Can salt save coffee?

You might not believe this story and truth be told; we didn’t either when we were first introduced to it.

There’s a new thing when it comes to transforming a cup of coffee. It isn’t a new brand of sweetener or syrup; it is in fact a pinch of salt.

Yes, you read right the first time. Salt!

Websites such as Serious Eats and the Huffington Post has alluded to this practice, but thankfully it appears to be a fringe group of people who have swapped sugar sticks for a salt shaker.

Normally, when somebody adds salt to your drink you’ll know about it and scuttle off into hiding whilst you plot revenge on your nefarious friend.

Then there will be backslaps all round as a good prank is celebrated.

But not when it comes to coffee it seems.

The thinking is that salt somehow tempers a coffee’s bitter tendencies by either blocking or distrusting the communications between brain and tongue. Which is something great to know in case find yourself facing a seriously bad brew that has all the bitter tendencies of a recently jilted lover.

One brave soul, acting in the name of science, put this theory to the test and noted that a few poorly made espressos tasted a little bit more neutered, full-bodied and palatable after the introduction of some salt. Without the addition of salt the coffee just tasted ‘bad’.

And if you are wondering, the espresso didn’t taste particularly salty.

But be warned, no amount of salt can salvage a truly terrible cup that has been over-extracted beyond salvation. If that has happened, it’s best to give up, move on and try your luck somewhere else.

However, if you are sensitive to sodium then this little trick won’t be any good.

Would you be willing to try this for yourself?