When reaching for a mug in the morning, a new study has found that the colour of the cup can potentially affect how we perceive coffee to taste. Classic white, so says the research, could make it taste more bitter.

Published in Flavour, an academic journal dedicated to the science of food, the study’s lead writer, George Van Doorn, says the research was inspired by a trip to his local café in Australia, where a barista absent-mindedly mentioned that consumers were less fond of coffee poured into white mugs than glass ones.

The researchers then carried out a measured study of mug colours, testing a sample of volunteers. After crunching the beans and the numbers, it was determined that the white mug “enhanced the rated ‘intensity’ of the coffee flavour relative to the transparent mug,” with the paper surmising that the contrast in colours was likely responsible.

Mr Van Doorn believes that the dark brown colour of coffee “pops” against white, making the drinker perceive it as tasting bitter. The inverse is true in a glass mug.

But the study looked beyond the white and clear, and also tested how blue cups bewitch the sense of taste – it was found to make the coffee appear both more bitter and sweeter.

The cups used in the sample testing [Flavour]

"Both experiments demonstrate that the colour of the mug affects people’s ratings of a hot beverage," the study says. "These results support the view that the colour of the mug should be considered by those serving coffee as it can influence the consumer’s multisensory coffee drinking experience.

"These results add to a large and growing body of research highlighting the influence of product-extrinsic colour on the multisensory perception of food and drink," it adds.

George Van Doorn and his research team believe their study should influence how cafés brand their coffee experience, thinking twice before investing in white vessels. 

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[H/T: Gizmodo]