The menus of cafes and restaurants, machines in offices and public places contain one of the most popular coffee drinks - espresso. A person ordering a mug of a fragrant drink for the first time has several questions: why water is served for coffee and how to drink espresso correctly. Having understood these nuances, you can understand why many people adore this drink.

The history of espresso

At the beginning of the twentieth century, an engineer from Milan patented his invention - the first coffee 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 water with steam flows in the machine under pressure through compressed and ground coffee beans, and as a result, caffeine and compounds that give taste and aroma get into the cup. The name of the original drink was influenced by the method of its preparation. Modern coffee machines are technically advanced, but the coffee brewing algorithm remains the same. The drink with a rich taste, decorated with light brown foam, has become very popular all over the world. Coffee lovers still continue to experiment with its flavor by adding new ingredients.

How to serve a flavored drink

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

• It is necessary to 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 the 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, choose a ceramic container into which no more than eighty milliliters of ready-made espresso can be poured. A feature of such cups is their wall thickness. Espresso cools more slowly in this type of container.
• For Italians, it is more customary to drink a drink at the counter, but for residents of other countries it is more comfortable and more traditional to drink espresso while sitting at a table.
• While the espresso is brewing, the barista places a saucer and spoon on the counter so that the customer who ordered the espresso can immediately enjoy the hot coffee drink.
• Scrupulous Italians always wipe the bottom of the cup with a napkin before placing the container of espresso on a saucer. And do not forget to turn the cup so that the handle of the container is under the client's right hand.
• According to tradition, hot espresso is accompanied by sweetness, which is called a compliment.
• An important nuance lies in the fact that a cup with a drink is placed at a certain distance in front of the client so that he himself can move it.
• According to the classic recipe, no additional ingredients are added to the espresso. Only foam by Italian standards is a decoration. But with the development of the popularity of the drink, a new direction of "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 incorrect.

• Without water, you cannot clear your taste buds and, therefore, you will not be able to taste the full extent of espresso.
• When drinking coffee, fluid is excreted from the body. Water brings balance back.
• To remember how to drink espresso correctly, you should often enjoy the strong taste of coffee beans, remembering to stir the drink before use for a more even distribution of all components.
• Drinking any caffeinated drink, a person feels the effect of caffeine for half an hour. The effect is expressed in the fact that the vessels in the heart narrow and, conversely, expand in the kidneys and a feeling of vigor and excitement arises. But after caffeine, trigonelline begins to act on the body, which has the opposite effect and helps to calm. In order for the kidneys to work well, do 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 palate are appreciated with a second sip. A coffee drink with a wide 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 reflected in the aroma of the coffee. You can choose a hint of nutty, 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 enjoy espresso

Some interesting tips.

• Drinking hot espresso is best twenty minutes after a meal. So you will 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 sip of sugar-free espresso. Then stir the sugar in a pre-prepared tall glass with cold milk. Drink half of the sweet milk. And add espresso to 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 experimentation in the form of various additives to coffee.

Many traditions that exist today were of vital importance hundreds of years ago. 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 are the benefits of it?

Information from history

It is difficult to determine exactly where the tradition of serving ordinary drinking water to an invigorating hot drink originated, 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 the conquest of coffee in the world is almost 1 thousand years old, 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 of the features of the ceremony began to take on the character of traditions. So why was cold water served with coffee?

Turkish coffee is always complemented with a glass of water

Initially, coffee was washed down with clean, cool water 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 was 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 peoples, it is customary to drink water before and after drinking coffee. For others, the traditionally invigorating drink is 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 drink connoisseurs do during coffee tastings and other similar events. How to drink coffee today and how tasty is it?

Scientifically based facts

Scientists always question everything. Some tea and coffee traditions have not passed their attention either.

Why is coffee served with water: 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, you can provoke dehydration, which is bad for the well-being and condition of the mucous membranes and skin. In hot countries, this is especially true, therefore, the rule to serve water for coffee arose there.
• Natural coffee always has a bright taste, and in order to fully enjoy it, it is recommended to alternate a sip of it with a sip of water. It clears 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 consumption of coffee has a bad effect on the condition of the tooth enamel, making it yellow. To protect your teeth from this problem, it is recommended to clean the mouth cavity from the remnants of the drink by drinking a glass of water.
• Strong coffee is a drink with a good dose of caffeine, which stimulates the nervous and cardiovascular systems. To prevent overexertion and increased blood pressure, you must drink water after a dose of invigorating drink. So it will bring minimum harm to the sensitive organism.

Viennese coffee is traditionally served with water

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

What should be the water

Drinking water after coffee is different. It can be simple boiled, bottled and even mineral. But there are some peculiarities 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 harm the tooth enamel, which suffers from the temperature difference between food and drink;
• water is served in a glass or glass half full;
• 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 the mouth.

Water softens the effects of caffeine

If you want to leave a coffee flavor in your mouth, you should take the water before or during the drink. Mineral water is drunk less often, when and why is it done? Mineral water quenches thirst better and, due to the salt content, fixes moisture inside the cells. This achieves the moisturizing effect for a longer period.

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

Cold water and hot coffee are like ice and fire. Someone at these words already feels such an ache in their teeth! But, by the way, in Turkey it is, one might say, a folk custom.

Turkish coffee should be served this way: put a cup for a noble drink in front of the guest, on the left you have a sugar bowl, and on the right, please, - a glass with chilled but boiled water. There is a Turk on the tray - this is a special bowl in which coffee is brewed, it is also called a cezva - with just made coffee and a plate - with a small spoon.

First, put a little foam from the turk with a spoon into a cup, and then, carefully so as not to damage the remaining fragrant foam, pour it - slowly! - and the coffee itself. Like this. And they drink in a special way: after taking a sip of coffee, they drink a sip of water. And so every time: after a sip of coffee - a sip of water. Savoring and enjoying. You should not drink a whole glass of water right away, just as you should not dilute hot coffee with water - this will only spoil its taste.

By the way, Turkey, the custom of serving cold water with coffee, was borrowed from the Greeks, who today not only coffee, but also all food washed down with water - it is believed, because of the constant heat. And in Turkey, water is offered not necessarily for Turkish coffee, but also for something else.

So why is water served with coffee? There are several arguments in favor of the latter. The first is that water allows you to feel the taste of the divine drink in a new way every time, as a sip of water after a sip of coffee removes the bitterness. The second one seems to be like water, washing off coffee from teeth, preserves their whiteness, prevents brown coating from forming. The third argument: in the heat, the heart is heavily loaded, and the water seems to reduce it. Also, drinking coffee with water helps maintain water balance in the body - as opposed to caffeine, which dehydrates the body.

The residents of Turkey themselves and the experts in brewing coffee say that cold water is supplied so that a few drops of it help to settle faster in the Turk, because coffee is served hot, and when pouring, the thicker also rises. In short, there are many opinions. But, if you think logically, this custom is not bad at all.

The water supplied to coffee must meet many requirements. It is very important that it is not only clean, safe, fresh, odorless of mustiness, rot, bleach, but also does not contain ice cubes. It should be just boiled and chilled water. Well, and of course, you should definitely not serve it in a plastic cup or in a cup. A beautiful transparent glass made of glass, misted over from the cold - nothing else. The best water is spring water. If it is chlorinated, from the water supply, then it is only settled for several hours in an open container, boiled, again settled and only then cooled. Mineral soda is also not suitable.

If anyone wants to try drinking coffee with water, do it slowly so as not to ache. A sip of coffee - sat down. A sip of water - sat down. Yes, and coffee should not be instant, but brewed, preferably in a Turk, it is also called a cezve - we have already gone through this. And the Turk, they say, should be made of real forged copper.

What is coffee and how to drink espresso with water? This is a small serving 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 the real coffee industry.

How did espresso come about?

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

First steps and development

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

La Pavoni, launched in 1905, was already making 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 shops have become the most profitable business, and the market has been actively developing. Then coffee etiquette began to develop, and the question of how to drink espresso with water correctly 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 was powered by steam, not 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 in 30 seconds. Espresso from 1948 is the drink we know. He changed the idea of ​​coffee, it was now a dense, concentrated drink with a froth.

How is espresso made?

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

The process of brewing any coffee is based on the removal of 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 part of it dissolves, because many substances that make up coffee simply do not dissolve in water. To taste as clear as possible, you need to learn how to drink espresso coffee with cold water.

How does the coffee machine prepare coffee?

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

• If the taste of the drink is harsh and sour to the point of discomfort and tingling in the tongue area. This means that all solids have not been washed out of the coffee. The same reason can cause salty taste sensations.
• However, modern coffee houses sin the opposite mistake - on the contrary, it is too strong leaching of these solids, which is why the coffee turns out to be bitter and unpleasant in taste.

But do not scold the barista from the neighboring coffee shop, most often the fact is that many establishments brew a drink from overcooked and low-quality grains. Even knowing how to properly drink espresso with water will not help here.

Why drink water with coffee?

A heated debate about the need for a glass of water continues to this day. The question was investigated on the example of Italy. And this is not surprising, because it is this country that is recognized as the biggest coffee lover and producer. In some regions, it is customary to drink water immediately after an espresso, because a concentrated drink increases thirst and provokes dehydration, 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 real coffee connoisseurs, you need to learn the following rules, because coffee should not only be prepared with high quality, but also served correctly:

• While the coffee is brewing, a saucer should be placed on a side table near the machine, and a spoon should be placed on it on the left and right sides of the client. When the coffee is ready, it should also be placed on a saucer, having previously leaned the cup against the sponge for a second so that no excess liquid remains. The handle of the cup should point to the left. Ready coffee is placed in front of the client, raising the saucer; in no case should it be moved across the table.
• Coffee etiquette assumes that water is served along with the espresso, usually half a glass. Water is served in good establishments without fail. This is because coffee makes you thirsty, which can lead 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 do you need water?

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 lovers develop 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 connoisseurs of coffee have even thought out a plan for how to drink espresso with water properly. The algorithm is as follows:

• Start with water and refresh your taste buds to enjoy every sip.
• Drink coffee slowly, in small sips, alternating between water and coffee.
• Do not swallow the water right away, hold it in your mouth for a few seconds.
• Take your time, sip on your espresso and be sure to take breaks to get the real taste of the drink.
• You now know how to drink water with espresso. Should this be done? Here, an exclusively individual choice, the water washes away the aftertaste, but at the same time refreshes.

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

Read it, this is important! 😳☝️

In respectful coffee houses, along with a cup of aromatic coffee, customers are served a glass of clean cool water. This ancient beautiful tradition has practical significance: a drink like coffee should really be washed down with water - and not only in order to better reveal its taste.

One alkaloid is good, two is better

Espresso, Americano, cappuccino, latte - a great variety of drinks made using coffee beans have been invented. However, from the point of view of the effect on the human nervous system, a fundamental difference exists only between coffee drinks made from whole grain coffee and from freeze-dried, that is, from instant coffee. The fact is that the coffee bean is heterogeneous in its structure. Its outer shell contains the well-known invigorating alkaloid called caffeine, which has a pronounced tonic effect. In the inner part of the grain there is another alkaloid - theobromine.

When making instant coffee, only the inside of the grain is used; the outer shell is separated and goes to medicines or energy. But if we are dealing with grain coffee, then we need to remember that it contains two alkaloids at once.

Reverse process

When we drink coffee, these two alkaloids enter our body at the same time - but they begin to act in turn. First, caffeine starts to work - it is with its action that the invigorating effect is associated. But after about 25 minutes, theobromine enters the scene.

Here's how it all works: Caffeine has the ability to constrict blood vessels in all organs - except the kidneys; in them, after a couple of sips of espresso, the vessels, on the contrary, expand. The result is increased pressure and urge to urinate; the latter are associated with improved blood flow to the kidneys.

However, not even half an hour passes when a person begins to feel a little sleepy; however, many do not feel a very pleasant pulling sensation in the kidney area. This began the action of theobromine: the pressure in all organs increased, and in the kidneys - decreased.

In order to avoid disruption of blood flow in the kidneys, it makes sense to take a sip of water after each sip of coffee.

The effect of the 30th kilometer

Instant coffee is even more interesting. Since it is made from the inside of the grain, in which the caffeine content does not exceed 10%, and theobromine is quite high, the effect of it is somewhat different than that of whole grains.

Namely, the vigorous phase is not so pronounced, for some it is completely absent, but such a drink has a distinct effect of drowsiness. So if someone from your acquaintances complains to you - they say he has a paradoxical reaction to coffee, he wants not to jump and run, but to sleep sweetly - then most likely he drinks not grain, but freeze-dried coffee.

Truck drivers, who often buy tin cans of ready-made coffee drinks, clearly based on instant coffee, at gas stations, even invented their own term - “the effect of the 30th kilometer”.

This means this: about 20 minutes after absorbing the contents of such a jar, that is, just about 30 kilometers, the driver usually waits for a period of sleepiness lasting about an hour. This is the same theobromine phase during which it gets sleepy.

So it is also better to drink instant coffee with plain water - so that you do not want to sleep after it. And even better - drink strongly brewed black tea as an invigorating drink: there is no less caffeine in it, and theobromine is completely absent.

Additional reasons

For lovers of good coffee, there are other reasons that it is better to drink it with water.

It tastes like the first time. If, without further ado, just drink coffee sip after sip, then the second sip will no longer be as enchanting as the first. And clean water will wash your taste buds - and as a result, you can fully enjoy every sip.

The pressure is normal. For those who are afraid to drink coffee again because of the risk of high blood pressure, plain water can be of great service - it can weaken the effect of caffeine; if you drink it with coffee, your heart will not beat like mad.

Teeth like pearls. Coffee contains a pigment that stains tooth enamel. But if you drink a little water after each sip, then the pigment will not have time to be absorbed and the teeth will remain as white as they were.