people I mentioned before, this is a crime) the shape and the size matter a lot. Which is why we say that you can’t serve espresso into anything else than an espresso cup; small, tiny and hard to hold, for truth’ sake.

On the other hand, latte is a complex coffee, with a layer of milk added that’s made to stay without sinking in. As such, latte is made to be visually admired along with being tasty, which is why it’s the type of coffee that must be served in tall glasses which allow you to see the perfect line between the coffee and the milk.

Furthermore, Italians would be deeply offended if you would serve their precious cappucino in a tall, deep mug made for serving Irish coffee for example. Cappucino is this classy, elegant type of coffee made to sweeten your day, and as such it should be served in a mug that goes along with it. Meaning, short, wide with a thin holder and preferably with a simple design.

As you can see, serving coffee is an entire philosophy. Although a lot of people don’t really pay attention (to be honest) to these things, knowing how to do these things can only be an additional quality for you as a host.