My buddy just got me an EISCH breathable espresso glass cup. I haven't done any side by side testing, but I've had several shots now with one and I don't know if I can really tell the difference. Going back to a porcelain cup made me feel like I had a muzzle over my sense of taste, but I'm not sure if it was just the differentiation from shot to shot that made it a different experience.

The glass works really well for wine and we talk about all of these different factors that go into pulling an espresso, but I don't remember ever reading much about the impact the cup might have on flavor.

Has anyone else used one? What was your experience? Mark Prince - I believe - tweeted once that he thought espresso did benefit somewhat from a little standing time, could glass that allows liquid to 'breathe' increase the impact of this supposed benefit?

Thanks guys!

I would be interested in a discussion if cup shape/material can manipulate taste.

As far a 'breathable' glass, Eisch lost a lawsuit on that glass for false advertising and admitted that there was no proof that it could breathe http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/483656/riedel-wins-breathable-glass-case

Didn't have much of an effect on their marketing as every ad still makes the same claims.

Temperature has a major effect on taste.
A heavy porcelain cup cools the espresso unless heated.
Equalizing temperature minimizes differences

The eternal search for the perfect drinking cup

Perfect Espresso Cup Shape

This is the line that I like the best - from the web site of a vendor who sells the product:

The effect of the Breathable Glass furthermore makes the espresso more wholesome and even better tolerable for people with a sensitive stomach.

Goodness knows.... I need to drink more wholesome beverages and this may be a great place to start

The court case was in Germany, no legal bearing in the USA.

Marvin

Phaelon56 wrote:This is the line that I like the best - from the web site of a vendor who sells the product:

The effect of the Breathable Glass furthermore makes the espresso more wholesome and even better tolerable for people with a sensitive stomach.

Goodness knows.... I need to drink more wholesome beverages and this may be a great place to start

I will tuck this nugget away for when I need to justify an upgrade to my wife!
......now off to buy some magnets for my fuel line to increase MPG

iginfect wrote:The court case was in Germany, no legal bearing in the USA.

Marvin

but hopefully some logical/scientifical bearing...


i really like that statement from a Eisch spokesperson:

'To remove this nuisance from our business path, we have agreed to change the terminology we use to describe the benefits provided by our glasses, which we have renamed Sensis-plus. In the legal and technical milleiu of the German Courts, we cannot prove that this glass does, in technical fact, breathe.'

which would translate: "this glass does in technical fact not breath"

A few months ago, James Hoffmann discussed drinking espresso from tea cups and I imagine what he wrote may have some bearing here. http://www.jimseven.com/2010/08/23/tea-cups/

Like a good beer glass, maybe the difference has to do with where the beverage lands on the tongue. Really, I haven't tested any of this, but it makes for interesting speculation.

That Jim article is interesting and he does bring up a good point. I can definitely tell that my 'breathable' glass - if you follow links to this glass you'll see it's not really constructed like a classic espresso cup - which is the same wide diameter from top to bottom has increased the aroma of the espresso which has led to a more enjoyable cup.. it's become my cup of choice. This is not the same, as say the Bodum Pavina, glasses which I rarely use and have a set of 2. I'd say, if anything, the wider cup has better allowed me to smell and taste at the same time.