The drip coffee ratio
Two published rules agree. The National Coffee Association says 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 oz of water. The SCA "Gold Cup" standard, as Seattle Coffee Gear reports it, is 55 g of coffee per litre, "roughly 1:18", with water at 195 to 205 °F and a 4 to 8 minute brew (4 to 6 as a starting point). Our calculator uses 1:16 as balanced, 1:18 lighter and 1:14 stronger.
How much coffee for a 4, 8, 10 or 12-cup maker
A coffee-maker "cup" is smaller than a US cup, often about 5 fl oz of water (Wikipedia). Seattle Coffee Gear describes a 12-cup brewer as about 1.8 L. The table uses 5 fl oz per maker cup and 1:16 to 1:18.
| Maker size | Water | Coffee at 1:18 | Coffee at 1:16 | Tablespoons (≈ 6 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 cups | 20 fl oz (590 ml) | 33 g | 37 g | ≈ 5.5 to 6 |
| 8 cups | 40 fl oz (1.18 L) | 66 g | 74 g | ≈ 11 to 12 |
| 10 cups | 50 fl oz (1.48 L) | 82 g | 92 g | ≈ 14 to 15 |
| 12 cups | 60 fl oz (1.77 L) | 99 g | 111 g | ≈ 16.5 to 18.5 |
Check your carafe: if the markings say 6 oz per cup, scale up. The coffee cup sizes page explains the difference.
Brew it
- Measure the water first. Fill to the line for the amount you want.
- Weigh or measure the coffee. Medium grind, like kosher salt (National Coffee Association).
- Brew and serve. The NCA gives about 5 minutes of contact. Serve soon, or move it to a thermos.
Tune strength by changing the amount, not the time. For a sour or thin pot, try a little more coffee or a slightly finer grind; for bitter, less coffee or coarser. More on grinding in the grind chart.