In what order should you add sugar and milk to your coffee? And, how do you drink your coffee? Not only on Coffee Day, today October 1st, you have probably been asked (yourself) this question at least once. Do you drink your coffee black, with milk, with sugar, or even with milk and sugar? Just a little milk, just a little sugar but more milk, or or or. There are so many ways to drink coffee. Not to mention the preparation of the coffee (filter coffee, cold brew, a fully automatic machine with grinder for bean coffee, coffee pods, coffee capsules, Caffé con pallina di gelato / Affogatto, …). But why it is so important whether now first the milk/coffee cream or first the sugar is added to the coffee, you ask? Very important, in fact. It has a scientific background!

Why the order of milk and sugar in coffee is important

First of all, whether you have learned something interesting, or you continue to add sugar to your coffee last, please share this helpful tip with others. But, many people would call themselves coffee connoisseurs, convincing them of their stuck “I prepare coffee best”, even though it may not be accurate, is difficult. But, finally, what difference does it make in what order you add milk and coffee to both hot and cold coffee?

The solution to the whole debacle is simple: sugar dissolves better in warm liquid than in cold milk. Adding sugar to a cold brew is therefore rather less advisable, as sugar in fact simply dissolves very poorly in cold coffee. This is actually similar to adding the milk first and then the sugar to a freshly brewed coffee. You’ve probably experienced it yourself at least once, that sometimes there is still some granulated sugar stuck undissolved at the bottom of the empty coffee cup. This is simple. The coffee is brewed hot or sufficiently warm, but since milk is often stored in the refrigerator, you add cold milk to the hot coffee, which cools down (depending on the amount of milk, the more cold milk, the more problematic), and then the sugar, it can again not dissolve so well.

Therefore, if you want to enjoy your coffee with both milk and sugar, add the sugar to the coffee first, and the milk last. This allows the granulated sugar to dissolve in the warm liquid as well as possible. Stirring the mixture is always good, but if the coffee is too cold (cold brew, or too much cold milk), even after hundreds of turns in the cup, the sugar still may not dissolve drastically better.

However, you drink your caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, enjoy it, today on Coffee Day! *

*as well as any other day, of course!

Blog posts for coffee lovers

You might also be interested in the following blog posts diving deeper into the world of coffee:
Do you know all the ways to enjoy Caffé? List of Italian Coffee Specialities
Until what hour is it okay to order Cappuccino in Italy?
live Coffee Bean Roasting at Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milano
Nous Nous, the moroccan coffee drink you need to order in Morocco
Recipe: Greek Frappé (original with Nescafe Instant Coffee)
How to order Coffee with ice cream in Italy – Caffé con pallina di gelato

There are several compelling reasons why you should consider adding sugar before milk when preparing your hot coffee.

First and foremost, adding sugar before milk allows for the better dissolving of the sugar in the hot liquid. When sugar is added directly to hot coffee, it dissolves more readily, creating a smoother and more evenly sweetened beverage. This ensures that every sip of your coffee is perfectly sweetened, without any clumps or undissolved sugar lingering at the bottom of your cup.

Additionally, adding sugar before milk allows you to control the sweetness level of your coffee more effectively. By adding sugar first, you can adjust the amount of sugar you add based on your personal preference. You can start with a small amount of sugar, taste your coffee, and then add more if desired. This allows you to achieve the exact level of sweetness that suits your taste buds, resulting in a customized and satisfying cup of coffee.

Another benefit of adding sugar before milk is that it prevents the milk from diluting the coffee. Milk has a higher water content than sugar, so adding milk before the sugar can potentially dilute the coffee and weaken its flavour. On the other hand, adding sugar first ensures that the coffee retains its full-bodied flavour, while the milk can then be added to your desired level of creaminess without affecting the strength of the coffee.

Finally, adding sugar before milk can also help in achieving a more visually appealing cup of coffee. When sugar is added before milk, it dissolves evenly and distributes throughout the coffee, creating a consistent and uniform colour. This results in a visually pleasing cup of coffee with a consistent sweetness throughout, without any sugar settling at the bottom or clumping up on the surface.

Adding sugar before milk when preparing hot coffee has several benefits, including better dissolution of sugar, improved control over sweetness, preservation of coffee flavour, and a visually appealing result. So why not give it a try and elevate your coffee experience to new levels of sweetness and satisfaction?

Featured image via coffee cupping session in Canberra, Australia