How to measure coffee for every brewing method

The short answer #

For balanced filter coffee, 55 to 65 grams of ground coffee per litre of water is a sensible starting range. That works out at roughly 7 to 8 grams for a 125 ml coffee-machine cup. The technical requirements for the SCA Certified Home Brewer programme begin with 55 g/L, then adjust grind size and contact time to reach the target extraction.

Other methods need different ratios. Pressure, grind size and contact time make espresso, moka pot coffee and cold brew fundamentally different from filter coffee.

Filter coffee for 2 to 12 cups #

The table uses 125 ml per cup, a common marking on European filter machines. A 250 ml mug therefore counts as two machine cups. Check your appliance manual because some manufacturers use 150 ml or another volume.

Number of cups	Water	Ground coffee	Level teaspoons at about 5 g each
2	250 ml	14 to 16 g	about 3
4	500 ml	28 to 33 g	6 to 7
6	750 ml	41 to 49 g	8 to 10
8	1 litre	55 to 65 g	11 to 13
10	1.25 litres	69 to 81 g	14 to 16
12	1.5 litres	83 to 98 g	17 to 20

A teaspoon is not a reliable unit of mass. Roast, grind size and the shape of the spoon all affect how much it holds. Use a scale whenever you want to repeat a good brew.

Why the dose matters #

Two ideas are often confused when people discuss coffee recipes:

Strength or concentration describes how much dissolved coffee is present in the finished drink.
Extraction yield describes the proportion of soluble material removed from the dry coffee.

Adding more grounds generally makes a drink more concentrated, but it does not automatically increase extraction yield. Grind size, time, temperature, water and flow all affect extraction. The SCA technical requirements for filter brewers use a target extraction yield of 18 to 22 per cent and a dissolved-solids concentration of 1.15 to 1.45 per cent. This is a professional reference range, not a guarantee of what every person will prefer.

Useful measuring equipment #

A kitchen scale accurate to 1 gram is enough for filter coffee, French press and moka pot. A scale accurate to 0.1 gram is more useful for espresso.
A measuring jug or the scale for water keeps the liquid quantity consistent. For kitchen purposes, one gram of water is approximately one millilitre.
A timer makes it easier to assess contact time separately from dose.
A simple note for each coffee is enough. Record the dose, water and grinder setting, then alter one variable at a time.

Filter coffee dose #

Start with 60 g of coffee per litre of water. Use 30 g for 500 ml and 45 g for 750 ml. The National Coffee Association gives a more accessible guideline of one to two tablespoons for every 6 US fluid ounces of water. Grams are more precise because spoons and coffee density vary.

For a consistent brew:

Check what your machine means by one cup.
Start with a medium grind.
Rinse a paper filter with hot water when its material and your equipment allow it.
If the coffee tastes very thin, do not immediately add more grounds. A slightly finer grind may be the better correction.
If it tastes dry, heavy or markedly bitter, try a slightly coarser grind first.

SCA testing for certified filter machines uses water at 92 to 96°C where it contacts the coffee bed. That range is also a useful starting point for manual brewing, though it is not compulsory for every bean or recipe.

The guide to coffee grind size by brewing method explains how grind and contact time work together.

French press dose #

For a French press, 60 to 70 g per litre is a useful starting point:

15 to 18 g for 250 ml;
30 to 35 g for 500 ml;
45 to 53 g for 750 ml;
60 to 70 g for 1 litre.

Use a consistent coarse grind and begin with about four minutes of contact time. Lower the plunger slowly, then pour the coffee out so that it does not continue sitting on the grounds.

A French press retains more coffee oils, including the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol, than a paper filter. Research indicates that frequent consumption of unfiltered coffee can raise LDL cholesterol. The effect depends on both brewing method and intake. Anyone with high blood lipids, or who drinks several large servings of unfiltered coffee every day, should discuss this with a healthcare professional. That evidence does not make an occasional French press coffee inherently dangerous.

Moka pot dose #

A moka pot is designed around fixed fill levels rather than a freely chosen coffee-to-water ratio. Follow the capacity of your model:

Fill water to just below the safety valve unless your model's instructions state otherwise.
Loosely fill the funnel with medium-fine coffee up to its rim.
Do not tamp the grounds.
Heat gently and remove the pot before the flow becomes a violent splutter.

The official Bialetti Moka Express instructions warn against pressing the coffee or filling water over the safety valve. Either can interfere with the intended flow.

As a rough guide, many 3-cup pots hold about 15 to 18 g of coffee and many 6-cup pots about 25 to 30 g. Capacity varies by maker and model. A moka "cup" is also much smaller than a 125 ml filter-machine cup, let alone a large breakfast mug. The instructions for your own pot take priority.

Espresso dose #

A traditional single espresso can be described as 7 to 9 g of coffee producing about 25 to 35 ml of drink. 16 to 20 g is common in modern double baskets. Many baristas now measure output by weight and begin with a 1:2 brew ratio, such as 18 g of grounds producing roughly 36 g of espresso.

The heritage Specialty Coffee Association definition specifies 7 to 9 g for a single, water at 90.5 to 96.1°C, pressure of 9 to 10 atmospheres and a brewing time of 20 to 30 seconds. The Istituto Espresso Italiano describes its certified espresso mainly by its sensory profile and a volume of about 25 ml. These figures define particular reference styles, not a compulsory recipe for every modern roast.

When dialling in at home:

If the shot runs very quickly and tastes thin or sharply sour, grind finer.
If it barely drips and tastes dry or excessively bitter, grind coarser.
Keep the dose within the range for which the basket was designed.
Even distribution through the basket matters more than applying the greatest possible tamping force.

Cold brew dose #

For ready-to-drink cold brew, begin with 60 to 90 g of coarsely ground coffee per litre of water. For a concentrate, use 150 to 200 g per litre, then dilute it with water or ice when serving.

Steep for roughly 12 to 18 hours in the refrigerator, depending on the recipe, and filter thoroughly. Cold extraction does not make a drink sterile. Use clean containers, keep the brew below 5°C and consume it promptly. Switzerland's Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office uses "keep in the fridge and use quickly" as a model storage instruction for foods that require refrigeration. Milk and plant-based drinks introduce their own storage limits once added.

How many cups does a 250 g bag make? #

It depends on the serving size:

at 7 to 8 g per small filter cup: about 31 to 35 cups of 125 ml;
at 15 g per mug: about 16 mugs of 250 ml;
at 8 g per single espresso: about 31 shots;
at 18 g per double espresso: just under 14 doubles.

A claim about "cups per bag" is meaningful only when both dose and drink size are stated.

Adjusting the flavour #

Coffee that tastes bitter, drying or heavy may be over-extracted. Grind a little coarser or shorten the contact time. Coffee that tastes thin, sharply sour or hollow may improve with a finer grind or longer contact time.

Strength and extraction are not the same. If a coffee tastes balanced but is too strong, add a little water or reduce the dose next time. If it is balanced but too weak, increase the dose. This prevents you from using dose to solve a problem that actually comes from grind size.

Key points #

Filter coffee: 55 to 65 g/L, often 60 g/L as a starting point.
French press: 60 to 70 g/L for about four minutes.
Moka pot: fill the funnel loosely, do not tamp, and keep water below the safety valve.
Espresso: roughly 7 to 9 g for a traditional single or 16 to 20 g for many modern doubles.
Cold brew: 60 to 90 g/L ready to drink or 150 to 200 g/L for concentrate.

A scale gives more repeatable results than any scoop. Note a combination that works and change only one variable at a time. You will find the right dose for your beans, equipment and taste far more efficiently.