The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 08:55:05 am

Title: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 08:55:05 am
When I make a hot drink, I put the milk in according to how I want the drink to taste.  So after the tea has mashed, or first for coffee to stop the boiling water scalding the coffee.

When BH makes a hot drink, he doesn't put the milk in until he's ready to drink the drink.  He says that as soon as the milk goes in, the drink will cool down so fast you need to drink it straight away.

So my question is this. 

If you have a freshly-made hot drink, and some cool milk, and you are going to drink that drink in 10 minutes time, which is cooler when you drink it?  The one you put the milk into straight away, or the one you only add the milk to at the point of drinking?
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: bloomer on April 17, 2014, 08:58:56 am
they both lose heat at the same rate (it is a linear function) so the one that the milk goes in first will be cooler over all as its effective starting temperature is lower...



Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: AndynJ on April 17, 2014, 09:44:00 am
milk first will be cooler

Another question

Why does anyone put milk in coffee ???????????

And yet another

Why is dandelion coffee horrible when its almost cold ???
(I'm concerned that I'm not getting enough acids out)
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: doganjo on April 17, 2014, 09:57:35 am
Question - why would anyone want to drink coffee made from dandelions?  :innocent:
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: little blue on April 17, 2014, 10:26:56 am
Question - why would anyone want to drink coffee made from dandelions?  :innocent:

... when dandelion wine is so much nicer?! ;)
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: Foobar on April 17, 2014, 10:36:29 am
It won't make any difference to the temperature of the liquid which ever way you do it.  Although tea may brew differently if milk goes in first but that's a taste thing not a temperature thing.


If you perceive any difference then it will probably be in the temperature of the mug itself (or whatever container is holding said drink).  Different materials absorb / hold / lose heat differently.
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: Rosemary on April 17, 2014, 11:28:06 am
I don't know why I even looked at this thread  :roflanim:
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 12:00:26 pm
I don't know why I even looked at this thread  :roflanim:
:roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 12:01:19 pm
Why is dandelion coffee horrible when its almost cold ???

Because it was horrible when it was hot
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 12:02:00 pm
Why does anyone put milk in coffee ???????????

Age shall come to you, too, whippersnapper ;)
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Bert on April 17, 2014, 12:23:20 pm
Why dose anyone drink tea or coffee ?
( can we have an icon that is projectile vomiting please  :eyelashes: )
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 01:20:37 pm
Okay, I wish I hadn't included the 'Don't care' option because we're all choosing it.  Hrmph.   :D
Title: Re: A question for the physicists
Post by: Fowgill Farm on April 17, 2014, 01:25:51 pm
Why does anyone put milk in coffee ???????????

Age shall come to you, too, whippersnapper ;)
Agreed but I reckon if you let black coffee stand 10 mins before drinking and then add cold milk it will be cooler than if you put it into scalding hot coffee at the start.
But saying that I like mine made with hot milk anyway :innocent: just to add another iron in the fire :stir:
Mandy :pig:
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: fsmnutter on April 17, 2014, 01:58:11 pm
Cooling depends on the difference in temperature, therefore hot coffee in contact with air will cool faster than slightly less hot coffee (if milk has been added at point of making), so the cooled black coffee will then get colder when the cold milk from the fridge is added.
I have only just agreed with OH that adding milk before the coffee, avoiding scalding, does actually taste better though!
I struggle to drink mine hot though, so usually add a little cold water to cool it even faster, or end up leaving it lying around until its tooo cold.
And I agree with Mandy, if I can't get at goats milk, it has to be hot milk!
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Rosemary on April 17, 2014, 03:49:25 pm
I love these threads  ;D
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Womble on April 17, 2014, 05:46:25 pm
Fsmnutter is right.  The driving force for losing the the heat is the temperature difference between the coffee and the air. If you put the milk in first, that reduces the driving force for heat loss, so less heat gets lost whilst you're waiting your 10 minutes.

Rosemary - in case you were wondering, Q=UAdT(Lmtd)   ;)
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Alistair on April 17, 2014, 05:58:23 pm
Surely it depends on what your drinking it out of, I.e. Tall mug, cup etc cos of its surface area in contact with the air?

I only drink out of a saucer these days
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: jaykay on April 17, 2014, 06:33:17 pm
Yep, rate of cooling is dependent on the difference between the drink and the room temp. So BH's will cool faster in the first instance. However, it will have been hotter to start with, and they'll both cool to room temperature in due course.

The point is where each one is on its cooling curve, after 10 mins. Which will depend on starting temp, the room temp, how much milk you put in, what temp the milk was......

I see an experiment and thermometers in your future  :D
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: doganjo on April 17, 2014, 06:56:34 pm
If I'm going outside I put my hot drinks in one of these Thermos mug thingies - does that make a difference?  :roflanim:
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Womble on April 17, 2014, 07:21:35 pm
If I'm going outside I put my hot drinks in one of these Thermos mug thingies - does that make a difference?  :roflanim:

Yes.
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 17, 2014, 07:46:16 pm
You are not disappointing me, TASers !   ;D  :roflanim:

You may be right about the experimenting, jaykay - but not till all me pet lambs are weaned!  lol
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: mab on April 17, 2014, 07:58:26 pm
I'm with fsmnutter too; leavng it without milk will result in more heat being lost.


mine is a totally unbiased opinion as I don't drink tea or coffee.
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: ladyK on April 17, 2014, 09:03:19 pm
Fascinating. Never thought of all that  ;D
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Mammyshaz on April 17, 2014, 10:04:12 pm
I disagree with fsm nutter  and mab.

The liquid only seems to cool quicker. It's hotter to start with as it hasn't had the coolant of the milk added.
If the milk is added immediately then the temperature drops suddenly and subsequent cooling is done at a steady rate. The drink without milk rapidly loses it's first bit of heat then slows down.

Then if my drink and OH drink is made at the same time, both with milk added at time of making then mine will be cooler.
oH cup is tall and thick walled, mine is smaller with a wider open top thus the heat will evaporate quicker.

Then if OH takes his outside while chopping wood,  his will cool quicker than mine being cupped in both hands in front of the log burner  :excited:

Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: HesterF on April 17, 2014, 10:53:46 pm
Agree with Fsmnutter and Womble. It's not a linear function. The greater the differential between the liquid temperature and the air temperature, the greater the energy loss, therefore the faster the temperature fall. When you add the milk, the liquid will average the temperature between the coffee and the liquid (weighted average because there will be more coffee than milk). I've started jotting down numbers but then realised that's all getting a bit obsessive. But basically you're better off leaving it hot for longer so that the most evaporation happens, leaving the coffee cooler and then averaging by volume between the cooler coffee and milk rather than reducing the temperature first with milk when the evaporation will then be less so it won't cool as much.

Personally I hate coffee so whatever you do to it, it'll still be awful (although I love the smell so in theory I'd appreciate you adding the milk later so I get to appreciate the smell for longer!). Quite a lot of scientific effort has been spent on the old conundrum of whether to heat the tea pot first or not too.
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: Lesley Silvester on April 17, 2014, 11:07:30 pm
I voted that I didn't care but I still read all the posts and now I'm  ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: john and helen on April 18, 2014, 07:23:48 am
the worst thing ever, has got to be, coffee made with hot milk…… i could throw up every time i see that layer of skin floating on top……. anyway…always add the milk after, as i like mine strong
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 18, 2014, 09:04:26 am
the worst thing ever, has got to be, coffee made with hot milk…… i could throw up every time i see that layer of skin floating on top……. anyway…always add the milk after, as i like mine strong

Wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same!  Now I have the Rayburn I can make myself hot-milky coffee whenever I want  :excited:  :yum:

Umm... why is it stronger if you add the milk after?  If you add the same amount of milk, surely it has the same strength whether the milk goes in first or second?  Or did you mean tea - in which case I agree, the flavour develops better if you let it steep for a few minutes before adding the milk.
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: john and helen on April 18, 2014, 01:03:23 pm
if you add the milk before, you may put in to much… by adding it after, you can get the right amount..nothing worse than over milky coffee ……..bluuuuuuuuu  ;D

and over stewed tea is a big no no  ;D as is under stewed tea …i.m sounding fussy  ;D
and always smell the milk 1st….
Title: Re: A question for the physicists - now with poll
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 18, 2014, 03:08:17 pm
…i.m sounding fussy  ;D

No, really?   :eyelashes:  Do you think so?   :-J

Many many many moons ago, I was preparing to take my then new boyfriend (later to be my husband and now unfortunately my ex-hubby) to meet my family for the first time.

I explained that we were the sort of household where, if you wanted a hot drink, you just helped yourself, and asked everyone else if they'd like one too.

And then I explained who drank what and how...

By the time I finished he had collapsed down the kitchen cupboards to the floor, literally crying with laughter and gasping for breath.