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Coffee Mugs and Material Science

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  • 24-03-2015 8:17pm
    #1
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭


    I have two mugs that I tend to make coffee in, and I've noticed that one of them seems to consistently make a far better cup. Is there any merit to the idea that the surface material of the mug is having an effect on the composition of the end product?

    Or is it more likely that it has to do with the overall size and shape influencing how I make it? The 'bad' mug has a shiny, lacquered sort of surface, whereas the 'good' mug has a slightly rougher, almost porous sort of texture to it.

    Similarly there is a mug in my parent's house that always seems to make mediocre tea!

    Any merit to the idea? Obviously the inner surface isn't actively dissolving into the drink but could it have an influence?


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    #2
    Joe Doe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 559 ✭✭✭Joe Doe


    Could it be some tasty lead or other trace heavy metal leakage from unregulated, cheap (far east) ceramics and/or their glazes?

    Perhaps thickened glass is the way to go for the healthy cuppadetae.


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    #3
    Joe Doe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 559 ✭✭✭Joe Doe


    or this (just on the news)
    The drinking water in as many as 10% of households in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area of Dublin may be contaminated by lead, according to a survey of pipes conducted by water meter installers.


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    #4
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Consider different porus surfaces in each mug: one might retain more detergent during the cleaning process!
    Also I reckon people generally use the same temps/times during boiling/brewing process... so for mugs of different dimensions the heat losses would be different.. thus altering the rate of flavour change as it cools ( of course the weaker your brew the less you'll notice).

    Buy 3 exact same mugs and notice the 'no difference' if you do a blind tasting... but if you store one for a year and compare it with the other 2 (which have been through the wash so the porusness may be altered, together with staining and detergent residue).

    My perfect cup is a small wide rimmed one.. only thing is though is it cools quick and I need loadsa refills... but maybe this has increased my dosage which makes it more of a habit... hence why I choose this cup...


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