The Magic of Salt in Coffee

[@pilatesyogataichifit]

When I was a kid, my uncle once demanded I made him coffee. I was not too pleased (as I had planned to go out to play), so I decided to "show him" by adding a little salt to it. He later complimented me for the great coffee and - when I confessed to adding salt to the ground coffee - he told me that adding salt is a well-known gourmet technique. I was disappointed 😂

[@schrodingerscat8925]

You failed at failing a coffee..

[@pranaichlasulk4178]

Task failed successfully

[@richardturpin3665]

done this exact same thing to a baby sitter got the same result

[@flawns]

mission failed successfully

[@allistergraham6704]

@@flawns assignment failed successfully

[@RPMS1775]

I'm imagining James found out about salt in coffee by accidentally crying into a Nescafe cup once

[@LefGermenlis]

this should be the top comment.

[@gabrielsinclair5941]

I want to upvote this more than once

[@askroller]

That’s the best one ☝️😂

[@mikairu2944]

I laughed out loud at this and had to explain it to 5 coworkers. Guess who's team is ALL trying this out tomorrow with a drippper

[@kmahajan8699]

I laughed so hard I had to pause the video and write this comment before going back

[@phenophobia]

I usually just dip a slice pizza in my Nescafe for less bitterness a delicious pizza flavor

[@DavidSmyth666]

Hex I aspire one day to be as cultured as you

[@PlayFoodSG]

Wow that's probably the best most unexpected food pairing I've heard since french fries + vanilla ice cream.

[@alejandromoralesgonz]

A beer for this good man. NOW!

[@digital0ak]

I want to chastise you for this abhorrent behavior, but I have, at various times, eaten pizza with coffee (no dunking)...I don't know why.

[@andresarias7162]

Thats it .... enough youtube for today hahaha

[@maxitupacademy]

My family is Cuban. We put a pinch of salt in all our sweet smoothies. We also dip buttered bread in our coffee with milk (cafe con leche). This puts a bit of salt and fat in our coffee. It is really good.

[@junglajuan]

Me encanta el cafe con leche! Saludos desde Argentina

[@joshgreen2164]

Im American unfortunately. I put a pat of butter in mine started as you now i just skip the bread.

[@sewerside01142]

My grandma also dips her buttered bread in coffee. It's just not for me. I'm brazilian.

[@ifyouloveChristyouwillobeyhim]

If you think being an American is unfortunate then leave.

[@romerobritto9094]

Clássico, pão com manteiga e café, café-da-manhã e lanche de muitos.

[@sksteigerwald3649]

When I was a teenager and worked in a restaurant, I was taught to add a half a teaspoon of salt to every pot brewed. I’ve been putting a few grains, in my cup of coffee for 52 more years. 😀

[@yarnover]

Typically ten or twelve

[@sianmilne4879]

Lol so guess they were buying cheap coffee 😂

[@OutlawJJ80]

My Mom did that too I thought it was because it kept the coffee pot clean LoL.

[@Ahria256]

@@OutlawJJ80 does both, gj

[@Shmyrk]

The anxiety I would experience making this man a cup of coffee...

[@benzzoy]

He's English. At worst, he'll insult you so subtlely, you won't even realize it.

[@4ll3sb4n4n3]

@@benzzoy I'd love to see a coffee shop sketch with him that's in spirit of Monty Python's cheese shop sketch

[@orewalevi6662]

Idk if it's just me but I am pissing my pants reading this. Ps: Sorry for bad english. It is not my first language.

[@DickDynamite]

I made James a coffee about 10 years ago and he didn't seem to worried about it.. It was squaremile too so he had every reason to be extra precious about it.

[@vanden42]

@@orewalevi6662 Your English was not at all bad.

[@user-il2ue2ip1f]

Imagine going to the store and seeing James Hoffmann buying Nescafé instant coffee 😂

[@soundninja99]

Fun fact, he paid the neighbor's kid 20 quid to get it for him

[@MurphysLawIsAGod]

Say sike right NOW!

[@TheFinalMB]

TBH with some of the whacked out stuff that James has drunk on this channel, I’m honestly worried he’s moved on to Nescafé just to feel the rush of disgust

[@amialivaziri]

imagine seeing James Hoffman.

[@PlayFoodSG]

Maybe he paid someone on Fiverr to buy it for him. 😂

[@marianne3024]

When we were kids, my grandmother used to put a tiny pinch of salt in our coffee “to take the bitterness away”. Yes, we were children having coffee. Italian grandmother’s, what can you do? 🤣

[@darkherostar]

do? apparently they're okay with running after the super hyped up kids. ...lol 🤣

[@timothyberry9084]

I love coffee I love tea how many girls are in love with me. That was my grandfathers favorite saying that I remember. Started drinking coffee when I was 3 years old maybe before then honestly my grampa died on my 4th birthday and I started drinking it with him soo 3 maybe 2. Scandinavians do it better.

[@BAMB00STE]

I always heard that old Sami grandmas used to put a fish scale in the coffee pot when brewing. Also salt in coffee was the norm.

[@supermike6519]

I remember when I was like 4, I got up earlier than usual before my dad went to work. I remember asking him to try coffee. He told me sure and to hold on. I loved it so much! Turns out he just made me a hot chocolate!

[@oBrunoFarias]

Let me jump in the conversation here. Here in Brazil it is totally normal for a kid to have coffee.

[@TheyCalledMeT]

adding salt .. effect: "it doesn't hurt quite as much to drink" - best nescafé AD i've ever seen ^^

[@timothyneiswander3151]

I felt physical pain just watching him take a sip.

[@coolblue325]

Doesn't Nescafe have rust already?

[@davidl6332]

LOL

[@jeremyashford2145]

Don’t think of instant as coffee. I have my coffee black, as it comes but on the rare occasion I find myself drinking instant it must have milk and sugar.

[@TheyCalledMeT]

@@jeremyashford2145 well without sugar and milk powder .. it is coffee.. not good but it is. Coffee with all water removed sold as grains

[@gabrieltoledano5560]

I still wish James would taste test the instant coffee brands anyone can find on the shelves of a mainstream super market and tell us which is least bad

[@KahviVelho]

Or common store bought coffee beans like Taylor’s, own brand offerings from M&S, Asda etc. Wouldn’t expect amazing things but it’d be great to find out which is the best of a possibly mediocre bunch!

[@hellohogo]

Gabriel Toledano I’ll tell you after the dozen or so that I’ve tried the best by far was the sudden coffee instant available at intelli and other places. Starbucks via is second. Distant second, but still better than everything else.

[@jameshoffmann]

The tricky bit for this is that different products are available in different parts of the world. I guess I could do a UK edition and a US edition and maybe a few others. I would imagine in Japan, China, India, Vietnam and so many other places there are interesting and weird brands.

[@johnwongtw1]

@@jameshoffmann Im happy to mail you a few sachets of different brands of instant local coffee from Singapore to make a video. Although I suspect you may not like them.... they are usually quite sweet...

[@JayTheCorrupt]

@@jameshoffmann A UK edition would be interesting to me, personally, as somebody who is up and out the door by 5am for work I just don't have the time to make great coffee of a morning unless it's a day off.

[@maybee...]

In the 1960's when I was a young girl learning how to make the perfect cup of coffee my dad told me it had to be drip and it had to have a slight pinch of salt added to the entire 10 cup pot, made sense since we add a dash of salt to improve the flavor of many foods. A slight pinch is just a few grains placed on top of fresh grounds then add boiling water. Simple enough. Miss you Dad.

[@MyBoomStick1]

Nothing is as special as those types of memories. I love cooking and so did my dad... I’d give anything to have him teach me what he knew, unfortunately he passed before I became interested in cooking. Very rare for a KZbin comment to have such a emotional impact, thank you.

[@Earthomo]

PR RUNE My dad too always asked me to add pinch of salt when i would make him his cup of coffee. I miss him too 💔

[@LexLaLuther]

This was really sweet of you to share. Thank you 🥺

[@pheresy1367]

I'm imagining a churning, burbling percolator to make that 10 cups.... that's what we had in the 60's.... No my dad wouldn't ever trust me to make "the coffee"... that was a job for my big sister.

[@walkthrough1234]

Reading comments like these remind me to never forget to appreciate family moments...thank you.

[@asherray4969]

This video is so interesting to me because I just naturally started putting a tiny bit of salt in my black coffee without knowing it was a thing. My body just started feeling like "man i need to put a little bit of salt in here." So this is cool watching this video and learning why I felt this way.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

When the body knows what it needs

[@meandmeatmeoverthere]

@@HappyBeezerStudios Yes it stops reading these replies.?!?!?

[@jonmo2694]

@@HappyBeezerStudios ?

[@jonmo2694]

@@meandmeatmeoverthere ?

[@meandmeatmeoverthere]

@@jonmo2694 ?!?!😜

[@ixchelskyfeather2513]

Years ago I was working at a commercial real estate office that had its own personal cleaning lady. She was employed by the owner of the building we worked out of. She was a really special older woman (in her 60’s). I used to love to get there early and talk to her in the mornings before opening up the office because she had so many cool stories and loved to talk. She loved everyone in our office, so she would make us coffee in the morning. And that first cup was THE BEST cup of coffee!! We could never figure out what she was doing? Every pot after tastes like your typical crappy office coffee. Those are the ones she didn’t make. She was usually home by then. One day, I finally finished what I needed to do in time to watch her make the coffee. Let me tell you all...the complete SHOCK that came over me when she took that exact same crappy office coffee and just sprinkled a pinch of salt into the coffee grounds before brewing it! I could have sworn she had some secret Italian or Sumerian roast hidden somewhere that she used in the morning. When I asked her why she put salt, she said that the salt enhances the flavor of the coffee by opening up your taste buds. I’m not sure if that is the actual reason, but being a pretty good home cook/baker, I do know that salt is needed to enhance or even bring out the flavor of almost all foods. 15 years later I still put a pinch of salt in with my coffee grounds. It makes a huge difference.

[@TangibleTania]

Wow!!!! I am going to try that at my office tomorrow! I just got some Costa Rica coffee...different than the coffee my friend brought back from Costa Rica which was awesome. Anyway....it's more bitter so I can't wait to try this trick tomorow!!

[@person9513]

omg person-talking-to-old-lady-to-hear-stories stories are so wholesome

[@Iron-Bridge]

Thanks. Appreciate you sharing this. I hope that lady is living well or had a good life.

[@sdla690]

There is a bakery in California called 85%, I think it s korean(?) They carry salt coffee as well. I ordered once out of curiosity. It was quite good even thought I didn't taste detect any salt :)

[@person9513]

@@sdla690 Yeah, you shouldnt taste salt, it should be just enough salt to knock down the bitterness

[@annarodriguez9868]

My husband, may he rest in peace, was an early riser and used to make coffee just for me every morning and it was just the best coffee ever. I did ask my husband why his coffee was so good and he said he put extra love in it for me. His mother's coffee was very good too and maybe she made it with salt and he learned it from her. Don't know, but tomorrow morning I'm putting a dash of salt in my coffee and see what happens. ☕

[@sksteigerwald3649]

Dear Ana, you warmed my heart this morning! God bless you! PS. I’ve been using salt in my coffee all my life- highly recommend it.

[@redjstc9123]

Wordless ❤

[@annarodriguez9868]

@@redjstc9123 thank you 😊and God bless you!

[@annarodriguez9868]

I have started putting a dash of salt in the coffee grounds and does make a difference in the flavor. It's not the same as the coffee my husband made for me, but it's a lot better than before! 👍Thank you for the tip! 😉

[@kitemanmusic]

@@annarodriguez9868 I wonder what your husband added.

[@asinheaven]

I gave up sugar 8 months ago, and the hardest part was not using sweetener in my coffee. I discovered a pinch of salt makes my black coffee palatable and I've been able to happily live without sugar.

[@bogeythedog163]

Coffee is meant to be drunk black and bitter.

[@johndemore6402]

try this brew your pot pour into a container then the fridge once chilled pour into your blender whip it it will become creamy like you addled cream and slightly sweet me I use truvia but not as much as with regular coffee ☕

[@nelsonglover3963]

@@bogeythedog163 coffee is meant to be drunk however you enjoy it

[@eugenem.9428]

@@bogeythedog163 only if you’re a man’s man

[@RaisonLychi]

Sugar is gross in coffee. I use abit of maple syrup

[@ParadoxysPlayground]

My grandfather taught me how to make perked coffee, (which is an art in itself)m when I was quite young. He ALWAYS put a "pinch" (I know, but it was about how much would stick to your finger and thumb), of salt in the pot while brewing. I have continued this tradition, and everyone tells me I make the best coffee ever.

[@mediocreman2]

That makes sense with percolated coffee because it's a bit hotter so you'd have a little more bitterness that the salt counteracts. I love the strong, rich flavor of percolated coffee, so I'll use a pinch of salt in my percolator as well.

[@MCDreng]

* drinks nescafe * * visibly winces * "It's not for me" Ah British politeness

[@Anthropomorphic]

Notice the cut between the sip and the wince, possibly removing several minutes worth of furious expletives.

[@MCDreng]

@@Anthropomorphic imagining James reacting like Ashens when he eats something nasty now

[@JackPorter]

@@MCDreng nescafé and microwave burgers ARE similar too, in the sense of trading up quality for the sake of convenience.

[@karenrosgen4586]

Try it a couple if times, doesn't take but a small pinch...who knows you might like you coffee less bitter, unless you like it bitter?

[@NAConen]

Are British people that polite?

[@matthewvanrensburg3824]

When working on a hot chocolate recipe, found the 'secret' to truly elevate the flavour was to add a pinch of salt.

[@bozo5632]

Try a little cayenne.

[@NickTaylorRickPowers]

Try a little cocaine

[@Silverhaired59]

I have contended for many years that modern, mass produced baked goods, as well as local bakeries have somehow lost the knowledge that sweetness gains complexity to the flavor when a little salt is added to the recipe.

[@matthewvanrensburg3824]

@@bozo5632 Interesting options, thanks.

[@matthewvanrensburg3824]

@@Silverhaired59 Sweet, salt and sour. The 3 musketeers of flavour profiles. While can have them independently, they work best in combination, complementing eachother.

[@ADiosChicago]

Cuban heritage here. My family adds salt to coffee. I remember my grandmother worked for United Airlines kitchen preparing meals & beverages for flight passengers (1966). Grandma was the only one allowed to make the coffee for flights, staff and especially for management. She was truly paid well just to make coffee. Grandma never told anyone the secret. Guess what it was? 😁

[@optimalforager]

LSD?

GBL ? 😉

[@overstable5333]

MSG

[@franksteenhuisen7223]

If she never told anyone the secret, what’s the point in guessing?

[@jimjam1719]

pee

[@rachelwise148]

This is the best comments section on youtube! Brief storytelling, and each one a gem! Did you know that Ethiopians have been adding salt to their coffee ceremony for multi- generations (the birthplace of coffee)? A fascinating look into the past, and how we see the tradtion of gathering together to enjoy and celebrate coffee.

[@OmerKibo]

Some cultures even add butter and salt.

[@OmerKibo]

And other cultures drink roasted coffee leaf Chai with salt

[@MizAngelWolf]

I learned this from my father years ago when I was a kid. I am 74 now and still add a bit of salt to my coffee, no bitterness.

[@tavaroevanis8744]

This trick absolutely works for my taste. I tend to brew my coffee on the strong side because I love the flavor. However, I dislike the bitterness that some coffees produce, including many of the "medium" roasts. A surprisingly small amount of salt smooths out the bitterness curve while the fruit & nut flavor tones still come through.

[@Phantoma3]

Interesting, I'm going to try it in my next brew

[@Ashtarot77]

Wish I saw this this morning before I had a really strong cup which was rather bitter 😅

[@mariahspapaya]

Yeah medium roasts are ok, but light roasts are even worse.

[@barbaracreator9326]

I never knew about salt in the coffee...in 69 years. 65 of those years i have been drinking coffee. Watched this video about a month ago. Decided to give it a try. I am sold and do not make coffee without a pinch or 2 of salt. I am drinking McCafe ground coffee at the moment. I use the orange cup or the darker blue cup on label. Completely different response in the energy from the salt in the 2. I love it and so does my roommare. Thanks for teaching an old lady her new favorite trick.

[@l.u.c.a.s.]

You've been drinking coffee since you were 4?!

[@recep2939]

There's a Turkish custom where bride make a super salty Turkish coffe to the groom and the groom should try to hide the fact that there's a salt in his coffe as much as he can. This is symbolise the act of "I would tolerate the troubles you give as much as i can". Kinda like "stepping to grooms foot". It don't have that much revelance to the video but because its interesting, i wanted to share it.

[@AJMansfield1]

3:12 Putting the salt in with the grounds could actually have a significant effect on what exactly gets extracted from the grounds. Water with even a slightly elevated concentration of ionic solutes will preferentially dissolve some compounds more aggressively and others less, or it can even inhibit solvation of some compounds (even ones that would remain in solution if you added the salt after).

[@karenrosgen4586]

My Grandmother taught me in the early 1950's to put a small of shake of salt in on top of the unbrewed coffee we grounds, that it took the bitterness out of coffee. I do it to this day with every pot, I'm used to use irondized salt and have switched to Pink Himalayan Salt. Purchased at Costco, two bottles, unground pink, one has a grinder. I know when I forget to put salt on top of grounds, just a quick shake, not too much, or undrinkable . I have been doing this for about 55 years.🤢 PS SALT goes on top of grounds before brewing.

[@oldyeller9849]

Almost exactly the same experience. BTW, for me slight shake was just that, not the sizeable heap shown in James' hand toward the end.

[@mcdonaldchad]

... and time is a variable in all this. This was my go to trick to make meh diner coffee better, just even 4 or 5 crystals sometimes was enough but you had to wait at least a minute. Something was hapening IN the cup. So I think there's more to it than the electro-chemical operations with the taste receptors.

[@imagreatguy1250]

These are the comments I live for kind sir 🙏

[@drblaneyphysics]

@@mcdonaldchad yes the salt is busy, in that hot cup, searching out partners in which to bond = be they water clusters or flavor etc.

[@sassefa2]

This is surprising to me. I am from Ethiopia, and in the country side where people don't have a good access to sugar, salt is an alternative. I have always assumed it to be a "so so" fix to bitterness. However, trying it after watching your video shocked me to say the least.

[@mr.sunnyg5510]

Ethiopia? Og coffee mate, you guys are the first to do it 👍

[@OmerKibo]

Gurage people had bulletproof coffee with salt before it was cool.

[@Max-rn3eb]

excellent place to be a coffee drinker, love and respect to the Ethiopian people

[@janelle_beans]

I'm definitely tempted to try my coffee tomorrow with a little bit of salt, and I'm surprised that I hadn't thought of it as an additive before. I used to babysit for a family that immigrated from Ethiopia and they are some of the sweetest people I've ever met! I was helping them organize their pantry one day and they offered some liquor from Ethiopia to try. I learned quickly that Ethiopia doesn't mess around with their liquor either, it was very strong! I can't remember what it was called though!

[@Sam_Guevenne]

@@janelle_beans It's honey liquor if it wll made it's really good but if it's not it tastes like diesel 😂

[@isisemkeb]

When I red your title it reminded me that my mum use to put salt on top of her coffee in the basket of her drip coffee machine. Such a sweet memory.

[@AnanyaVilas]

I notice that anything James say sounds expensive. He could even say Nescafé and make it sound like a luxury no matter how much he dislike instant coffee.

[@benanjerris6744]

Have you seen the price tag on some Nespresso machines?

[@siddbastard]

that's kocher Nescafé.

[@oerwhat]

Posh ass accents will do that

[@reznovvazileski3193]

@@benanjerris6744 Right? xD How f you rich does a guy have to be to not call Nescafé a luxury :') Whether it's good is a whole other thing entirely but I don't have moneyvines growing out of my back :')

[@benanjerris6744]

@@reznovvazileski3193 exactly, that guy must have 2.7k€ income monthly, with 1.6k being disposable🤣

[@MattLovesVinyl]

When I was in the Marine Corps, I learned from a Navy Cook about putting just a pinch of kosher or sea salt into your beans before you grind them. You don't want to be able to detect the salt in your coffee or even to hide coffee's pleasant bitterness, but the salt will simply act to highlight everything that makes your coffee great.

[@jackedkerouac4414]

I'm trying this tomorrow morning!

[@d3vitron779]

CS gotta get creative i guess

[@pierscarr6298]

@@d3vitron779 9

[@georgehays4908]

I'm an ex-NAVY Submariner , Seawolf SSN575 . The COB.....chief of the boat , always added salt to his coffee . I used to do the same . Thanks for your service , as my dad and uncle were in the MARINE Corp . He was a dual 50 caliber gunner on a half track , in Korean War . Peace , from Cass County MICHIGAN ! Wolverine State ! Seawolf SSN575 ! Torpedo Man / moss system . Maranatha !

[@janelle_beans]

I watched "Why are a restaurant's vegetables so much better than homemade ones?" from Ethan Cheblowski and it taught me the significance of the timing when using salt in cooking! I'm sure you would find that video interesting as well.

[@Jnahumphreys]

This is so true; my best cup of black coffee (no sugar) is always at breakfast, after a bacon and egg sandwich. The salt in the pork must be mitigating the bitterness of the drink. Great video 👏

[@valevalevala]

I have just tried this with a very bitter coffee I bought recently, and the result wowed me. The salt really took down the bitter taste. I also made my mom and brother try it, I poured the coffee in two mugs, one with salt and other without it, and they noticed the difference. Very interesting

[@Marcos-INORAC]

I have never heard that salt reduces bitterness, but recalling that lemon and salt are being used in some drinks, now it start to make sense. Thank you for the information!

[@simonm.1122]

I discovered that eating a few salted cashews with my coffee makes the coffee taste amazing. Give it a try!

[@didough46]

We salt and roast almonds to have with our after dinner coffee, that works too.

[@dixee6498]

Aw shit! Now you've got me curious! Lol

[@888victorc]

Will try :)

[@dixee6498]

@@didough46 I might try that too! Lol

[@KingJuJrdaMuffinMan]

People in Brazil traditionally drink (strongly sugared) coffee along with salty things like cashew or salty biscuits.

[@anadesign7168]

I'm glad I came across your channel few days back.I subscribed and now binge watching this channel.

[@victoriaa2281]

Same

[@gray_gogy]

I recommend against that lol. I did the same, and, without even drinking too much coffee, I had too much.

[@BlackStarXx11xX]

Same

[@Potato-adept]

Watch the clear coffee series. It's delightful

[@roybackhouse5770]

Ana design you are 3 weeks behind me. I’ve watched the lot! Good stuff innit.

[@davenesbitt9387]

I had a long career in our Navy. When deployed it was a requirement to salt the coffee grounds prior to plugging the coffee maker in. It did make our coffee less bitter.

[@kudukilla]

Read about this in a Tom Clancy book, describing it as Navy style.

[@BN99239]

What's even better than straight up putting salt in your coffee is to put a tiny slice of salted butter. It is so good, no joke. You can barely taste the salt and there is an overall smooth feel to it, obviously. Many cultures around the world already put butter into their coffee, but salted butter is also great.

[@ifyouloveChristyouwillobeyhim]

Butter makes absolutely everything better.

[@me2big]

Yes, in Tibet they use rancid Yak butter in their coffee.

[@valval3919]

Coconut oil as well

[@ifyouloveChristyouwillobeyhim]

@gaiasdaughter1128 Bah! It's so bad for you, too.

[@dagmarp3268]

I like Butter and pinch of Cinnamon in my coffee 😋😋

[@bogstandardcobber]

I've had to resort to this trick with the shocking instant coffee thats provided at hospital. Always strong, always horrible, but bearable with a little salt.

[@enigmatic.pragmatic]

Been putting a tiny pinch of pink salt in my coffee for a year now. I love it. Although I do brew my coffee with cacao nibs, so it's more like a salted mocha vibe.

[@brianholden2724]

I remember when I was very young, my dad would come home from work for lunch, after eating he would have coffee I would climb onto his lap and he would let me sip his coffee, it would always have a pinch of salt and now I rarely drink it any other way. Surprisingly I am the only one in my family who still drinks coffee with salt despite us all being raised the same way.

[@tjeaey]

I remember back when I was barista, I told my colleagues to try putting a pinch of salt on their coffee, and they just laughed at me like I'm a lunatic or something. Though I only tried it on our latte, and not on black. I might try this one later on an instant coffee!

[@justYouJesus1God]

I have been putting salt in my coffee, it helps with the bitterness and makes a good cup

[@michael.d.]

I get all the salt I need with my coffee from watching your product reviews 😂

[@kentkearney6623]

Great humor

[@johnjohnston8522]

It didn’t do much for the taste of my coffee, but it was like a solvent for my bad mood. Suddenly I felt clear headed.

[@Eaves1979]

I don’t like coffee, when I say I don’t like it I haven’t found a coffee I like. A few months ago go I went to a mela at my wife’s work (it’s a college) they had some ex students back who now all work at really good restaurants. Each student did a course and when it came to the dessert it was coffee, whiskey, ice cream and a caramel sauce (I can’t remember if it was salted). I tasted each part of the dish separately and did not enjoy the coffee or whiskey segments. All together on one spoon it was delicious. It blew my mind. And sent me down this path where I found your video

[@qwertyzxcv123]

Back in the days, my grandpa used to put a pinch of rock salt in his cup coffee. I don't know why but he would prefer it over sugar. He said it enhances the aroma and the taste of the coffee.

[@markroulette3419]

My grandmother taught me to add a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds before brewing a pot of coffee. She always said that it brought out the coffee flavor. I’ve been doing that ever since.

[@ruthm3813]

That is what my grandmother did too, and then my mother. That would be back in the 50's and 60's and in the UK.

[@kimmididwhat]

I’m 57 and my dad would add a pinch of salt to his coffee since the 1950’s. He taught me to drink it this way, however he used to put the pinch in the percolator (back in the day) and later the drip machine. He also added 1/2 a pinch of cinnamon to the coffee grounds. Never had a cinnamon taste at all, just a little smoother taste. 😃

[@bspokehub]

Cinnamon has a beautiful sweet taste and adds sort of warmth & smoothness. I use it in my masala chai (spiced milk tea) daily. And you are right, you have to add it while brewing itself.

[@ZEN-qb1lu]

Cardamom is great too

[@kage-fm]

“half pinch” is the craziest unit of measure

[@littlewhitepetals8790]

@@kage-fm Someone should try to translate those terms into measuring spoons. I can see it now....1/16 teaspoon of Cayenne instead of a few grains!😁

[@brendaberryman1575]

My husband did put a pinch of salt when he use to make coffee. Now I have to do the coffee, which I was never good at it . I never liked instant coffee before, but after things changed and I did have to make the coffee, I learned to use instant coffee and make it to his liking. I how ever add pepper to my cup each morning. This works for me. I enjoy a good hot cup of coffee ☕️

[@aswadb5873]

Every time someone says their coffee is too bitter at work I tell them to add a bit of salt, and they called me a madman...

[@TheEstafista]

They should. Putting salt in coffe is only good for one reason. To distinguish people who need to be separated from society and out in a madhouse. P.S. No I didin;t watched the video and I'm not going to. Clicked on this vid only to see if this was real. He is actually gonna explain this? Nah, there's no explanations needed. You put salt in your coffe if you are mad. Simple

[@nilsboker1925]

@@TheEstafista such proud ignorance lol

[@aristotle_4532]

@@TheEstafista It is standard in some African countries that have a long coffee tradition.

[@futrey9353]

@@TheEstafistathere's two parts of me: one that agrees, and the other one that doesn't. But if both can agree on a thing: it's that your tone is gratingly abrasive. Your blatant inability to treat others with respect is offputting, and makes you sound like a child. What a patronizingly condescending view. I believe you gave me my quota of scornful antagonism for the day.

[@ng.tr.s.p.1254]

@@TheEstafista Nice bait 🎣

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

Now I know the chemistry behind my personal preference of drinking coffee with a big salty American breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes. Great insight and information. Thank you.

[@fyodorkaramazov2136]

2 of my favorites things in the world are coffee and crisps, I still remember the first time I drank my black coffee while eating salty crisps, the taste was surprisingly different.

[@OhGodThe]

I've found any flavors you see added to chocolate also work great in "chocolatey" dark roasts, including sea salt, cayenne, cocoa powder, or cinnamon. Those flavor combinations are established for good reason.

[@dimitriosfotopoulos3689]

I do the same, except for the cayenne.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

and obviously strawberry, yogurt and black pepper, because those are great with chocolate

[@Immopimmo]

I've had coffee the sami way with flakes of salty dried reindeer meat in it. It's good, the light saltiness makes the coffee smoother and the hot coffee makes the meat softer.

[@irenalovesart4064]

I tried this with a twist. I did the salt/no salt nescafe test. And yes the bitterness was gone leaving undrinkable brown blandness. THEN I made a third cup and added a squeeze of lemon juice... and it was better! So finally I added a squeeze of lemon juice to salty cup and voila it was transformed into coffee deliciousness! I remember my dad having coffee with lemon and now I will too!

[@CandyGirl44]

I must really try that! I'm not getting enough lemon in as it's coming to winter here! But is the coffee black - I normally have a ton of almond, oat or cashew milk in my coffee, lemon will probably make it curdle😁😁

[@bodinewaterfire5744]

lemon? wow- you would think it would make it very acidic or more bitter

[@sylvia106]

Italians use lemon in espresso.

[@giodc8599]

You know what? I remember one day someone asked me for an espresso and wanted me to put a slice of lemon in it. I asked again, thinking i misheard or he was joking. He said that he actually wanted a slice of lemon in his espresso. Weirdest coffee request, i think. That or the one that put 5 Equal (sweetener) sachets in his cappuccino. Jesus.

[@giodc8599]

@@sylvia106 Never used it, tobe honest.

[@Ardith50]

This was a trick my grandfather taught me to decrease the bitterness of coffee without adding sugar. Sugar was not that easy to come by during the depression and WW2.

[@pearlejam7115]

My grandmother did this, lived to be 99. My dad still does it. He'll be 86 in November!

[@CantEscapeFlorida]

Doing milk and salt is almost gives it a salted caramel taste

[@manuelferreira4345]

@@CantEscapeFlorida yes!!! Froth the milk over heat not steam with 3 crystal of salt per espresso shot vest cappuccino ❤

[@wahrebeobachter]

Whut? Are you still alive, granpa?

[@raquellee3788]

When I was little in Puerto Rico my parents would start us drinking coffee when we were between 2 and 3 yrs old just a little until we got used to it. But I do remember they used to put salt in the coffee and to this day I add salt in my coffee pot. Love it.

[@liciaolivetti2257]

In some countrysides of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a long time ago, people would add a tiny little piece of cheese to their freshly brewed coffee. It made it creamy and it took away any bitter taste. Delicious.

[@sebastiandevida4685]

What type of chesse?

[@howaboutno9640]

I’ve actually dipped a croissant with cheese into coffee. It’s pretty good lol

[@looooove1410]

@@sebastiandevida4685 I use a slice of american, melts perfectly

[@msrelvacaroline]

Tocaqui, mineiraaa

[@ldmtag]

I once discovered adding orange juice into coffee specifically to simulate the taste of spoiled food. I doesn't taste accurate but kind of... ehm... filthy but actually tasty. Like a prank candy that is supposed to taste gross but is actually pretty good

[@immatoe4315]

This is not about coffee but I really like the way his English sounds. His speech sounds extremely clear and it’s even pleasant to my ear in some strange ways🙂

[@Mike20041701]

Yeah, it's called 'British accent'.

[@Frostbitten.]

@@Mike20041701 Moreso it's Received Pronunciation. He also unintentionally emphasises sounds that are known to cause asmr.

[@hopeandwhisky1099]

British english is beautiful to listen. Cant stand american english tho.

[@BruceLeedar]

The way his voice is recorded and processed also contributes to its qualities.

[@Dehinina]

He really REALLY says his T's and I'm from the UK and I don't do that. He's very posh.

[@EddieGonzalez]

This has interesting implications for the water you use. Local water varies quite a lot on impurities and softness

[@08kandersen]

Was thinking the same, I make my coffee with tap sometimes, sometimes I use the filtered, and sometimes I use store bought distilled. Each makes a different brew

[@Scaliad]

My water comes from a well, it tastes good, but it is very hard! I distill it, for drinking, using a tabletop distiller. Seriously, you might be shocked by the amount of solids removed. Distilled water has a flat taste, so I add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per gallon to make it more drinkable, and that's what my coffee and tea gets made with...

[@PixelGaming_2020]

@@Scaliad I always add salt when making coffee from distilled water for this reason.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@Scaliad Obviously it tastes flat, with all the minerals removed

[@Scaliad]

@@HappyBeezerStudios Obviously...

[@CTamara14]

At one of Baltimores local coffee shop, they had a seasonal drink with Walnut bitters and Salt added. It was fantastic in my opinion

[@Diecastclassicist]

Which one?

[@carolbaughan8768]

Mmmmm

[@TheJCJexe]

I usually drink with sugar and half n half but I decided to give this salt thing a try. I am very surprised and it does work by taking the bitterness away and I kinda like the slight subtle salty flavor. Reminds me of sea salt and caramel dark chocolate.

[@ryanturner6920]

When I started Keto, I quit using sugar and switched to a shake of sea salt in my coffee. Now I am hooked.

[@jznanskippy]

I recently started keto. I use stevia and heavy whipping cream in my coffee. And not much of either.

[@AverageAlien]

You're not joking?

[@fusion9619]

I used to add coconut milk to coffee, and that worked splendidly. Might be keto, idk.

[@cooki522]

This is super common in Scandinavia and the Nordic countries, my mormor (grandma) always puts salt in her coffee and so do a lot of my Scandinavian relatives

[@McNuggets88]

The expression on james' face says enough about instant coffee when he says "i'm going to get a couple of mugs of this brewed". The horrors he puts himself in, just to make content for all of us. James, you are the best!

[@etherspin]

Just gonna go brew some Nescafe ! "Brew" :) And I actually have their instant DeCaf in my kitchen !

[@GraceMusyoka]

I watched this video last year. I put it at the back of my mind until December when I got into intermittent fasting and needed to drink plain coffee. It was so hard but necessary - the afternoon caffeine headaches not worth it on top of everything else going on - but I remembered this video and tried it. Now, it's my go to mix. A few grains to my Java classic brew and it's perfect. Perfect, I tell you. Thank you.

[@simonetaddia459]

In Italy, using moka elders put salt (some of them in the water, other inside the coffee powder). In some case, they put a small piece of lemon skin (especially coffee for tiramisu).

[@jameshoffmann]

Lemon skin is all flavour, no acid - so that makes sense. I'd imagine it is probably pretty good.

[@laitentierdotcom]

i’ll have to try this for tiramisu. especially because it gives me a good excuse to make tiramisu

[@ChongFrisbee]

In a local coffee shop here in São Paulo (Brazil), they offer coffee with lemon skin calling it "café romano". I have no idea if it is usual in Rome or not, but my family here in Brazil passed it down to me from my great grandfather who came from Italy (and he was from Campania)

[@simonetaddia459]

@@ChongFrisbee Usually it's common in the south of Italy because the have great lemons because of the weather. In Trentino, up north in some cases put fennel seeds or some herbs. We are speaking of small amount.

[@anderrawr]

@@ChongFrisbee what's the coffeeshop name? I love going to SP

[@TheWhizzard]

there is nothing better than late-night-about-to-go-to-bed youtube recommendations. didn't even know salted coffee was a thing...

[@wiseforce7045]

Has Haa! Yup

[@dalaljaz7128]

Interesting, Im from Saudi Arabia and I remember growing up my mother telling me that there is a tribe that add salt to their Arabic coffee and I thought that was weird, but now this makes sense.

[@CoolJay77]

Agreed, some bitterness is good. I have been experimenting in adding 35 grains of table salt in 35 ml of quality espresso. I sort of miss the bitterness. I will experiment with lower dose of salt till I find the right balance. It is amazing how much difference 35 grains make. If I am not mistaken, 35 grains weigh around 0.002 grams. That is only 0.006% by weight of my espresso. That is a fraction of salinity that James experimented with, which makes sense since his goal is to cut the bitterness of bad coffee to start with. Also the type of water being used is a factor.

[@LucielStarz123]

Oh I’ve always done that with my coffee - I thought nearly everyone does it, because it’s what very common in Vietnamese coffee. Just a few grains tho. I was taught that it gives the coffee “body”, I don’t know how to fully translate that concept from Vietnamese to English but that’s as close as I can get.

[@bYeonios]

I used to do the same with my Vietnamese coffee after reading a similar post in the past! I always found it too harsh because I would use robusta coffee and I couldn't handle it, but adding a bit of salt made more palatable.

[@KhoaTran-ck7td]

Yes, Vietnamese here and we use salt as a common way to improve the taste of a lot of things. It give the body for coffee; it makes the sweet taste sweeter and acidity softly

[@Danbo3004]

Vietnamese here. I've never tried this nor heard of it before but I'm gonna try now.

[@SheshankReddyS]

Look up "Street Roasted Coffee" on KZbin. The video shows what else goes into (some versions of) Vietnamese coffee. Hint: It isn't just Robusta beans and salt.

[@KhoaTran-ck7td]

@@Danbo3004 Man, come to Nha Trang you can see people put fish sauce to coffee.

[@genisis53]

“It just doesn’t hurt as much to drink.” 😂😂🤣

[@bliz85]

Nescafé: furiously scribbles note

[@onefeather2]

My aunt always put salt in her coffee, she started when she was a child she told me, she did this until she passed at 93 years.

[@ToolforOffice]

It’s not superstitious if it works lol

[@MrHj159]

Sounds like people who put salt in their coffee lived a long life food for thought. Also has anyone here heard of baking soda a tiny pinch of baking soda in their coffee, a tiny pinch, It makes the coffee smoother less bitter

[@JKiler1]

I love how scientifically you've approached a topic that can be very subjective, then qualified it that way quite clearly. I did not realize how differently people might perceive the muting of bitterness, even though I am aware that people perceive saltiness and bitterness differently. It just hadn't occurred to me.

[@jfpalomeque]

When I was a teenager in Spain, we used to give coffee with salt in the house parties to the people that was too drunk, to help them to vomit the alcohol. Happy days XD

[@joseghast]

+1

[@annettecinquemanifalbo17]

Lmao!😂

[@wolvenwood]

You sound like a fun group!

[@silvermanicattack8190]

And some roofies for the really drunk lol

[@nikolnolastname4473]

Sounds like a felony.

[@maxhaibara8828]

James: don't bother with fancy salt James next video: *Different types of salt on coffee | Blindfolded taste test*

[@cdgonepotatoes4219]

different types of salt do have a different taste as they have different content, but unless you use black salt I don't think anyone would feel a difference in taste as it's already hard to find it eating the salt alone (black salt has a lower salt percentage and the impurities in it contribute a lot more in the flavor).

[@JoeWalker2005]

@@cdgonepotatoes4219 I use Pink chunk salt, the kind you need to grate. To me anyhow, it tastes a lot less salty than NaCl. I'm not sure if this is universal, but for me it works and it goes in my daily cup. I'm not measuring, it's just until I see a coating of white (like snow!) on my ground beans. Oh and as far as price goes, 10$ got me pretty much a lifetime supply, which is a lot better than say.. coffee.

[@MaryShelleysNib]

Starting with Himalayan Black

[@cdgonepotatoes4219]

@@JoeWalker2005 Anything that isn't just sodium chloride is less salty because there is less salt, the impurities in pink salt just don't have enough of a flavor (for me) to make it taste any different outside of "just less salty" (lead and zinc salt aren't known for their strong smell or flavor, at least not as much as really anything with sulfur in it).

[@wellbollocks]

“And how much even is a pinch” this man is a baker. His precision is glorious! I’m the opposite but appreciative!

[@yspegel]

As some one who loses a lot of minerals with sports I even ad some salt and magnesium to my drink water as modern drink water lacks a lot in minerals. No large doses but this is the same when I make coffee. When I drink coffee without, it really tastes harsh.

[@mikeprandota3120]

I once put 2 teaspoons of salt in my coffee. I’m sure on my deathbed I will remember that experience

[@tuberobotto]

I actually accidentally did that so many years ago when I mistook the salt for sugar, and it was nightime when lights were dimmed. The first sip immediately came running out of my mouth 'cause it was darn salty. I carried that pin of shame all these years, and I'm such a coffee lover 🙂

[@ievafaulkner6021]

Me too! Omg, first thought was that someone is poisoning me, the taste was so intense and terrible :D

[@clivewells7090]

I did that to my boss, accidentally. He dead now. Still thanking me for all the good tea..!

[@dawngallagher9662]

I drink my coffee with non dairy creamer and sugar, and for those rare times I have to drink black coffee I put a pinch of salt in the brewed cup. It DOES cut down the bitterness. I learned that trick in the mid 80's when I was in the military.

[@fattymoko]

This is also why during the war my father and his soldier buddies used to love putting butter in their coffee. Not only was the butter creamy and oily but the salt in the butter added to the flavor and the entire experience. Even after retiring from military service, he continued to take his coffee with butter.

[@OhWanya]

Omg that’s what my family do! My dad was also a soldier ! What I coïncidence 😮 !

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Took me a while to learn that salted butter is a thing in some parts of the world. But I can totally see the butter add to the flavour.

[@budikurniawan8934]

Adding a pich of salt into a black coffee has been well known and become a bit tradition in some regions in my country. The purpose is to balance stomach acid efect that triggered by coffee.

[@akquicksilver]

When I was a kid, dad always made Merican coffee in the old nasty aluminum stove top percolator. Of course it was one of the common pre-ground rancid stale brands that were available in the 60's and he always sprinkled a little salt right out of the shaker into the basket. When I started drinking coffee as a young adult, I remembered the salt trick and used it often. It definitely made the abhorent sluice more palatable.

[@leonardpearlman4017]

I'm going to make up a little dropper bottle like this, and just call it "James' Tears"! It's surprising how much watching these videos has changed my every day experience of brewing (mostly pour-over) coffee.

[@richeyrich2203]

Go Drugs!!

[@one_smol_duck]

I tried this once with some bad coffee, thinking "salt makes everything better, maybe it can save this?" But I had no idea how much to add and I turned a bad cup of coffee into a horrifically bad cup of coffee.

[@gangleweed]

Many years ago I worked at Kleinzee in Namaqualand in South Africa and the water was so brak (salty) that the locals, when they went down to Cape Town on leave, added salt to their coffee to bring the taste up to their expectations.

[@aspectator6506]

Ian Pearson that’s fascinating, thnx 4 sharing that

[@larrypeplinski593]

I’ve added a pinch of salt for years, but never knew the science of why I liked it. Thanks for the explanation.

[@nogoodbadass]

I really appreciate how you are price sensitive in all of your recommendations. Love your videos.

[@najtrows]

What I grew up hearing was that if you reused the coffee grounds (like they did back in the day) you should use salt to keep some taste. (I am half Finnish and half Swedish and I have heard this from both of my grandmothers.)

[@theRPGmaster]

Nice to see a fellow Finnish/Swedish hybrid in the wild!

[@SambabaL]

I tried just a teeny tiny bit of salt in my cup of coffee this morning and it did take that bitter edge off. It made it slightly bland to me. It wasn't salty though. although I did get that salt water mouth feel you mentioned. My conclusion: Salt in coffee, not my thing.

[@InsertCoffeeHere__]

For me it started with trying to make a salted caramel latte at home. Then it eventually became a fix in most cups I make now. It really helps tone things down on the bitter end and I think it brings out flavor.

[@lotusspringshighschool8027]

Trying the salt for the first time right now. Definitely cuts down the bitterness, changes the flavor a bit. I like it! ☕

[@wandagreer9144]

I recall when in the 1950's I saw my Grandpa put salt in his percolated coffee. Said the habit cam from the days he served in the Army overseas. So this idea has been around for a very long time.

[@piratelvr35]

My grandmother always put salt in her coffee, she said it cut the bitterness and didn't like it real sweet. I originally thought it was odd, but tried it once and it wasn't bad!

[@isabellajones8535]

The Chinese say "if you want to taste sweetness, add salt. If you want to taste salt, add sweetener. If you want an all round delicious meal, add vinegar". Clearly, the salt to coffee falls into the same mould.

[@BradyPatterson]

I've added salt to my dark roasts for years on a recommendation from a friend. Always loved a "pinch" while brewing but this was a wonderful bit of education. Thank you!

[@peterkonings6092]

The look of sheer anguish and disdain at even brewing instant coffee is hilarious! Thanks for taking one for the team James!

[@teknical100]

Nothing grades the quality of your coffee better than giving it a pain threshold.

[@barry7608]

Thanks as a coffee drinker, mostly instant, I sometimes struggle with the bitterness. Your intro was very informative and your accuracy very much needed to validate some sort consistency. Great vid well presented, so off to the kitchen!

[@coriyapavon]

I've been salting the water I use for my coffee even before watching this video. Used to be that I salted the water because we use distilled water, and using distilled water to make coffee just leaves all of the flavors boldly floating about. Thought of adding salt to the water, just a pinch for every liter boiled, in order to give it some minerals for the coffee to react with. Result is night and day, even the other members of my household notice the difference. The bitterness is kept at bay whenever I added salt to the water. This video is an enlightening explanation as to why what I've been doing has been getting the results it has.

[@Rangounchaine]

Last couple of years I’ve been adding a teaspoon of honey in a black coffee. Works really well 👍

[@johnathanstephenson8107]

I put salt in my coffee. Just a little in the grinds brewed dark as night and then I use brown sugar and full fat milk. I love it and everyone who has had a cup of it make to my taste is always surprised at how good it is even when using lower grade coffee. It's mostly a trick to make low grade coffee taste better.

[@desertrainfrog1691]

I mean brown sugar and whole milk will make anything taste good.

[@boblonghurst5111]

Thank you so very much for this little snippet of really useful info. I enjoy drinking coffee, but have always, always had a bitter aftertaste in my mouth, which spoils the coffee drinking experience. BRING IN THE SALT. First a very very small pinch.......too much, but no bitterness! Then, a very few "grains"....... BRILLIANT. Aftertaste vanishes. No salty taste. With more refinement using a saline solution, all will be so much better. PS I don't add sugar to my tea or coffee, but did try some in my coffee, which didn't solve the bitter after taste. Thank you James.