Coffee is undoubtedly one of the most widely drunk beverages across the world. But for every great cup of coffee, there�s always the potential for a bad cup when it�s not made and served correctly. A specialist Costa panel of experts has developed a simple guide to identifying a good cup of coffee from a bad one without even having to taste it to find out. This guide includes a list of things to look out for including the coffee�s appearance, size, aroma, temperature and how it�s being made. Costa is dedicated to good coffee. The special Mocha Italia espresso blend and the slow roasting technique that were established when the company was founded in 1971 are still used today, continuing to give Costa its distinctive smooth taste. Every single barista in every single Costa store has been professionally trained in the art of coffee by qualified coffee experts. Costa�s Master of Coffee explains, �There�s no excuse for a bad cup of coffee. You should always feel confident to reject a cup that is less than perfect. Using this guide that I have helped to put together with Costa, you can be sure to never have a bad cup of coffee again.� Here are a few top-line highlights from Costa Coffee to guide you to identify a good cup from a bad one:

Good Espresso: 25-30ml that should be poured in 20-30 seconds Has an even layer of �crema�, the red/brown foam on top, which is thick and creamy with a slight sheen. The crema is 10% of the coffee

Bad Espresso: Coming from a highly-automated machine is your first sign of a bad espresso An uneven or absent layer of crema will have no aroma A lighter coloured crema will taste weak, while a dark brown crema will taste bitter

Good Cappuccino: Starts with a good quality espresso base Approximately 150ml, served in a shallow cup with a large surface area A ring of brown crema should form around the edge of the foam, following the rim of the cup

Bad Cappuccino: Over-heated milk will make the cappuccino taste burnt, bitter and unpleasant Is cold, too voluminous or indistinguishable from a latte

Good Latte: Is made with a good quality espresso base Approximately 150ml with a milk to coffee ratio of roughly 3:1 Has a smooth and shiny foam without any visible bubbles

Bad Latte: Visible bubbles in the foam means that the milk has been over-steamed and will taste watery Over-heated milk will smell bitter

ENDS CONTACTS: For further information or images please contact: Chris McDonnell, Siren Consulting Tel: 0091 4 321 5351 Email: chris@sirenconsulting.com

About Costa: � Costa Coffee is one of the top five coffee chains in the world. It is the UK�s fastest growing retail brand, and the country�s largest and most successful coffee shop business. � Costa is also expanding at pace internationally � at present the company has more than 1200 stores across 26 countries. � Costa has full control of its coffee from bean to cup. The smooth, distinctive flavour is produced by slow-roasting carefully-selected coffee beans the Italian way at the company�s roastery in Lambeth, London originally set up by its Italian founders Sergio and Bruno Costa. � Costa invests heavily in training. Baristas are coached in the art of coffee-making at the company�s own purpose-built training academies in the UK and around the world. � Costa aims to build an unbeatable global brand by being the best coffee business there is in any market in which it operates � providing customers with the same great coffee and unbeatable experience no matter where in the world they enjoy it. � Costa Coffee is owned by Whitbread PLC, the UK's leading hospitality company, whose portfolio also includes market-leading brands such as Premier Inn, Brewers Fayre, and Beefeater. Founded in 1742, the company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE4Good indices. � Whitbread's strategy is to create value for shareholders by focusing investment and growing in expanding sectors of the hospitality industry, primarily in the UK but also in selected overseas markets. Premier Travel Inn opened in Dubai in spring 2008 through a joint venture with Emirates Group, and has entered into a 50:50 joint venture agreement with leading real estate company Emaar-MGF to develop over 80 hotels in India over the next 10 years. All these hotels will have a Costa coffee shop