# Is there an optimal temperature to drink water at? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521 "2003-01-04T00:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chriskemper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e495f1/32.png) [@chriskemper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chriskemper)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/1 "2003-01-04T00:08:25Z")
Is there a special temperature that you should drink water at? Why does colder water “taste” better ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/2 "2003-01-04T00:17:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chriskemper \* > \*\*Is there a special temperature that you should drink water at? Why does colder water “taste” better \*\* Temperature is purely a matter of taste and circumstances. Do you wish it to cool you or warm you? Or are you just thirsty? Personally I find water at room temperature has the most taste. ---
**Author:** ![Mastema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mastema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mastema)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/3 "2003-01-04T02:10:34Z")
I prefer to be around 98.6 when I drink water. YMMV 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/4 "2003-01-04T03:10:08Z")
I know Waffle House menus brag that their Coca-Cola is served at an “optimum” 38 degrees. Whether this applies to water I couldn’t say. Many singers on stage (if not most) prefer the water at room temperature so as not to “freeze up” their vocal cords while hydrating themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/5 "2003-01-04T03:38:24Z")
…at which to drink water? ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/6 "2003-01-04T03:54:21Z")
Coming from a tap, hot water leeches more minerals out of the pipes, giving the water (for me anyway) a very unpleasant taste. I’ve been assured, however, that even though you can taste the minerals, they’re not dangerous 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hawthorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a4c791/32.png) [@Hawthorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawthorn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/7 "2003-01-04T04:01:44Z")
I tend to prefer my Water on the cold side. but like has been already said it is a matter of personal opinion. Although I have to admit I’d rather drink from the tap water than the filtered fridge water. Tap tastes better… in my opinion ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/8 "2003-01-04T07:38:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chriskemper \* > \*\*Is there a special temperature that you should drink water at? Why does colder water “taste” better \*\* I drink it at coffee temperature… BTW, (and this is my stupid question for the hour), temperature does not matter when counting the number of glasses of water someone drinks a day, does it? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/9 "2003-01-04T10:27:16Z")
I don’t see why it would - your body uses the water at whatever temperature. ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-optimal-temperature-to-drink-water-at/146521/10 "2003-01-04T10:39:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SenorBeef \* > \*\*I don’t see why it would - your body uses the water at whatever temperature. \*\* +1 its the mouth and throat where the temp is felt i detest warm water unless i am ill and think it is good for me to cold gives me cramp its a matter of personal feelings at the time when its hot you may want the water cold and vv but as stated above it all goes into the process for another reason sweat cools you down so drink hot water?🙂