How Much Coffee Per Drip Cup? The Right Ratio

If the smell of your perfect cup of drip coffee is one of the highlights of your morning, that cup of coffee should taste amazing. If your cup of drip coffee is anything less than the best, we have a problem. Drip coffee may not be as fancy as other brew methods, but you need to know how much coffee per cup of drip is essential to creating the morning brew of your dreams.

Maybe you drink your coffee on the way to work or it is your time of peace before the chaos of the day begins. Either way that cup of drip coffee needs to taste incredible and provide the caffeine boost you need to power through your day.

Follow my guide and know that you will be able to make a cup of drip coffee that will make everyone jealous.

What Is Drip Coffee?

One of the big things you have going for you when making a cup of drip coffee is that it’s a fairly simple process. Even if you have never heard the term drip coffee, you have more than likely had it before.

Drip coffee is a more specific way of referring to coffee that is made from a standard coffee machine. It is the coffee that you make when you put a filter in the coffee machine, add your coffee grounds, fill the water reservoir, and let the machine do the rest of the work.

Some people may frown upon drip coffee because there are coffee makers available now that make espressos, lattes, and mochas; however, you can still create an incredible cup of drip coffee.

Why Is It Called Drip Coffee?

If it is technically a very simple type of coffee to brew, you might be wondering why it is called drip coffee. It’s because of the way that it is actually made.

A filter is placed into the coffee maker and then the proper amount of coffee grounds is placed in the filter. You then fill the water reservoir with clean water which the machine will then begin to heat. Water flows through the machine and drips onto the filter full of coffee grounds, hence the name. Your coffee will then flow into your coffee pot or mug.

What Makes Drip Coffee Different?

Drip coffee does have some major differences from other types of brewed coffee. Drip coffee relies on pressure to send the water up the showerhead and then on gravity to send the water back down through the grounds.

The filters that are commonly used to create a cup of drip coffee will also help to catch some oils that can be present in coffees such as espresso or coffee from a French press. Making drip coffee is known to be extremely affordable and easy to do, which has made it one of the most popular ways to make coffee at home.

How Much Coffee per Drip Cup?

Although making drip coffee is simple, it is vitally important to know what quantity of ground coffee is needed per cup of drip coffee. The wrong amount of coffee grounds for the amount of coffee you are brewing will result in a cup of coffee that you will not be happy with.

1:17 Drip Coffee Ratio

A good ratio for drip coffee is 1:17 by weight. That means use 1 gram of coffee for every 17 grams of water.

• For a 6-0unce cup: 170 grams of water + 10 grams of coffee
• For an 8-0unce cup: 228 grams of water + 13.5 grams of coffee
• For a 12-ounce cup: 340 grams of water + 20 grams of coffee

1:15 Drip Coffee Ratio

If you want a stronger cup of drip coffee, you can try a 1:15 ratio — or 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water.

• For a 6-0unce cup: 170 grams of water + 11.3 grams of coffee
• For an 8-0unce cup: 228 grams of water + 15.2 grams of coffee
• For a 12-ounce cup: 340 grams of water + 22.6 grams of coffee

If you plan to brew a whole pot, you will need to figure out how many ounces will fit in your carafe and use the proper amount of coffee grounds accordingly.

Too much coffee will cause the water to not drip through the grounds as it should. It can also cause the water to overflow, and then coffee grounds will potentially overflow as well and end up in your cup of coffee.

On the other hand, if you use too few coffee grounds, you will probably end up with very weak-tasting coffee. Neither of these options is what you want when you are trying to make a delicious cup of java.

What Size Grounds for Drip Coffee?

The best coffee grind size for a cup of drip coffee is medium. If you do not use the right coffee grind size for your drip coffee, you risk over-extraction or under-extraction.

Over-extraction will create coffee that is bitter and probably too strong, but under-extraction results in coffee that is sour, acidic, and potentially salty. Over-extraction means that the water extracted too much flavor from the coffee, but under extraction means that the water did not extract enough flavor from the coffee. It is a fine line to get the size and amount of ground coffee perfect.

Should You Grind Your Own Coffee?

Grinding your own coffee beans is a good idea when making drip coffee, as it allows you to enjoy the wide variety of flavors that coffee beans offer. By grinding your coffee beans fresh, you are guaranteed to have better flavor.

Coffee beans come from a plant and therefore will not maintain their qualities for an extended period of time. Once coffee beans are roasted they begin to release CO2. This causes the coffee bean to release oils along with flavor.

Once oxygen begins to enter the coffee beans, though, it begins to break down the bean and creates an even more enhanced flavor. If you are not grinding your coffee beans right before you brew your coffee, you are missing out on a lot of flavor that your coffee beans could offer.

If you purchase pre-ground coffee, you are purchasing a large amount in one grind size. If you choose to grind coffee beans yourself, you can grind just the right amount for your drip coffee and if you want to use a different grind size for another brew type, you can.

FAQs

What is the difference between drip coffee and pour over?

The pour over method of making coffee falls under drip coffee, although they sound similar and both use gravity for the brewing process. With a drip coffee machine, your involvement is limited to putting the filter, grounds, and water in the machine.

With a pour over brew, you are going to be controlling the actual process of pouring water over the grounds and ensuring you have the exact amount of coffee grounds and the proper pour technique to create the best brew.

What type of coffee bean is best?

There is no right or wrong answer to this, but the best option is to use a high-quality coffee bean such as Lavazza. By using a better quality coffee bean, you will get a much better-tasting cup of coffee. There are many options available as far as strength and flavor, but it is always a great idea to pick a brand that is known to produce quality coffee beans.

Are there specific filters for drip coffee?

A paper filter will be best for a drip coffee machine. You will notice that there are bleached and unbleached paper filters. The bleached options do use chlorine to bleach the paper and these are the filters that are stark white. The unbleached filters will be a brown color but tend to be more natural and environmentally friendly.

A paper filter is the best choice for ensuring that all of the coffee grounds are filtered out of your brew.

What if your drip coffee is not strong enough?

If you are following the typical recommended amount of coffee grounds necessary to create a good cup or carafe of coffee but your coffee still tastes weak, it might be time to make an adjustment.

If you want to try making your coffee a bit stronger, you can add ½ to 1 tablespoon more of coffee grounds to your coffee maker and see if that makes a difference. It is important to not add too much or you risk messing it up; however, adding a small amount at a time might make enough of a difference to your brew.

Another option for increasing the strength of your coffee is to try a different coffee bean. If you are using a medium roast, you can try a dark roast and see if the added strength to the coffee bean itself will make a difference.

The Right Amount of Coffee for Your Brew

This article should have answered the question about the right amount of coffee grinds for your cup of drip coffee. You now know that you need approximately 2 tablespoons of coffee grinds per 8 ounces of coffee that you are making. This can be adjusted as needed depending on the strength you prefer.