Boiling water

[Jennywren200]

Hi everyone. Can anyone help me settle an argument please. Our electric kettle gave up the ghost on Wednesday so Thursday morning my cup of tea and my other half's coffee was made from water boiled in a small saucepan. My tea tasted as it always does, Earl Grey, no milk or sugar. On the other hand my significant other complained that we needed another kettle urgently as his coffee did not taste the same made with water boiled in a pan on the gas hob, his coffee, instant, strong, no milk or sugar. On mentioning this at work a colleague totally agreed with my partner. Is there a scientific reason for this, or is it (dare I say it) a man thing? I am quite prepared to back down gracefully if I am wrong.

[emma_llew]

It *could* be because the saucepan is made of metal.
Sometimes I can taste the metal on a fork when I'm eating.
Much like when you can taste the tin in say, beans or spaghetti from a tin.
It's like the food/drink mixes in with the taste of metal.
Maybe that's the case?
The heating process could make the metal taste from the saucepan mix in with the coffee??? *shrugs*

[jake-the-peg]

Depends on how you made it.

You should make tea with boiling water as hot as possible.
Coffe slightly cooler

If your old kettle turned off quickly after boiling and the pan heated water was at a good rolling boil there's a good chance that the water was much hotter than normal.

Let it fool for a minute or so after making the tea and see if that helps.

Of course it could always be his imagination :c)

[Jennywren200]

Thanks for the suggestions, both the pan and kettle are stainless steel but I do know what you mean about metallic taste Emma, perhaps the pan, being a cheaper brand, had tainted the water. Jake, thanks for your suggestion too, it could well be that the water was too hot for the coffee.

Thanks again to both.

[Clanad]

Being a relative non-tea-drinking Yank, I think it's possible from your descriptive term of the failed electric kettle as one having some age and prolonged useand it may have accumulated some cooked on sediments that nearly all water produces when heated/boiled with resulting condensation. It's possible the sedimentary accumulation had previously contributed a certain flavor that was missing when brewed in the sauce pan. Kind of like drinking water from the bathroom tap rather than the accustomed kitchen tap... just not the same,no?

[a-nigma]

This is not a scientific answer, but a suggestion that you make your tea and coffee in their mugs in the microwave in future. This is something we have done for 15 years and have given up on using electric kettles altogether as being wasteful from an electric point of view.
You wouldn't be getting a metallic taste of any kind this way and you'd save money not buying or using an electric kettle AND get good tasting drinks into the bargain.

[Jennywren200]

Thanks again everyone, yes the kettle did have some grunge on the inside, maybe it I had descaled it it might have lived longer. He hates tea and coffee made in the microwave but thanks for the tip, and no, he is not a Philistine, he's Scottish lol, but the comment made us both laugh. Think I might buy one of those coffee machines, never thought this question would create this much attention.

Thanks again everyone

[carver99]

Tell him if he doesn't like the taste he should make his own.

[Jennywren200]

He did make it himself, I get a cup of tea in bed every morning, not quite worked on how to get breakfast in bed yet :o)