A good starting point is 1 gram of coffee for every 15 to 17 grams of water (written as 1:15 or 1:17). For a standard 12-ounce cup, that’s roughly 20 to 22 grams of coffee.

If your coffee tastes weak or watery, use more coffee or less water. If it tastes harsh or overly intense, use less coffee or more water. Adjust to your taste.

Grind size controls extraction. Finer grinds expose more surface area, extracting faster. Coarser grinds extract slower.

Match your grind to your brewing method:

• Fine: Espresso
• Medium-fine: Pour over
• Medium: Drip, AeroPress
• Coarse: French press, cold brew

If your coffee tastes sour or thin, try grinding finer. If it tastes bitter or harsh, try grinding coarser.

Water between 195 and 205°F extracts coffee most effectively. Boiling water can over-extract, pulling bitter compounds. Water that’s too cool under-extracts, leaving coffee sour and weak.

If you don’t have a thermometer, let boiling water rest for 30 to 60 seconds before brewing.

Grind just before brewing if you can. Pre-ground coffee loses aromatics quickly. Use coffee within 30 days of the roast date for best results, and store it properly between brews.

Key Facts & Sources

• The SCA Golden Cup Standard specifies a brew ratio of 55–65g per liter (1:15–1:18), a brew temperature of 90.5–96°C (195–205°F), and a TDS of 1.15–1.35%.
• Grind particle size directly controls extraction rate: finer grinds increase surface area and extract faster; coarser grinds extract slower.
• Under-extraction (sour, thin) typically indicates water that is too cool, grind too coarse, or ratio too low.
• Over-extraction (bitter, harsh) typically indicates water that is too hot, grind too fine, or brew time too long.