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Brew guides · by Cupd

How to brew coffee at home.

Every good cup comes down to four things: ratio, grind, temperature and time. The calculator sets the ratio. The guides do the rest, each with a timer that walks you through every step.

  • Six methods, from V60 to espresso
  • Every amount in grams, scaled to your cup
  • Fixes for sour, bitter and weak

How much coffee per cup?

Cups 1 1 cup = 250 ml
Strength
Coffee15 g
Water250 g
Ratio1:16.7

About 3 level tablespoons. That's 60 g of coffee per liter.

Brew it with the V60 guide →
Pick your brewer

Six ways to a great cup

Paper filters make the cleanest, brightest cups; metal filters, like the one in a French press, let oils through and give more body. Each guide starts with numbers that work and tells you what to change when the cup isn't right yet.

Hario V601:16.7 · 3 minClean and bright, made for fruity coffeesAeroPress1:15 · 3 minForgiving and quick, rich or clean as you likeFrench Press1:16.7 · 10 minFull body, no paper, hard to get wrongChemex1:16.7 · 4.5 minVery clean and light, made for sharingCold Brew1:12.5 · 14 hSmooth and soft, made the night beforeEspresso1:2 · 30 sConcentrated and syrupy, needs a machine
The basics

Four things make the difference

01

Ratio

How much coffee for how much water. Filter coffee works best at 1:15 to 1:17, about 60 g per liter; espresso at about 1:2. Weigh both: a tablespoon of coffee can hold anywhere from 4 to 8 g, depending on the roast, the grind and whether it's level or heaped.

02

Grind

The finer the grind, the faster water pulls flavor out. Sour and thin means too little came out: grind finer. Bitter and dry means too much: grind coarser. Change one step at a time.

03

Temperature

92 to 96 °C for most brewers. Light roasts like it hot, dark roasts a little cooler. Without a thermometer, let boiled water stand for 30 to 60 seconds.

04

Time

How long water and coffee are in contact. A V60 runs for about three minutes, a French press steeps for four before you skim it, an espresso takes 25 to 32 seconds. If the time is far off, the grind is usually why.

From fine to coarse: where each method sits

EspressoFineAeroPressMedium-fineHario V60Medium-fineFrench PressMediumChemexMedium-coarseCold BrewCoarse

Water

A cup of coffee is about 98 % water, so the water matters. Very hard tap water, like in Berlin, flattens the taste and scales up your kettle. A simple filter jug makes the cup noticeably brighter.

Beans

Buy whole beans with a roast date, keep them airtight and away from light, and grind right before you brew: ground coffee loses its aroma fast. Filter coffee usually tastes best from about one to six weeks after roasting.

FAQ

Quick answers

How much coffee per cup?

15 g of coffee for a 250 ml cup. That is 60 g per liter, or a ratio of 1:16.7. Without a scale it is about 3 level tablespoons. For a stronger cup use 16.5 g, for a milder one 13.5 g.

How much coffee for a filter machine?

60 g per liter of water. European machines count a cup as 125 ml, so about 7.5 g of coffee per mark; US machines count 5 oz (about 150 ml), so about 9 g per mark.

What is the best coffee-to-water ratio?

For filter coffee, French press and AeroPress 1:15 to 1:17, for cold brew 1:10 to 1:15, for espresso about 1:2. Start in the middle and adjust by taste: more coffee if it is weak, more water if it is heavy.

What water temperature is best for coffee?

92 to 96 °C for filter coffee and espresso. Boiled water that has stood for 30 to 60 seconds is close enough. Cold brew uses cold water and time instead of heat.

Do I need a scale?

Not strictly, but nothing improves coffee at home more for less money. A kitchen scale with 1 g steps is enough for filter coffee; for espresso, 0.1 g steps help.