# Water Temperature Experiments for Coffee



## ArtistryCoffee (Oct 11, 2014)

Water cools from boiling, we all know this - but just how quickly?

It's a question that puzzled me, and I could find no quick answer on my google searches that met my needs - so what better than to go back into a science lab and do some real-life experiments! Well, a kitchen. And a set of semi-controlled, slightly made up as I went along, observations. I'm sure a real scientist would be able to tear my kitchen table methods to shreds - but I thought they'd at least point me in the right direction.

I've started a series of blog posts to document some thoughts and findings and put some charts together.

You might be interested to take a look:

http://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/category/the-coffee-experiments/








https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-1/









https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/14/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-2/

https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-3/









https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-4/









https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-6/

https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-6/


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

How much water was in your jug?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> How much water was in your jug?


This .....

surely its dependant on the amount of water being used

Larger volume of water cools down slower ....


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

What you've just tested is how quickly x ml of water in a plastic jug cools down


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## frandavi99 (Jun 8, 2014)

Quite interesting. Thanks.

I'd assume the main variables would be water volume, surface area and ambient temperature (and how the affect of this changes dependent on the insulating abilities of your jug).

But assuming that your jug, volume and room temp are always similar when you make your coffee then job well done!


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Let it brew, let it brew.

The cold never bothered me anyway










Plenty of articles on physics 101 type sites to explain temperature loss over time.

As to never actually reaching 100 Celsius, kettles will all have a cut off thermostat with a +/- tolerance. I'm guessing that few ever have the full volume of water at true boil, unless you have one with a long overboil - which is not very economical to run. Altitude/pressure can also make a big difference. Probably less so in most of UK but when I lived in Harare water boiled at ~95C so made it a real pain to make a decent cup of tea.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I like these thermometers...you can clip them to all sorts of pots & brewers...








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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

MWJB

Linky please for that digital thermometer.

Thanks.


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

this one?

http://coffeehit.co.uk/milk-to-perfection-thermometer


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

NickdeBug said:


> this one?
> 
> http://coffeehit.co.uk/milk-to-perfection-thermometer


That's the one.


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## ArtistryCoffee (Oct 11, 2014)

jeebsy said:


> What you've just tested is how quickly x ml of water in a plastic jug cools down


The series of posts so far have covered cooling in open-top jug, electric kettle, transfer to Buono kettle and have charted the differences between them -couple more posts and charts to come in the next few days. A bit of fun and a little bit of science!

https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com...-for-coffee-4/


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## ArtistryCoffee (Oct 11, 2014)

NickdeBug said:


> Let it brew, let it brew.
> 
> The cold never bothered me anyway
> 
> ...


Yeah, after I finished them I found a paper which was interesting to compare my observations to.

Water boiling at 95C is a bit unsettling, but I guess I remember something from school about the effect of altitude: does that mean brewguides should have the altitude recorded on them as well !! ??


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## ArtistryCoffee (Oct 11, 2014)

Final chart from these water temperature experiments for Pour Over Coffee.

Will add link into the first post too.

Having journeyed through lots of thoughts and a few modifications this bit attempts to understand something of what temperature the water is as it hits the coffee grounds.

https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-6/

https://coffeeartistry.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/water-temperature-experiments-for-coffee-6/


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