We can all agree that we love a cup of fresh, strong, or creamy coffee first thing in the morning, right? Not only does it taste good, but it also unlocks that energy that gets us going for the day.
Coffee brewing is a process with an outcome that depends on several variables. Those that are seasoned in the brewing process know what I’m on about. There’s the water temperature to consider, the roast level of the coffee beans, brewing time, and the grind size.
If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that one variable is missing. That’s the coffee-to-water ratio which is arguably the most important one. However, the interesting thing about the coffee-water ratio is that there’s no universal ratio, but there’s an ideal ratio.
In this context, the water-to-coffee ratio is for the drip coffee brewing method. The Importance of Brew Ratio for Making Coffee
Firstly, each coffee brewing method should have its ratio, and you should be consistent with it. It affects its texture, flavor, and strength. So when your coffee tastes bitter, you should know where the problem is coming from. There are other coffee-to-water ratios, but the focus is on the right ratio for the drip coffee maker.
Drip Coffee Ratio
Previously, the Specialty Coffee Association quoted 1:18 as the ratio, but there’s a different figure now. Currently, the ideal brew ratio for this brewing process is 60 grams of coffee beans to a single liter of water. This is 1:16 in numerical terms. Brewing methods such as French press coffee have a lower ratio of 1:15. Coffee ratios are also the most rigid variable for seasoned coffee drinkers.
In fact, you’re more likely to vary your grind size (how many coffee beans you use), grind setting, brew time, and others, but the brew ratio should remain constant. Look at it like this: on average, a cup of coffee measures 336 grams. If you’re using ground coffee weighing 25 grams, that means your hot water should be about 400 grams going by the 1:16 ratio. If you’re sticking to this ratio and you decide to increase your grind size to 50 grams, that means you’ll use 800 grams of heated water.
What Is Coffee’s Golden Ratio?
Expecting to see a number? Nah. It’s not that simple. The idea behind the “golden ratio” is that there’s a one-size-all ratio for all coffee brewing techniques, including immersion methods. However, that’s not the case.
What Gadgets Do You Need To Get The Perfect Brew Ratio?
There are certain tools that you can use to achieve the right ratio and improve your coffee game.
Using A Coffee-To-Water Ratio Calculator
The higher your coffee-to-water ratio, the weaker your coffee brew strength will be, and vice versa. Naturally, the ideal thing will be to get that balanced cup of coffee. Another name for this tool is a gram scale. It’s a more reliable means of measuring coffee than scoops or tablespoons. Besides, the pros who know what they’re doing with a coffee machine never talk about coffee measurement in spoons or scoops but in grams.
Purchase a gram scale or coffee-to-water ratio calculator to be a pro and score accurate brew ratio. You may ask, “Are you saying scoops aren’t accurate?” Yes, I am. Let me defend that answer.
The weight of freshly ground coffee beans is directly connected to their density. Note that the roast level affects how dense your coffee beans are. A lighter roast has more density than its darker counterpart. Yet, it’s not down to the roast level alone. Certain types of coffee beans may still vary in density regardless of the fact that they’re both light roasts. That’s why you need to get the coffee calculator.
What Factors Impact Brewing Ratio And Strength
Dosing
This simply refers to how much coffee grounds are used for brewing coffee drinks. You need a particular amount of ground coffee to make your drink. This is why it’s essential to measure coffee. If it’s too much and it’s too strong, even bitter. On the flip side, the coffee will be too weak if it’s too little.
Dosing also affects how much water you’ll add to the coffee brew. The larger the dose, the more money you’ll need. While the 1:16 remains constant, the grams for both your water and coffee will vary depending on the number of people drinking the coffee. To put it in figures, you’ll need 1,600 grams of water to brew a drink from 100 grams of pre-ground coffee.
Brew Time
Brew time is affected by how many cups of coffee you intend to brew. The thicker the bed of coffee grounds in the filter, the more time it will take the water to pass through it, and vice versa. Making a drip coffee doesn’t involve a sophisticated machine, so it’s up to manual coffee brewers to determine how quickly or slowly they will pour the water on the coffee grounds in the filter. If you’re asking how this affects the brew ratio, you’ve not been paying attention. Your time has to be consistent each time you brew coffee. Otherwise, it will alter the coffee-to-water ratio.
Grind Texture
Coffee makers know better than anyone that how coarse or fine your coffee grounds are will affect the coffee-to-water ratio. If the grind is very coarse, the drip rate will be faster, and vice versa. To maintain the ratio, the texture should neither be too coarse nor too fine.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Which One Should I Consider- Drip Coffee Or Pour-Over?
That depends on what you prefer. They have several differences between them, and your choice should come down to which of these variances appeal to you better. When it comes to the quality of the brew, it varies broadly with drip coffee, but pour-over always has a consistently strong and rich flavor. Drip coffee has a quicker brew time, making it more suitable for multiple cups of coffee, while pour-overs take more time. Drip coffee is more convenient because it just involves the device itself, while pour-over coffee involves multiple pieces of equipment. Drip coffee brewing gives you less control over the process, but that’s the price to pay since you’ll be doing less work as well. On the other hand, pour-overs give you more control over the process. You can’t make cold brew coffee with the drip brew technique, but the pour-over method is capable of that.
Grams Or Tablespoons- What is Ideal for Measurement?
I’ll answer this with my eyes closed. Grams! You can go wrong with tablespoons, and this can ruin brewing ratios. However, with grams, you’ll definitely have a device to weigh or measure your coffee beans. From the reading, you can decide on using more or less coffee for the perfect cup of coffee.
How Is Drip Coffee Different From Espresso Or Regular Brewed Coffee?
They’re all coffee drinks. The only distinct difference between them is how they’re brewed. The technique used has a huge effect on the flavor of the final brew. That’s why certain coffee drinks have more flavor and taste than others. Espresso is renowned for having one of the strongest flavors because of the concentration of coffee grounds it requires. Espresso brewing also requires the use of an espresso machine. Even your regular coffee drink is stronger in flavor than drip coffee.
How Many Scoops Of Coffee For X Cups?
You should know that a scoop of coffee beans is equivalent to a couple of tablespoons. This is okay for a cup of coffee. However, if you have a bias for less flavored or weaker coffee drinks, you can use a single scoop for 2 cups, that’s half a scoop for each cup. Since it’s a scoop for each cup, it’s pretty easy for you to figure out the rest. It’s just simple math. So, if you intend to use scoops to measure your coffee grounds, getting it right has been easy. You’re welcome.
Do Coffee Pots Measure Cups Or Ounces?
The measurement scale on your coffee pot is in cups, but where people get it wrong is thinking that it’s equivalent to 8 ounces. The correct measure is that 1 cup is equal to 6 ounces.
How Can I Dose Coffee Without A Scoop?
A scoop is just one of many means of measuring your coffee. There are alternative means, such as using a coffee scale/gram scale to measure the weight of your ground coffee. They can even use it to measure the weight of the water you’ll use, helping you to get the right water-to-coffee ratio. An unlikely but effective option is coffee bean grinders with a timer. This equipment is multi-purpose. It can configure the grind time and the coarseness of the coffee beans, but what people don’t know is that it can also be used to measure the precise weight of your grind size.
What’s The Perfect Ratio For Drip Coffee?
As I mentioned earlier, the ideal ratio for this brewing method is 1:16. That means 16 grams of water to 1 gram of coffee beans. Depending on how much coffee you’re making, this ratio will be used as a formula for the measurements of the coffee beans and water you need for brewing a quality cup.
How Many Times Can Drip Coffee Grounds Be Used?
The issue isn’t that it can’t be reused, but is it good to be reused? I don’t recommend reusing drip coffee grounds because they won’t achieve the desired flavor for the perfect cup and may even taste bitter. It’s economical for sure, but whether it should be used or not comes down to personal taste.
What Temperature Should Drip Coffee Be?
The ideal water temperature should be at a notch that’s just below the boiling point. In precise terms, the temperature ranges from 90-96 degrees Celsius. Interestingly, this temperature range is ideal for every brewing technique, including French Press, Espresso, etc.
How Long Should Drip Coffee Take?
The brew time for drip coffee is about 5 minutes, which is one of the longest among the different brewing techniques. Methods such as Espresso take 30 seconds at most, while French Press doesn’t go beyond 4 minutes. Drip coffee takes a lot of time because of the default flow rate of the water.
What Makes Drip Coffee Better?
Drip coffee is a good coffee brewing option because it’s a convenient process, demanding less work. Also, it’s ideal if you’re preparing several grams of coffee.
Conclusion
A coffee brewing enthusiast has to be conversant with the variables that affect the outcome of their final coffee brew. Intending to make a cup of coffee with a strong and rich flavor and brewing something that falls short of that comes down to the knowledge and execution of these variables. To recap, these factors include dosing, texture of grind, and brewing time. I’ll also add water temperature to that list, but the ultimate one is the coffee-to-water ratio. If drip coffee is your preferred brewing method, take it upon yourself to understand it thoroughly. Doing so will make you produce good coffee consistently.
