You make a fantastic cup of coffee in the morning. After one sip, you put it on the table and do your job, and it gets cold after one hour. We understand that cold coffee is not really your style, and now you want to reheat it. What is the easiest option that one can come up with? Microwave.
But can you microwave coffee? Is microwaving the coffee good? Will the coffee get bad after that, and why?
The answer is yes, you can microwave coffee. The microwave is one of the most useful inventions of all time, isn’t it? We will show you the most proper way to microwave coffee.
Contents
How To Microwave Coffee Properly?
I’m sure you also understand, never heat coffee in a microwave with a plastic cup. Learn more about microwaving plastic here.
After putting the coffee into a mug with a suitable material, place it in the microwave to set the heat level to medium. Do not let the heat level be too high. A little above medium is still acceptable.
Next, decide how long you should set the time. The time to heat coffee in the microwave depends on how much coffee is left in your cup. Usually, half of a full cup of coffee takes about 45 seconds. If, after 45 seconds, you are still not satisfied with the heat of the coffee, it is acceptable to reheat for another 30 seconds.
Please note that if your coffee has been added with milk or cream, it is necessary to check to see if the coffee is still drinkable. For example, if a cup of coffee with milk is left outside for hours in hot weather, it properly goes terrible, and you shouldn’t drink it anymore.
Best Way To Reheat Coffee: Stovetop
Although heating coffee in the microwave is quick and easy, coffee experts often do not recommend this method. Instead, if you need to warm up coffee, refer to the steps below to reheat with the stove.
Very simple, kettle, a pot, or a saucepan should be prepared – something you can put on top of your stovetop. Then, pour the coffee into it and set your pan on a burner.
The next step is important: No matter how hurried you are, keep the burner low.
While the coffee is in the saucepan, take a spoon and stir a few times. After seeing the coffee bubbling up a bit, turn off the stove and enjoy your hot cup of coffee.
Keeping the burner low ensures that all the coffee’s good taste is not lost after being reheated. However, the above tips are not enough to ensure the taste of coffee is as good as the original. Let’s find out why!
Further Reading: Can You Use Evaporated Milk In Coffee?
Why Does Heated Coffee Not Taste As Good As When It Was First Brewed?
Of course, it will be hot again as you want, but this does not mean that your coffee will be as good as it was. When coffee is left outside for a long time and cools down, its chemistry will also change more or less. Attempting to reheat the coffee will break down the aromatics eventually.
Although coffee is famous for caffeine, its flavor is made up of about 1000 chemical compounds. Heating coffee after it has cooled will create chemical reactions that affect the taste of coffee. Therefore, after being reheated, coffee will lose its caramel-like flavor and become much more bitter.
If you want to learn more about coffee, please read more about the compositions that make up coffee and their nutritional value here (after reading this information, you will probably think again about whether you want to reheat coffee or not).
3 Tips To Keep Coffee Hot For A Longer Time
Experts recommend that you avoid coffee that cools quickly after brewing in the first place. Here are three tips you can apply
1. Keep your coffee hot with a thick scarf
Wrap this scarf around your coffee cup. You can also replace the scarf with a jacket or cloth, as long as it is thick enough to prevent your coffee cup from rapidly radiating heat into the outside space.
This is the most manual way and keeps the coffee warm for a short time, but it ensures that the coffee stays warm for longer without losing its distinctive taste.
2. Use a quality thermos bottle
Thermos is always the first choice to keep any beverage hot or cold for a long time. Good thermos (and, of course, more expensive) can even keep your coffee warm for up to 12 hours.
A cheaper thermos can keep your drink warm for up to 6 to 8 hours. We think 6 to 8 hours is enough for a productive working session without having to get up to make yourself a new cup of coffee or reheat it.
However, be aware that there are many poor-quality thermos flasks on the market. Make sure the thermos you buy is from a reputable brand with expert testing for the best experience.
3. Cup sleeves can also be handy
The cup sleeves help to insulate our hands from hot drinks and help keep the heat of them. There are many cup sleeves with many materials you can choose from: paper, knitted, or neoprene.
If you are a coffeeholic, buy yourself a knitted cup sleeve like this. It’s inexpensive, retains heat in the cup, and reflects your style somewhat.
Conclusion
So has this article answered the question “can you microwave coffee” yet? If you love coffee, especially hot coffee, we believe the above tips will be of much help. Also, don’t hesitate to share our tips with your friends. I’m sure that they’d be grateful to learn about these valuable facts and knowledge.
