Have you ever gone into a coffee shop and seen people sipping on those tiny little glasses of sparkling water while they enjoy their $8 cups of coffee?
Or perhaps you received a small cup of mineral water along with your espresso drink at a restaurant—and weren't quite sure if they got your order wrong, or if you received part of another customer's order.
Well, if you've ever wondered why people serve these little cups of water alongside strong coffee and espresso, the reasons are pretty simple.
Here are the three main reasons people drink mineral water with coffee:
#1 – It's a palate cleanser.
After a few sips of rich, dark coffee, your mouth can get kind of dirty. And sometimes you need a brief (very brief) break from all that rich goodness. That's where sparkling water comes in.
The more neutral flavor of sparkling mineral water (as well as its effervescence) helps to refresh the palette—and most importantly, prepare you for drinking more coffee.
#2 – It helps to balance out the flavors.
No matter how much you love your espresso or dark roast coffee, it can be a bit intense on its own, and sometimes you need something to lighten things up a bit. That's where the mineral water comes in. The taste of the minerals help to balance out the flavors—making the espresso seem less acidic and bitter by comparison—and making the coffee more enjoyable.
If you take a sip of coffee and then immediately follow it up with a drink of mineral water, you'll notice that the coffee tastes significantly richer and smoother on the next sip.
This especially applies when you're drinking high quality coffee that has a lot of complex flavors. The subtle taste of the minerals in the water can help simultaneously balance and accentuate those flavors.
#3 – It makes your coffee experience more refreshing.
Even though coffee hydrates you, let's face it, sometimes drinking a lot of coffee on its own without drinking some water or another “light” beverage can feel a bit… well, “heavy.” So having a little mineral water on the side helps you feel a little more hydrated—plus, let’s be honest, the feeling of all those tiny little bubbles in your mouth help to make the whole experience feel more refreshing.
All in all, espresso can be intense, and its flavors can easily overwhelm your senses. Mineral water served with espresso is like the side of ginger served alongside sushi at a Japanese restaurant.
By enjoying some alongside your coffee or espresso, you can help to cleanse and refresh your palette so that you can appreciate and enjoy your coffee or espresso to the fullest.
(And who wants to leave any coffee enjoyment on the table?)
So next time you see someone sipping on a small glass of sparkling water alongside their coffee or espresso, they're not trying to show off—they're just getting the most out of their coffee-drinking experience. Are you?
Why limit this experience to coffee shops when you can have the same healthy indulgence at home?
If you love savoring strong, bold coffee, try pairing your next cup of dark roast or espresso with some sparkling/mineral water.
You'll notice that it's not only more refreshing, but it helps you appreciate the flavors and intensity of your coffee even more.
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