A customer at my shop changed how I think about morning coffee

So this older guy brings his poodle in every month, and we always chat while I'm working. Last week, he was holding a thermos and I asked if it was his usual black coffee. He said no, it was just hot water. He told me he switched to drinking hot water first thing for about 15 minutes before having his actual cup of coffee. He said, 'It lets me actually taste the coffee, not just gulp down caffeine.' I tried it this morning, and idk, maybe it's just me but I swear my usual beans tasted different, like I could pick out the chocolate notes way more. It felt less like a habit and more like I was actually having a drink I wanted. Has anyone else tried spacing out their first cup like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

jones.nancy1mo ago

Wait, so your big life hack is to... drink hot water first? That's like doing a warm-up lap before driving to work. Next you'll tell me you sniff the milk before you pour it in your cereal to "really appreciate the lactose." I guess if it makes your fancy beans taste like more than burnt dirt, good for you, but my morning brain needs the caffeine hit STAT.

ray_miller841mo ago

Look, it's not about the water being hot. It's about waking up your stomach before you dump acid on it. You ever chug cold brew on an empty stomach and feel that weird gut punch, @jones.nancy? The warm water just sort of settles things. It takes maybe two minutes. Then the coffee hits smoother and I don't get that jittery, sour feeling. It's not a life hack, it's just not treating my insides like a trash can first thing in the morning.

christopher9431mo ago

That "weird gut punch" from cold brew on an empty stomach is way too real, ray_miller84. I started doing the hot water thing a few months back after my stomach was just not having it with my usual instant coffee slam. It totally takes the edge off. Now my morning cup feels like a choice, not a panic move for caffeine.