Edit:
Inspired, I just completed a scientific test to determine the exact temperature at which I drink coffee. The answer: 160 degrees Fahrenheit when it crosses my lips.
A bit of a coffee fanatic, I use the pour-over method of brewing, always with freshly ground beans, usually ground to a fine powder. My favorite is my Chemex coffee pot. For my test I selected one of my favorite blends, 2/3 Dunkin regular roast and 1/3 Starbucks Verona blend. This gives a nicely complex flavor with relatively inexpensive beans. I first brought the water to a full boil (212 deg F at sea-level, standard-day atmospheric pressure), then let the water cool to a measured 200 deg F exactly. While cooling I ground the beans to precisely 6 tablespoons of fine powder and placed in a Chemex heavy, unbleached paper filter in the funnel portion of the Chemex pot. I warmed the pot with the hot water, then dumped the hot water before brewing. When the water reached a measured 200 deg F I first warmed the measuring cup, then poured precisely 18 fluid ounces (2 TBL grounds to 6 oz water) of 200-degree water over the grounds, giving a quick stir while the water filtered through the grounds. At completion of brewing I (as usual) added 1/4 cup of 200 degree water directly into the coffee to open the nose. While the coffee cooled slightly I warmed the ceramic cup with the 200-degree water, then dumped the water and poured the coffee.
In my usual rhythm I then measured the coffee temperature in the cup just before drinking: 160 degrees Fahrenheit just as I began to sip. Sipping showed the coffee was at my usual preferred drinking temperature. It was steaming vigorously and definitely capable of scalding if spilled on exposed skin. I can't vouch for the scientific accuracy of my kitchen thermometer, of course, but the differential of 40 degrees between brewing and drinking temperatures will be very close. So there you have it!
This suggests McDonalds was not far off in serving at 185 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees through the drive-through window, as we may assume the coffee loses temperature, particularly on a cold day, by the time it is sipped by the customer. I might suggest a temperature 5 or 10 degrees lower, but that is a minor disagreement.
Inspired, I just completed a scientific test to determine the exact temperature at which I drink coffee. The answer: 160 degrees Fahrenheit when it crosses my lips.
A bit of a coffee fanatic, I use the pour-over method of brewing, always with freshly ground beans, usually ground to a fine powder. My favorite is my Chemex coffee pot. For my test I selected one of my favorite blends, 2/3 Dunkin regular roast and 1/3 Starbucks Verona blend. This gives a nicely complex flavor with relatively inexpensive beans. I first brought the water to a full boil (212 deg F at sea-level, standard-day atmospheric pressure), then let the water cool to a measured 200 deg F exactly. While cooling I ground the beans to precisely 6 tablespoons of fine powder and placed in a Chemex heavy, unbleached paper filter in the funnel portion of the Chemex pot. I warmed the pot with the hot water, then dumped the hot water before brewing. When the water reached a measured 200 deg F I first warmed the measuring cup, then poured precisely 18 fluid ounces (2 TBL grounds to 6 oz water) of 200-degree water over the grounds, giving a quick stir while the water filtered through the grounds. At completion of brewing I (as usual) added 1/4 cup of 200 degree water directly into the coffee to open the nose. While the coffee cooled slightly I warmed the ceramic cup with the 200-degree water, then dumped the water and poured the coffee.
In my usual rhythm I then measured the coffee temperature in the cup just before drinking: 160 degrees Fahrenheit just as I began to sip. Sipping showed the coffee was at my usual preferred drinking temperature. It was steaming vigorously and definitely capable of scalding if spilled on exposed skin. I can't vouch for the scientific accuracy of my kitchen thermometer, of course, but the differential of 40 degrees between brewing and drinking temperatures will be very close. So there you have it!
This suggests McDonalds was not far off in serving at 185 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees through the drive-through window, as we may assume the coffee loses temperature, particularly on a cold day, by the time it is sipped by the customer. I might suggest a temperature 5 or 10 degrees lower, but that is a minor disagreement.
