Study: The color of your mug can mean better tasting coffee

Want a better cup of coffee? The secret just might be the mug itself.

A recent study published by the online journal “Flavour” found that the color of a mug influences the coffee’s perceived taste.

In the study “Does the colour of mug influence the taste of the coffee?” the authors tested the influence that three different colored mugs — white, blue and clear — had on the flavor of coffee.

“Both experiments demonstrate that the colour of the mug affects people’s ratings of a hot beverage,” according to the study, which was done in Australia.

The color contrast between the mug and coffee may have affected the perceived intensity and sweetness of the coffee, the authors wrote.

“The coffee was rated as less sweet in the white mug as compared to the transparent and blue mugs,” they wrote.

The idea for one of the experiments came from a conversation one of the study authors had with a barista.

The barista had noticed coffee in a white ceramic mug tasted more bitter than the same coffee from a clear glass mug. Those two types of mugs are the most commonly used to serve coffee in Australian cafés and restaurants.

The results of the study suggests that those making a living serving coffee should carefully consider the color of the mug and the potential effects that color could have on the coffee drinking experience.

This story was originally published December 10, 2014 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Study: The color of your mug can mean better tasting coffee."