Drinking coffee seems simple, but to truly savor the essence of a specialty coffee, every step matters—from the way you hold the cup to the timing of adding sugar. This article systematically organizes the seven basic action points for coffee tasting, including holding the cup, adding sugar, using a coffee spoon, cooling methods, using the cup and saucer, pairing with snacks, and the rhythm of drinking, and further breaks down the five-step process for drinking coffee correctly, teaching you how to cleanse your palate with ice water, feel the original flavor of black coffee while it's hot, and then gradually add sugar and milk, so as to experience the layered changes in coffee's flavor. Whether you are a beginner just getting into specialty coffee or an enthusiast looking to improve your appreciation skills, these details can help you enjoy every cup more professionally.

1: How should you hold a coffee cup?

When holding a coffee cup, the correct gesture is to pinch the handle with your thumb and index finger together, then lift the cup.

2: How should you add sugar to coffee?

When adding sugar to coffee, if it is granulated sugar, you can scoop it with a coffee spoon and pour it directly into the cup; if it is a sugar cube, first use sugar tongs to place the cube on the side of the saucer closest to you, then use the coffee spoon to put the sugar cube into the cup. If you directly use the sugar tongs or your hand to drop the sugar into the cup, coffee may splash out and stain your clothes or tablecloth.

3: How should you use a coffee spoon?

The purpose of a coffee spoon is to stir coffee; when drinking coffee, you should take it out of the cup. Do not use a coffee spoon to scoop coffee into your mouth one spoonful at a time, and do not use it to crush sugar cubes in the cup.

4: What should you do if the coffee is too hot to drink?

If freshly brewed coffee is too hot, you can gently stir it in the cup with a coffee spoon to help it cool, or wait for it to cool naturally before drinking. Blowing on coffee with your mouth to cool it is a very inelegant action.

5: Use of the cup and saucer

Coffee cups and saucers are specially matched sets. They should be placed directly in front of or to the right of the drinker, with the cup handle facing right. When drinking coffee, you can pinch the cup handle with your right hand, gently support the saucer with your left hand, and slowly bring it to your mouth to sip in small mouthfuls. Do not grip the whole cup with your hand and gulp it down, and do not lower your head to drink; try not to make noise while drinking. When refilling, do not lift the coffee cup off the saucer.

6: Drinking coffee and eating snacks

Sometimes coffee can be paired with a small snack, but do not hold the snack in one hand and the coffee cup in the other, alternating between taking a bite and a sip. When drinking coffee, you should first put down the snack; when eating the snack, you should first put down the coffee cup.

7: How should you taste coffee?

Coffee flavors can be strong or light, so you should not drink three or four cups in a row like tea or cola; the amount of a formal coffee cup is appropriate. Generally, 80–100 ml is a suitable amount for drinking coffee. If you want to drink three or four cups in a row, make the coffee weaker or add a large amount of milk, but you should still adjust the coffee strength according to your own physical condition. You can also make more variations in the pairing of sugar to make the coffee taste better. Drinking it while hot is a necessary prerequisite for tasting coffee, even in hot summer.

II: The correct way to drink coffee

1: First take a sip of cold water to thoroughly clean your mouth.

2: Coffee should be drunk while hot, because the tannic acid in coffee easily changes during cooling, making the taste sour.

3: Take a sip of "black coffee." Every cup of coffee you drink has gone through five years of growth before it can bloom and bear fruit, and then undergone complex processes such as harvesting and roasting before it is completed. Therefore, first take a sip of "black coffee" without sugar or creamer while it is hot, to feel the flavor of coffee before any embellishment. Then add an appropriate amount of sugar, take a sip, and finally add creamer. Do not forget to first taste the pure coffee!

4: Before formally drinking coffee, first take a sip of ice water. Ice water helps the flavor of the coffee present itself more vividly, preparing every taste bud on your tongue to fully experience the deliciousness of the coffee.

5: Drink in moderation. Coffee contains caffeine, so it should be drunk in moderation.

Enjoying a cup of coffee according to the above steps not only allows you to experience the different layers of coffee's mouthfeel, but also helps improve your ability to appreciate coffee.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.