# Correct amount of coffee???



## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

Hello people.I'm new to coffee myself and using a cafetiere at the moment.i was always told 1 table spoon per cup.

After reading today I measured my cup size and it holds 340ml.and I had been using 6g of ground coffee for 340ml of water.which I now know is nowhere near enough.

What's a good starting point for me to adjust the coffee too ?i have been drinking blue mountain(was using about 10g of ground blue mountain as weaker tasting)and monsoon malabar(seems to be a darker style)


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

Most people use 60g/L as a starting point and adjust as necessary from there. Personally I usually end up using more than that for most coffees - for a single cup pour over I use a 200ml cup with 15g of coffee - but that's just my taste.

Of course you can just other variables instead of dose size. For example you could stick to 60g/L in a cafetiere but leave it steeping for longer, or grind to a different particle size. Best to just experiment and find what suits your taste.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

60 grams per litre is a good place to start, so about 20g of coffee.

The brewing time (4-6 mins) will be dependant on water temperature (try 95c) and how fine the grind is.

Have a play and see what tastes good


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

Bear in mind that the 60g per litre ratio refers to the volume of brew water and not the finished beverage i.e. the water you pour into the cafetiere rather than the drink you pour out. Some of the brew water you pour in is absorbed by the coffee grounds during brewing so if you want a beverage of say ~220ml then use 250ml of brew water (assumes ~30ml of water absorption) with 15g of ground coffee (60g per litre).

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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Just checking... sorry if this is a silly question... but if you're putting it straight in a cup, does that mean you're using instant?


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## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks for the replys people.i will try about 20 grams with the next cup I brew .and to the person asking if I'm using instant coffee.no it's definitely fresh coffee.i generally use milk in my coffee aswell.guessing it needs to be drunk black to appreciate flavours etc?


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## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

Still can't believe that much coffee goes into one cup.i have a plastic coffee measure spoon given to me by man in shop,that holds roughly 6g and I had always used one of those per cup.i will try 3 scoops next time I brew.(so will roughly be 18g,will tweak from there).

Guess I'm in for a shock after a few weeks of drinking it far too weak lol


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Milk will indeed mask coffee flavours and aromas, but as always it's really up to you how you prefer it. Lots of people add milk.

So it sounds like you're drinking it the Indonesian way... grinds in the cup, water on top, and you end up with the sludge in the bottom of the cup. If so, good for you







It's not a common way to drink it over here but I think it can make a nice cup if you're not bothered by the sludge.


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## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

Just thought I'd clear it up I use a French press and use water slightly off boil.i add coffee and water to leave to brew for about 4 mins,then plunge and transfer to drinking cup


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

The concept of a "cup" is fairly fluid. Technically speaking, as a unit of measure, it equates to 250ml although this is different in the states and the far east. In practice, for most beverages, it usually means ~125ml.

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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

There is a good guide on French press/cafetiere brewing here:

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/pages/French-Press-Brew-Guide.html


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

You can find another good guide/video with a slightly different technique here:

http://www.squaremileblog.com/2008/11/12/videocast-2-french-press-technique/


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## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks for the links.i have used the proper ratios and found them very strong the first couple of times,but getting used to it now


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## JamesG (Mar 29, 2012)

Is it just very strong or are you finding it bitter or sour too?

If its just strong, you can always top up your cup of coffee with a little hot water.


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## Mike mc (Apr 10, 2012)

It does come across quite bitter aswell,what will be the cause of that.im drinking monsoon malabar at the moment and it's labeled dark roast,so will be stronger than usual


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

If it tastes very bitter, the coffee is being over extracted. Some ways to remedy this: reduce the quantity of coffee, coarsen the grind or steep for a shorter amount of time.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Earlepap said:


> If it tastes very bitter, the coffee is being over extracted. Some ways to remedy this: reduce the quantity of coffee, coarsen the grind or steep for a shorter amount of time.


I wouldnt suggest less coffee, instead decrease the water temperature by a 2-3 degrees


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

I thought about that, but went out on a limb and made the assumption there isn't a thermometer at hand.


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## jimbow (Oct 13, 2011)

I would suggest keeping the ratio of ground coffee and water the same and reducing temperature, coarsening the grind or reducing the steep time or perhaps some combination of these.

Are you grinding the coffee yourself? If so, as a first step make sure the grind is coarse enough and perhaps leave the kettle to cool down for 40 seconds or so off the boil, to reduce the temperature as Gary suggested. If you are using pre-ground then check it is described as cafetiere/french press ground or simply coarse ground.

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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

I tend to french press quite often and prefer a 65g/l brew ratio but perhaps a coarser grind. The leads to less sludge with the same strength and also I tend to end up with a fruitier taste, less bitter. As a rough guide on grind size you can clearly feel and see each grain. I don't believe there is a right or wrong, everyone likes coffee differently like they like their beer. The main thing is to experiment to find what you like and can replicate, and is also a lot of fun!


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## CC&E (Mar 23, 2012)

We find depending on the blend, coffee should brew, still, for 3-5 minutes before depressing the plunger. At the end of this time some people like to break the crust with a spoon, making sure not to stir and cause it to brew more. IGNORE the amount of cups your French Press is. There is no standard as to the size of the 'cup'. Instead, work out how many grams of water your cafetière can hold, find 6% of that amount and that is how much coffee you should use. e.g. Water in grams = 500, 500 x 0.06= 30g, therefore 30g of coffee to 500g of water.


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