How do you measure the amount of Coffee to brew?

[StillShaving]

Over time, I have progressed through different phases of making coffee. Originally I only bought ground coffee and drip brewed, measuring the amount of coffee by volume. Later I got a whirly grinder and measured the volume of beans by eye. Now I home roast, brew in various ways, and occasionally feel the urge to weight my coffee before brewing, but it feels like overkill. It is relatively easy to control the amount of water used to brew, but I was interested in how others controlled the amount of coffee used to brew their favorite cup.

 

[SiBurning]

Depends on the bean and roast, but I aim for roughly 15:1, which I already weighed and measured several times to an average of 1/3 cup for 15-6 oz or 1/2 liter of water, which is what I typically brew. So I keep a 1/3 cup measuring cup handy. If I know a particular bean is lighter, I add some more, or vice verse, but that's eyeballing it after it roasts, or knowing it's weak after the first try. This is one shortcoming of brewers that require a particular puck be filled, like a moka pot or that plastic pluger contraption--if the coffee's weak, you're stuck.

 

[Rossmeister]

I most often use a small french press for one big, or two small cups. Since every coffee is a bit different, I just go by a baseline ("up to there") and add or subtract when I make another pressful, if needed.

 

[CraigarTA]

People only have me brew coffee one time. Especially back in the Army. Iwas told that pot could run a deuce and a half. I was never asked or told to make another

 

[Bertilak]

I voted "other" because I use a combination weight/volume technique.

I ultimately go by weight, but have predetermined how much a scoop-load of beans weighs. I now forget the exact weight used and simply go by the number of scoops I have previously calculated.

I measure whole beans into the grinder.

 

[Jasonian]

It depends.

For all forms of brewing that I've used thus far sans espresso, I measure and brew by weight.

For espresso, I brew by volume and taste. The concept of numerical precision across coffees goes out the window when you add 135psi to the dwell time. I can get to ball-park figures for a specific seasonal coffee, but that's about the extent of it. Even changing the roast profile slightly can require a need to change the brew parameters.

Just my $.02.

 

[tsmba]

it depends.

For all forms of brewing that i've used thus far sans espresso, i measure and brew by weight.

For espresso, i brew by volume and taste. The concept of numerical precision across coffees goes out the window when you add 135psi to the dwell time. I can get to ball-park figures for a specific seasonal coffee, but that's about the extent of it. Even changing the roast profile slightly can require a need to change the brew parameters.

Just my $.02.

+1!

 

[Catalin]

For espresso it's by volume: the volume of the portafilter. For the French press it's by number of scoops. So, volume all around!

 

[Drybonz]

I just eyeball it. I cook the same way... sight and smell.

 

[physiognomy]

Up to this point, I've mainly used volume to measure out my coffee... eg. Two (flat)scoops of beans into the grinder for espresso, three flat scoops (different scoop) for french press, etc. I'm going to pick up a digital scale in the future & see if it helps make my espresso more consistant.

 

[Captain Pete]

I have a scoop that, when level full, holds 8 grams (about one and a half table spoons) of medium roast drip grind coffee. I use one scoop per 5 ounces of water.

 

[FLTiger]

I'm still trying to get a handle on the whole process, so in an effort to be as consistent as possible, I am going by weight. I am brewing french press, and I started with the 9.5 g / cup suggested in a tutorial I found. Thus, for my full 8 cup Bodum, I started with 76 g of coffee, though I've backed it off to 72g (+1 g for chaff loss during grinding).

Unfortunately for me, I am sensitive to caffeine, so I only brew once a day. Of the "8 cups" made, I drink 1/3 immediately, and throw the rest in a Nissan Stainless travel cup for work (my work is very busy, so making it at work is out).

 

[Alacrity59]

I figure out how much to use to make a standard amount of coffee. I always make the same amount of coffee and use the same measure of beans. It means that a lot of the time I throw out some extra coffee. When I'm making coffee for one . . . I use an Aeropress. Again . . . I use the same amount to make the one cup every time.

Mike

 

[whitebar]

I always measure by weight using a digital kitchen scale. You would be surprised at the difference between different beans and different roasts. I've noticed that when I roast my beans darker that they don't weigh as much as beans stopped at a lighter city roast. So for me, volume measuring just isn't accurate enough. Small digital kitchen scales don't cost all that much and so they are a worthwhile investment. I just weigh the beans before putting them in the grinder.

 

[wdwrx]

.... not sure where I fit in. We use (an almost antique now) Braun burr grinder with a timer... so it's the timer that sets the amount. (1m 30s, at the mid point of grind coarseness) makes a perfect pot. One of these days, I should weigh the result, just to know.

 

[takeshi]

How do you measure the amount of Coffee to brew?

With a timer. Not 100% but very close. ~6 seconds on the Super Jolly yields about the right amount for a double.

 

[Edcculus]

I pretty much have it down where I can eyeball the volume for the water I'm using and get a good cup. Since I buy by the 1lb bag or more, if its not right the first time, I just adjust it the next go.

 

[Monkeydad]

I have a scoop that, when level full, holds 8 grams (about one and a half table spoons) of medium roast drip grind coffee. I use one scoop per 5 ounces of water.

I have one of those too.

 

[thomthom49]

I most often use a small french press for one big, or two small cups. Since every coffee is a bit different, I just go by a baseline ("up to there") and add or subtract when I make another pressful, if needed.

Is that some new weightlifting exercise? I am a Yank but here in the UK where I live we call it a Cafetierre. I have them in sizes from small (1 mug) to large (12 cups) and I think they make the best everyday java in town unless you're wantin' a cup of espresso in which case I always cook it on the gas fired burner in a Bialetti and always drink it with a shot of Sambucca on the side floated with three coffee beans and set alight. Wait till the beans sizzle, snuff out the fire and take a sip with a bean and chew it up chased with at least half a coup of strong espresso. Got a stuffy nose? You won't have one after that little routine. Learned that in a restaraunt next to the Spanish Steps in Rome. Worth every penny!

"Oh, slip me a slug from the wonderful mug
And I'll cut a rug till I'm snug in a jug
Drop me a nickel in my pot, Joe, Takin' it slow.
Waiter, waiter, percolator!

I love coffee, I love tea
I love the java jive and it loves me
Coffee and tea and the jivin' in me
A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup Boy!"

Can't wait til tomorrow mornin for a shave and cup of java!

 

[Tekka]

I measure according to how many tablespoons of whole beans I ground.