The Color Of Your Coffee Cup Is Relevant

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The color of your coffee cup can change the taste of your coffee. When drinking coffee, we usually do not give much importance to the color, size and shape of the cup. But a recent study led by psychologist George Van Doorn, of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia with the collaboration of the University of Oxford reveals that the color of the container could alter the perception of the taste of coffee.

Experiments With Color Of Coffee Cups

After listening to someone say that the coffee contained in a white ceramic cup tastes bitter, Van Doorn decided to confirm whether or not the color of the coffee cup could alter the taste of the drink. He conducted an experiment in which he asked 18 volunteers to test the same coffee served in three different cups: one blue, one transparent and one white. They were asked to rate, on a scale from 0 to 100, how sweet, bitter or aromatic it was, without them knowing that it was the same drink. The results showed that white cup seemed to make the flavor of coffee stronger, while in the transparent cup made it became less intense. He repeated the experiment, with 36 tasters and cups that were similar in everything but in the color. Again, the results were the same.

Visual Contrast And Association

He explains that this is probably due to the visual contrast. Since there is an association between brown and bitter taste, unconsciously it may seem more intense. Therefore, if you think that coffee every day is a little stronger, it may not be a matter of the drink, but of the color of the cup in which you are taking it could be the responsible. It is, of course, a psychological effect, not that the color changed the actual taste of the drink. Light colors make Latte coffee appear darker, and therefore is perceived as more intense. Similarly, dark colors reduce the contrast and create the effect that coffee is milder and sweeter in the mind of the taster. The results are an addition to the large number of studies that highlight the importance of color as not just the smell or taste are important perception of food.

Take Color into account!

The study has proven an important aspect for coffee shop and restaurant owners to take into consideration. They probably will not want their customers to perceive their coffee as bitter (and complain about it or even worse not come again) they will rather exploit the multi-sensory experience of enjoying a good cup of coffee. Remember everything is in the brain!