Coffee lovers certainly have their own preferences when it comes to enjoying a cup of the beverage. Some like their coffee black, but many add milk and sugar, or even vanilla and cinnamon. But what about coffee with salt?

Maybe you feel unfamiliar with salt mixed coffee, not many people know this. Therefore, not many people discuss mixing salt into a cup of coffee. However, there are many experienced baristas who add salt to a cup of coffee to neutralize the bitterness.

Is it true that coffee mixed with salt doesn’t taste bitter?

Fans of this theory add salt to their coffee to create a savory taste in their cup. In addition, they think the bitterness tends to decrease when adding a pinch of salt.

However, the actual brewing method can also affect the lack of bitterness. Many other reasons can cause coffee to taste more bitter, for example, too hot water temperature and over extraction.

The Beginning of Salt-Mixed Coffee

According to historians, it is said that in ancient times salt was considered as precious as gold because it was so scarce. So when the amount of salt was abundant, everyone experimented to mix salt with various foods and drinks.

One of them is mixing salt into coffee to find out the taste it produces. Until then, in 2021 baristas began to innovate to find a combination of sweet and savory flavors. Then, a barista added sugar and a little salt to café mocha to find a balance of sweet and savory flavors.

How does salt-mixed coffee taste?

As mentioned earlier, the standard of palatability comes down to personal preference. If you have a sweet tooth, you’d definitely prefer to add a little sugar than drink it without. However, if you like the natural bitter taste of coffee, then you would prefer not to add any additional flavor.

Adding salt to coffee can create an interesting and deep richness of flavor. Especially when combined with milk and sugar, the flavor complexity will be richer and fuller.

Salt-blended black coffee can enhance the nutty flavor, even enhancing the sweetness by making it less bitter and more mellow. Plus, salt is considered by coffee enthusiasts to enhance the aroma when freshly brewed.

Actually, the technique of mixing salt in drinks is not unique to coffee. Some other drinks like hot chocolate and caramel lattes use salt to balance the flavor. Just a little salt, but the flavor is much different in the end.

In coffee that uses honey as an alternative sweetener, it is highly recommended to add salt. The use of salt can enhance the unique flavor of honey.

How to Add Salt to Coffee

There are different ways of mixing coffee with salt. Here’s how different people add salt to their coffee.

  • Mixing salt in the coffee grounds before brewing so that they can dissolve together.
  • Adding a pinch of salt after brewing in the cup.
  • Add salt only to coffee mixed with milk and sugar after brewing.

Meanwhile, many other baristas are against mixing salt into coffee. They assume that salt will not be mixed into the drink because it is not suitable.

Salt-mixed coffee views on health benefits

As many people know, consuming excessive salt can lead to high blood pressure. Conversely, a lack of salt will have adverse effects on the body. Salt itself has health benefits, including improving metabolic function, enhancing central nervous performance and promoting muscle relaxation response.

If you don’t get enough sodium intake, your body will become dehydrated. Dehydration can actually also be caused by drinking too much caffeine. Caffeine’s diuretic properties cause you to urinate frequently, while it can decrease the amount of sodium in the body.

However, adding salt to coffee is basically a very small amount. The goal is to enhance the flavor, so it’s not as much as adding sugar.

Well, that’s the information about salt mixed coffee that can be new knowledge for you. Especially if you are learning to understand the world of coffee. So, don’t hesitate to experiment to find your favorite flavor. (*)

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