What Is the Best Serving Temperature for Hot Drinks?

Use our Serving Temperature Guide for Hot Drinks to Avoid
Burns and Potential Lawsuits

We’ve all heard horror stories about someone’s third
cousin’s mother-in-law, suing a fast-food chain for spilling a scalding coffee on her lap. They always end with shocking injuries and
multi-million-dollar settlements. Whether or not these anecdotes ring true, hot
drinks can pose injury and cause inconvenience that everyone can relate to.

This may leave you wondering what the perfect temperature is
for serving hot drinks. Have no fear as we have done the research to help you
avoid toasting your taste buds this winter.

What is the perfect
serving temperature for hot drinks?

According to Dr. Fredericka Brown and Dr. Kenneth Diller,
mechanical engineering professors at The University of Texas at Tyler, the
optimal temperature range for serving hot beverages is between 125°F and
136°F.
Their research shows that although there are varying preferences regarding the
optimal temperature for beverage consumption, drinking a hot beverage outside
of this range can negatively impact taste and cause physical discomfort. In
some cases, drinking beverages that are above this temperature range can lead
to serious burns to the mouth, tongue, and esophagus.

How can I tell if my
beverage is too hot?

Knowing the optimal temperature for serving hot beverages is
good information to start with, but how do you know if your drink falls within
the 125°F
– 136°F
range? An easy answer is to invest in a small kitchen thermometer. Most
superstores and major online retailers sell different models of kitchen
thermometers that range in price and quality. These thermometers have several
other food
preparation uses, so it may be an investment worth making.

While testing the temperature of a beverage to your lips may
be your first instinct, this is not recommended. This method, as previously
stated, can lead to severe burns
and possibly end with a visit to the doctor. If you do not already own a kitchen
thermometer and you do not plan to purchase one, we recommend waiting for your beverage
to cool before taking that first sip.

What is the best way
to cool down hot drinks?

The brewing temperature for coffee and other hot drinks is
often much higher than the recommended serving temperature. Because of this,
cooling is an essential step in making most hot beverages. While many people
will instinctively blow on their drinks, research has shown that this is an
inefficient method of lowering the temperature of liquids. The best method for
rapidly cooling drinks is to leave them out without a lid. However, if you use
this method, it is important that you take the proper safety precautions. Be sure to keep uncovered hot beverages out of reach
of small children and in an area where they
cannot be easily spilled. Adding ice is also a useful method but can change the
flavor of your drink.

How do I keep my drinks
at the perfect temperature?

Maintaining the temperature of your hot drink can be a
balancing act. Luckily, there have been several advancements in beverage
containment technology. Many modern
thermoses and mugs let very little heat escape by creating a vacuum that is
insulated with copper plating and stainless steel. This makes it so that you
can simply pour your drink into the container just as it reaches the perfect
temperature range and keep it on hand for hours without having to reheat it.