How Much Ground Coffee to Use to Make 12 Cups of Coffee: The Ultimate How-To Guide
Of all the questions that have surrounded making the ultimate pot of coffee, none answer this old age question better than the following: how much ground coffee should I use? Of course, to quantify how much needs to be used to brew 12 cups of coffee, everything will depend on individual preferences for strength as well as what type of beans will be used, and how brewing takes place. We will walk you through the step how many tablespoons to make 12 cups of coffee. Other tips on the perfecting of your cup of joe are included in the article.
Know-How About Coffee Measurement Standards
Coffee Cup Size: 6 Ounces vs. 8 Ounces
Another thing that you should watch out for is that when brewing coffee, a “cup” is actually 6 ounces or 180 ml-not the standard 8-ounce cup used as a measuring “unit” in other contexts. This means that with a 12-cup coffee maker it really holds 72 ounces of liquid (12 × 6). This oftentimes blindsides newbies.
The Typical Coffee-to-Water Ratio
You want about 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of water so you’re not getting a brew that’s too weak or too strong. Of course, people are different; some like their coffee stronger and some like it milder.
For 12 cups (72 ounces) you will need
24 tablespoons of ground coffee: 12 × 2 tablespoons. This comes out to 1.5 cups of coffee grounds when measured in bulk.
Factors That Determine The Number Of Tablespoons Needed
There are so many factors that will determine the quantity of coffee you will need depending on your preference for the taste and flavor. Now that you know, let’s take a closer look at what the determining variables look like in your coffee measurements.
1. How Strong Do You Want The Coffee To Be Mild Coffee
1.5 tablespoons per 6-ounce cup. To brew 12 cups you would need 18 tablespoons.
Strong Coffee
2.5 to 3 tablespoons per 6-ounce cup. To brew 12 cups you would need 30-36 tablespoons.
Another advantage is the ability to switch between any type of coffee beans and grind size. You just have to fine-tune the grind size up or down in the smallest increment until you find your favorite strength.
2. Type and Grind Size of Coffee Beans
It also depends on the grind size that you’ll be using and it also depends on the type of your coffee beans.
Fine Grind (Espresso or Turkish coffee):
You’ll probably need less coffee as finer grounds extract flavor faster.
Coarse Grind (French press or cold brew):
You might need a bit more because water takes its time to extract flavors.
You also have other beans:
light, medium, and dark roasts. These might also contribute to flavor and the way you feel it is strong, so the quantity you will use will depend upon this. Darker roasts are more bold in taste but a little less caffeinated compared to the lighter ones that are less bold-feeling but contain more concentration of caffeine per gram.
3. Brew Type.
Of course, with every brewing type you are going to perform, the number of tablespoons you are going to need will also vary.
- Drip coffee maker
2 tablespoons for 6 ounces
- French Press
You use 3 tablespoons per cup to make it more concentrated
- Pour-Over
This depends on the grind of coffee and taste. Normally for such a device, it is within the range of 2 to 2.5 tablespoons per cup.
As a rough general guideline for a 12-cup drip coffee maker you’re going to want about 24 tablespoons, but you can get away with a few more to get the strength you’re looking for in a French press.
How to Measure Coffee: Tablespoons vs. Scoops vs. Grams
Tablespoons vs. Coffee Scoops
A scoop is always on standard for the amount of ground coffee. Thus, if you have a scoop, you can make 12 cups of coffee using 12 scoops because each scoop is equal to 2 tablespoons.
Measuring with a Scale if you want to be Extra Precise
If you want to be more precise in terms of the amount, then you can always measure using a scale.
1 tablespoon of coffee ≈ 5-6 grams.
Depending on the extent of the caffeine addict you are, you’ll probably need between 120g and 144g of coffee to fill up that 12-cup coffee maker to the recommended line.
You will definitely get your money out of this digital kitchen scale. You likely change beans or grinds rather frequently, so this is what you need to never get it wrong.
Avoid These Common Mistakes for Failure
But even with the right amount of coffee, so many things could go wrong. Here’s what you should avoid
1. Overfilling of the Filter Basket
You become too generous with the amount of coffee you put in the filter basket. Overloading is one of the causes of overflow especially for drip coffee makers. These usually go along with a bitter taste so make sure that you are not overloading your machine.
2. Under-Extraction or Over-Extraction
Under-extraction happens when one is using less coffee, or when one grinds too coarsely. Then, the coffee turns out to be weak and sour.
All these can be controlled to ensure the flavor is at its best side, the amount of coffee used, size of particles, and even time taken for brewing.
Symptoms of over-extraction: an excessive amount of coffee or grind too fine traditionally implies a bitter brew.
3. Old Coffee
Even if the ideal quantity of coffee is achieved, old beans or grounds can spoil the flavor. Fresh coffee is always the best and needs to be kept in a tight container to avoid moisture coming into it and also from direct light.
Brewing Tips to make your Best 12-Cup Coffee Pot
Next section, here are some general tips on how to perfect your coffee just to take it up a notch
1. Pre-brew the Coffee Grounds
Add an infinitesimal quantity of boiling water over the grounds before brewing and allow the grounds “bloom” for 30 seconds. This allows dissolved carbon dioxide to out and flavors to be drawn .
2. Use Filtered Water
The quality of water that you will use will also determine the taste that your coffee will be defined by. Filter the water because impurities in the water might ruin its taste too.
3. Clean Your Coffee Maker Often
A cleaned-up coffee maker will brew consistently and will not introduce stale flavors. Run a mix of water and vinegar through your machine every few weeks to keep it in the best shape.
Summary: How many tablespoons to make 12 cups of coffee?
A drip coffee of 24 tablespoons brews to be balanced flavor tolerable for most users. You’re free to adjust small tastes, of course.
Putting it all together, here’s how many you should use for 12 cups (72 ounces) depending on your desired strength
- Standard Strength: 24 tablespoons (12 scoops).
- Weak Strength: 18 tablespoons.
- Strong Strength: 30-36 tablespoons.
There’s a little bit of art, and there’s a little bit of science, about getting that pot of coffee just right, though you do have general standards in how many coffee grains should go into any 6 ounces of water-that, for example, is standard 2 tablespoons for 6 ounces-mostly, though, from here on, you’re gonna get into questions of strength and grind and even really the brewing device itself. So a 12-cup pot normally brews best with 24 tablespoons; honest truth though, play around with the ratios to find what work you get to enjoy.
Some general guidelines and avoid common pitfalls to brew like a pro-master the art of brewing, impress your family or guests with a delicious 12-cup pot of coffee every time. Happy brewing!
