Before I was a journalist, I was a Starbucks barista. I also worked at the U.K. chain Costa Coffee, and an independent artisanal coffee shop (which definitely taught me the most about the art of coffee).
Now, I'm a home barista and a professional espresso machine tester — I've tested everything from the famous Breville espresso makers, to De'Longhi, to Smeg/La Pavoni, for the best espresso machines guide. While they're not the same as commercial espresso machines, they're just as fun.
But one thing always confused me when I was a barista: the sheer amount of people ordering an 'extra hot latte', or an 'extra hot espresso macchiato', or, the most baffling, an 'extra hot Americano'.
These things either don't or shouldn't exist, and I'll tell you exactly why.
Coffee is a science
As much as coffee can be a creative hobby (inventing new drinks, making dragons out of latte art), it's just as much of a science as cooking or baking.
After all, coffee is just modern-day alchemy, right?
Espresso needs to be extracted between 195°F and 205°F (91°C to 96°C). If you're making an 'extra hot' black coffee, this means you should top up the espresso with 212°F water. Right?
Wrong.
Espresso is extracted at these temperatures because coffee burns at boiling. So if you're making Americanos with boiling water, you're setting yourself up for a bitter, unpleasant drink.
It's not just espresso that can't be heated over 205°F. Milk shouldn't be heated above about 155-158°F. The general rule of thumb is that if you can't comfortably touch the milk jug any more, the milk's too hot.
If you heat milk above this temperature, it will scald. Do you know what baby formula milk tastes like? Or rice pudding? Scalded milk tastes like that. It's gross.
Extra hot coffee either a) doesn't exist (water cannot be heated over boiling, and too-hot espresso will taste bitter), or b) shouldn't exist (milk tastes nasty hotter than 158°F).
(If you're curious about the beautiful espresso machine in this imagery, it's the near-perfect Smeg Mini Pro.)
What should I order instead?
If you've got the chef's "asbestos hands" but in your mouth, you'll probably want your coffee a little hotter than standard.
While it's true that if you want the best-tasting coffee, you shouldn't heat it above a certain level, but I understand you want coffee that suits your tastes. Or, in this case, temperature.
So next time you go to a cafe, don't ask for an "extra hot latte." Ask the barista to heat up your cup beforehand, or buy yourself an insulated mug that will keep your coffee hotter for longer. I love my Yeti Rambler 14oz mug; it keeps my Americanos hot for hours. In the summer, it also keeps my iced lattes iced for the same amount of time!
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