Water to Coffee Ratio
I have found that it is best to measure out your dose by weighing, rather than using a tablespoon or coffee measuring spoon. Different coffee beans and different roasts will produce differing weights, so for consistency in your coffee, it is recommended that you get a scale and measure.
We suggest that you start with a 70:1 ratio of grams of coffee to liters of water. I know, I know. We are Americans and don’t use the metric system. I get it, and I have resisted for most of my life…until coffee. It allows more precision and I am a bit of a coffee snob, so it matters to me. For those of you who do not care, it’s okay. As long as your cup of coffee makes you smile! This is a good starting point. If you find that this ratio is a little bit on the lighter side, bump it up! You will find that different brewing methods vary the ratio as well. Do not hesitate to experiment to find your perfect ratio!
For those who cannot do the conversion, or simply don’t want to bother, 70g is about 2.5 ounces and 1 liter is just under 34 ounces. 1 coffee scoop has about 10g of coffee, so you could start with 6 scoops/liter of water or 3 heaping TBSP/12oz of water. The roast level of the coffee matters. Darker roasts weigh less than a light or medium roast.
Water quality matters. If you take your water directly from the tap and it is not filtered, then you will be adding whatever chemicals/minerals currently found in the water supply and that will affect the way your brew tastes. At the end of the day what truly matters is whether or not you are satisfied.
The type of grinder you choose matters as well. The two choices that most home users will be offered are blade and burr grinders. While inexpensive, the blade grinder will not give you a consistent grind regarding consistency in the grind granules. This can cause flavor inconsistency in your cup. A better choice would be to invest in a conical burr grinder. It provides uniformity in the grind which will give you consistency in the cup.
The first step in brewing a phenomenal cup of coffee is getting freshly roasted, high-quality coffee beans. Let me know if you can’t find any…I know a guy!
Follow these guidelines as a way to get started and don’t hesitate to modify proportions to get the brew level just right for you. We will discuss different brewing methods in a future post.
