HOW MANY CUPS OF COFFEE FROM 1 POUND?
The Quick Answer - typically about 40 cups (8 oz.) of coffee from 1 pound of coffee. It varies depending on a number of factors. For more information, read below and our "Coffee by Weight or Volume" information.
The Long Answer - a range of about 30 to 50 cups (8 oz.) of coffee from 1 pound of coffee, with the average of about 40, 8 oz. cups.
-
Ground Coffee vs. Whole Coffee Beans - this is a very common question. The simple answer is 1 lb. of coffee beans is also 1 lb. of coffee after it is ground. Average of 40, 8 oz. cups of coffee per pound of whole beans or ground coffee.
-
Coffee by Weight or Volume - coffee is sold by weight and typically consumed by volume. You buy a pound coffee coffee (weight) but most people measure their coffee by volume measure (scoop, tablespoon, etc.). The two types of measurement are not compatible and most people don't think about it too much. For more information on weight and volume, see our information titled "Coffee by Weight or Volume".
-
Dark Roast or Light Roast Coffee - dark roasted coffee beans are lighter in weight than light roasted coffee beans. When you purchase 1 lb. of coffee the volume of dark roasted beans will be greater than a lighter roasted bean, so you will have a greater amount of dark roasted coffee (by volume) in a 1 lb. bag. Remember, you buy by weight, but measure by volume. Quite simply, if you do measure your coffee by volume (scoop, tablespoon), a dark roasted coffee will go much further.
-
Personal Taste Preference - basically, people adjust the strength of their brew by taste. Some people simply like a stronger brew which requires more coffee.
-
Coffee Maker Cups - typically coffee makers are sold in standard sizes of 10 or 12 cup designs. You will also find 8 cup, 14 cup and other sizes for sale. These "Cup" sizes as rated by the manufacturer are typically 5 oz. cups. Most people don't drink out of a 5 oz. cup. This is why a 12 cup coffee maker typically produces about 6 or 7 actual cups or mugs of coffee.
-
Coffee Mugs and Cups - a standard American coffee cup is about 11 to 12 ounces. That is when it is filled to the brim. We all leave room at the top, especially if adding cream and sugar. So, a standard American cup or mug will hold about 8 to 10 ounces of coffee. You will see a lot of larger mug sizes and travel mugs on the market today. Just keep this in mind when brewing a 12 cup pot of coffee. You're comparing apples and oranges.
-
Is a pound a pound? - increasingly you will find coffee sold in many different units. We typically think of coffee sold by the pound (16 oz.), but you will encounter a lot of 12 oz. bags and even 8 oz., 10 oz., and 11 oz. bags on the market. The most typical question I receive is about coffee pricing. Some people purchase a well know brand at their local grocery store for about $8.50 a bag. They just assume the bag is a 1 lb. bag, when in reality it is sold in a 12 oz. bag (3/4 lb.). Instead of $8.50 per pound they are paying $11.33 per pound.
SHOULD I GRIND MY OWN COFFEE BEANS?
The best way to enjoy coffee is to purchase whole bean coffee and grind it yourself, just before brewing. More more people are discovering the amazing amount of freshness that comes from freshly grinding coffee at home. Whole beans maintain their freshness much longer than purchasing ground coffee.
If you grind it yourself, it is wise to invest in a good "burr" coffee grinder. The less expensive "blade" grinders essentially chop the coffee bean instead of grinding it. Most use a push button without a predetermined time for how coarse or fine the coffee is ground. This leads to inconsistent grinding.
With a blade grinder, it is difficult to grind to the proper coarseness. Blade grinders also create a lot of heat, which reduces the quality of the coffee. A blade grinder cannot sufficiently grind coffee fine enough to use for espresso.
In contrast, a good "burr" grinder will consistently grind your beans to a desired level of coarseness. They generate less heat and create a much more consistent grind. If you use an espresso machine, make sure the burr grinder you purchase can grind the bean fine enough for espresso.
WHAT TYPE OF COFFEE GRIND SHOULD I USE?
Whether you choose to grind your own coffee beans or purchase ground coffee, you should be familiar with the type of coffee grinds.
For most people, the "auto drip" grind is the proper choice. This is for modern coffee makers that use a drip water system. These are standard coffee makers that most people purchase.
* AUTO DRIP GRIND - for standard, modern drip coffee makers
* PERCOLATOR GRIND - these are for the old fashioned style "percolator" coffee makers that most people used during the 1950's through 1970's. They are still sold today, but not widely used.
* FRENCH PRESS GRIND - this is a coarse grind for use in a french press or press pot. The coarser grind prevents the coffee grounds from seeping through the mesh screen of the press.
* FINE GRIND - this is a finer ground coffee intended for use with most home espresso machines.
* ESPRESSO GRIND - this grind is a very fine grind intended for use with commercial espresso machines. Generally it is too fine for use with most home espresso machines.
* TURKISH GRIND - this is an extremely fine grind (rarely used in the U.S.) that grinds the bean into a very fine powder. Some European and Asian countries make their coffee in this style.
COFFEE BY WEIGHT OR VOLUME?
Coffee - Sold by Weight / Consumed by Volume
There are many misconceptions about purchasing coffee, grinding coffee beans and the ratio of coffee used per water. The first thing we need to clarify is that coffee is sold by weight, not volume. Typically, coffee is sold in 1/2 lb., 3/4 lb. or 1 lb. packages. This can be confusing in itself. Many people mistake a 12 ounce bag for 1 pound, because they assume all coffee is sold in 1 lb. bags.
Typical Coffee Sold by Weight
* 1 lb. - 16 oz.
* 3/4 lb. - 12 oz.
* 1/2 lb. - 8 oz.
Even though coffee is sold by weight, it is typically measured and consumed by volume. The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) created a standard for brewing coffee by weight of the ground coffee to water ratio. Most specialty coffee shops measure their coffee by weight for brewing. Most consumers at home typically measure their coffee by volume for brewing at home. There may be a few serious coffee drinkers using digital scales to weigh their coffee filter, but most people use a dry measure like a scoop or tablespoon.
This creates some confusion about the amount of coffee used for brewing. We get into the specifics for coffee to water ratios below, so we won't cover that here, but the point I want to make is that coffee beans and ground coffee vary by volume.
Dark Roast versus Light Roast
Have you ever noticed that a bag of dark roasted coffee is typically larger than a bag of light roasted coffee? Dark roasted coffee is lighter in weight so it takes more volume to fill a 1 lb. bag. I have recently noticed that some grocery stores are selling coffee in the same sized bag, but their darker roasts weigh less, but the package looks the same size.
Green coffee beans contain moisture. As the bean is roasted it also dries and moisture is removed. The darker the roast, the longer the coffee bean is roasted and more moisture is removed. As moisture is removed from the bean it also weighs less. A darker roasted coffee bean weighs less than the same lighter roasted bean, but takes up the same volume. It takes more dark roasted beans to equal the weight of the lighter roasted beans. Remember, coffee is sold by weight, not volume, so a 1 lb. bag of a dark roast is larger than a 1 lb. bag of a light roasted coffee.
Another variable is that different coffee beans from different coffee growing regions vary in size and weight. For instance, coffee beans from Ethiopia are smaller than coffee beans from Colombia. They simply take up less room.
When purchasing coffee, just be aware that coffee is sold by weight, but typically consumed by volume. Just check the weight to compare apples to apples regarding pricing.
GRINDING FLAVORED COFFEE
You should not use the same coffee grinder for grinding flavored coffee beans and straight (regular) coffee beans. Flavored coffee beans are coated in an oily, somewhat sticky flavoring that creates two problems. The same goes for burr grinders as well as blade grinders.
The main problem is that grinding straight beans after flavored beans will retain the flavor of the flavored coffee beans. It will take quite a few grindings of regular coffee before you totally get rid of the flavor. The second problem is that flavored beans leave an oily, sticky residue that can really gum up a grinder. Your grinder will require frequent cleaning to keep it running properly.
When we grind coffee for our customers, we use two different commercial grinders. One grinder is only designated for straight coffee and the other is only for flavored coffee. Believe me, the flavored coffee grinder requires much more upkeep and more frequent cleaning.
Our suggestion for those of you drinking both flavored and regular coffee. If you only occasionally drink flavored coffee, just purchase it ground from the roaster. Or you might want to invest in an inexpensive grinder designated for flavors. If you drink both coffees frequently, just break down and buy two grinders or purchase one type of coffee pre-ground.
COFFEE TO WATER RATIO FOR BREWING COFFEE
THE QUICK ANSWER
* Drip Coffee Maker - 1 level tablespoon per 5 oz. of water (coffee maker measured cups are typically 4.8 - 5 oz. of liquid). This is a good starting place and you can adjust to your personal taste.
10 Cup Coffee Maker - use 9-10 level tablespoons of coffee
12 Cup Coffee Maker - use 11-12 level tablespoons of coffee
* French Press - 1 level tablespoon (coarse grind) per 4 oz. of water - slightly more coffee than for drip coffee makers
THE COMPLETE ANSWER
If you've searched the internet for the right answer, you are probably frustrated searching for a simple and consistent answer. We've seen everything, and the correct answer boils down to your personal taste preference. But you need a starting point and that is what you receive in the "Quick Answer" listed above.
The information on the web varies greatly, generally differing between extremely technical and the lay person telling you how their parents brewed coffee for the past 50 years. We'll try and clear that up for you. Our recommended coffee to water ratio comes from a blend of two sources we've relied on, the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) and our training during our franchise years in the business.
Simply we recommend a 1 to 1 coffee to water ratio. 1 level tablespoon of coffee to 1 standard cup of coffee (as measured on a drip coffee maker). Or, 1 level tablespoon of coffee to 5 oz. of water. The complication starts with the definition of a cup. Technically, a fluid cup is 8 oz., but coffee maker manufacturers typically make coffee makers in two types, a 10 cup coffee maker or a 12 cup coffee maker. The problem is that the manufacturers typically use a 4.8 to 5 oz. cup instead of fluid measure cup of 8 oz.. Now you understand why you generally don't actually get 12 coffee cups of coffee out of a 12 cup coffee maker. It always comes up short. To further complicate matters, who knows what their favorite coffee cup actually holds.
We typically see internet blogs with information of 2 tablespoons of coffee per cup. Well, this is somewhat correct in that most of these people are speaking of their standard coffee cup. What you need to understand is that a standard coffee cup typically holds more liquid than the standard 5 oz. cup listed on their coffee maker.
The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) standard for ground coffee to water ratio is by weight of the coffee, not volume as we've discussed. The SCAA standard is 3.75 oz. (weight) of coffee per 64 oz. (liquid) of coffee. Our discussion above has dealt with volume measure of the coffee because most people simply do not weight their coffee for brewing. In contrast, most specialty coffee stores do measure their coffee for brewing by weight. The weight factor can also be influenced by the type of coffee brewer used and the type of filter, cone filter, flat filter, direct contact filter, etc..
Bottom line for a drip coffee maker use 1 level tablespoon of coffee per 5 oz. of water, then adjust for personal taste. For a French Press, use 1 level tablespoon per 4 oz. of water, because the coffee is ground coarser.
A great way to measure is to find your own personal measurement scoop. There are many coffee scoops on the market and it is worth investing in one. One standard scoop in the industry is called a "Melitta". 1 Melitta equals 1 level tablespoon. We recommend finding your favorite coffee scoop and experiment with your personal taste preference. If you want to take it to the extreme, then by all means purchase a digital kitchen scale and weigh your coffee in ounces or grams, using the SCAA standard for coffee weight to liquid ratio.
HOW TO USE A DRIP COFFEE MAKER
A drip coffee maker is how most people and coffee shops brew coffee in the U.S. today. These are some basic guidelines for using your drip coffee maker:
* Keep the machine clean - do not leave old coffee grounds in the machine, and keep it clean. To keep residue from building up, a simple solution of water and a small amount of white vinegar can be used to flush the machine. Just add this solution and run your normal brew cycle without the coffee.
* Use good water - this sounds simple, but it is essential to a good cup of coffee. In geographic areas where the water tastes bad, your coffee will also taste bad. We recommend using a water filter for the best quality of water. Do not use carbonated water, distilled water or mineral water.
* Grind your beans fresh - buy fresh beans and grind as close to the brewing time as possible.
* Do not let coffee sit. It should be consumed as soon as practical after the brewing cycle is complete. For optimal quality, coffee should be consumed within 20 minutes after brewing.
* Do not pour a cup before the brewing cycle is complete. Many newer coffee makers allow you to pour a cup during the brew cycle. What happens is the first part of the cycle is very strong and the last part is weaker. You should wait for the entire pot to be brewed for the best cup of coffee.
* Use the proper coffee to water ratio. This is ratio is somewhat subjective, depending on how strong you like your coffee. We recommend a 1:1 ratio. Essentially, 1 level tablespoon of ground coffee to each 1 cup measure on your coffee maker. For most home coffee makers, the 1 cup measure on the coffee pot is 5 ounces. This is a good starting point. If you have a 10 cup coffee pot, start by using 10 level tablespoons of ground coffee. You may need to adjust the coffee ratio depending on your personal taste.
* Contact Time - most drip coffee makers should brew your coffee in about five minutes. Most coffee makers made today are adjustable. This should be adjusted to your taste. However, if your coffee is not optimal, you could be overbrewing ("overextracting") your coffee.
The Bottom Line - just use common sense. Start by purchasing quality arabica coffee. Try to store your coffee by avoiding air and moisture. Grind it as close to brewing as practical. Consume your coffee as close to brewing time as practical.
TROUBLESHOOTING A DRIP COFFEE MAKER
Troubleshooting Drip Coffee Maker Problems
Brewing good coffee is the process of properly extracting the flavor of the coffee bean. This brewing process requires the proper amount of ground coffee used; how coarse or fine the coffee is ground; the quality of the water used; and the contact time (time that the ground coffee is exposed to water). Typically an adjustment in these four things will solve any brewing problems you might encounter.
Coffee Overflows When Brewing - coffee and/or coffee grounds overflow out of the top of the brewing basket or filter.
-
Too Much Coffee - many times there is simply too much ground coffee in the basket or filter.
-
Coffee Ground Too Fine - coffee ground too fine will slow the extraction process and can cause overflows. Just adjust your grind to a coarser grind.
-
Check Spring Assembly - most drip coffee makers today operate with spring activated contact between the basket and the coffee pot or carafe. It is a good idea to keep the spring assembly clean and inspect to make sure the spring is activating correctly. A spring can become weak over time and may need to be replaced. Most often, it just requires cleaning.
Coffee is Too Weak
-
Not Enough Coffee - try slightly increasing the amount of ground coffee. Start with a 1 to 1 ratio, 1 level tablespoon of ground coffee to 1 cup (cup as marked on coffee maker) of coffee. Use this as a starting point and adjust to your personal taste. Make sure your filter does not overflow. If it overflows you've added too much coffee.
-
Coffee Ground Too Coarse - if you are purchasing your coffee already ground, it is probably ground for an auto drip coffee maker. This should be fine and you should look at adjusting the amount of coffee. If you are grinding your own coffee beans and the flavor is weak, try grinding the beans slightly finer. This increases the contact time and provides a richer flavor. Be careful that a finer grind does not cause your filter to overflow. If it overflows you've ground your beans too fine.
Coffee is Too Strong
-
Too Much Coffee - try slightly decreasing the amount of coffee used. Start with a 1 to 1 ratio, 1 level tablespoon of ground coffee to 1 cup (cup as marked on the coffee maker) of coffee. Use this as a starting point and adjust to your personal taste.
-
Coffee Ground Too Fine - if you are purchasing your coffee already ground, it is probably ground for an auto drip coffee maker. This should be fine and you should work on adjusting the amount of coffee used as noted above. If you are grinding your own coffee beans, try grinding your beans slightly coarser. This decreases the contact time and provides a weaker brew.
Coffee Flavor is Not Good
-
Coffee Quality - first, make sure you have purchased good, fresh coffee. Only use 100% arabica coffee beans and purchase your coffee fresh, from a reliable source.
-
Water Quality - water is the key culprit when your coffee does not taste as it should. Most of the time a bad taste in the coffee results from the water source providing minerals and chemicals that alter the taste. The most common taste is a chlorine flavor, which can be eliminated by using filter water. Today, some coffee makers come with a charcoal filter, which needs to be replaced at least every 3 months. If not, it can harbor bacteria that can become detrimental. The best way to filter water is with a household water filter. Also, most modern refrigerators use a water filter that provides good tasting water from the dispenser. You can also use bottled water, but do not use distilled water in a coffee maker. A hard water supply can also contribute to minerals providing unwanted tastes in coffee. If you have hard water, use a water softener or filtered water.
-
Change Your Coffee - if filtered water does not solve your problem, simply switch your coffee. You may not enjoy the coffee brand or the origin of the coffee. Visit our "Choosing Your Coffee" page for recommendations of coffees you may enjoy.
HOW TO USE A FRENCH PRESS (PRESS POT)
A French press, sometimes called a press pot, is a wonderful way to enjoy coffee or tea. Many coffee purists believe this is the best way to brew coffee. This type of brewing is called direct contact brewing, because a french press uses no paper filter, yet relies on a flavor transfer through direct contact of coffee and water.
Not only is this a wonderful way to brew great coffee, it is also a handy way to enjoy coffee when you find yourself without the use of a drip coffee maker. A personal size press pot is a great soluction for office coffee provided you have access to hot water. My family enjoys camping and the best coffee I've ever consumed has been on chilly mornings in the middle of nature, heating my water on a camp stove, and using my French press. Invest in a French Press and you won't be sorry.
A French press consists of a glass or plastic pot that comes in various sizes. There is a plunger attached to the cover and a screen press at the bottom of the plunger.
How to Use a French Press
1. Use "French Press Grind" (coarsely ground) Coffee - purchase or grind your coffee beans to a coarseness level for a french press. This level is essentially two levels coarser than for auto drip, or one level coarser than percolator. This degree of coarseness keeps the grounds from seeping through the mesh screen. If your grounds seep through, you are grinding the coffee too fine.
2. Coffee to Water Ratio for a French Press - since a French press uses coarsely ground coffee you need to use slightly more coffee per cup than you would in a drip coffee maker. The standard for a French press is 1 full tablespoon per 4 oz. of water. Adjust to your personal taste.
3. Add Ground Coffee - with the the cover removed, add your ground coffee into the bottom of the press pot.
4. Add Water - fill the pot with very hot or boiling water. Optimal brewing temperature should be about 200 - 210 degrees.
5. Place Top on the Press - carefully place the top on the French press with the plunger in the raised position. DO NOT depress the plunger.
6. Brew Coffee - let your coffee brew for the desired time, typically about 4-5 minutes. Leave the plunger in the raised position.
7. Slowly Depress Plunger - very slowly press the plunger downward, forcing the coffee grounds to the bottom. It is very important to depress the plunger slowly. If the plunger is depressed too quickly you will end up with too many grounds in your coffee.
8. Pour Coffee and Enjoy - it is best to consume your coffee fairly quickly or pour the remaining coffee into a thermal carafe. If you let coffee sit too long in a french press it will continue to brew with the grounds at the bottom. The taste can become slightly bitter with continued brewing. Also, with a French press it is normal to expect a few coffee grounds in your coffee. Not many, but a few. If you have a lot of grounds, see our troubleshooting information below.
Congratulations, you have just created a fine brew!
Troubleshooting a French Press - most typically ending up with too many coffee grounds in your coffee.
* Coffee Ground Too Fine - if you use a standard grind (auto drip) or finer grind, you will probably be disappointed with the amount of coffee grounds left in your cup. Coffee ground too fine will seep through the mesh strainer on the plunger and allow grounds back into the coffee. Grind it Coarse!
* Plunger Depressed Too Quickly - if you depress the plunger too quickly, you might receive too many grounds into your coffee. The grounds simply slide past the outside edges of the mesh screen and end up back in your coffee. Slowly depress the plunger!
HOW TO BREW ICED COFFEE
Drinking iced coffee is a wonderful way to enjoy your favorite coffee! Bold coffee and darker roasted coffees make good iced coffee as well as your favorite coffee flavor.
How to Brew Iced Coffee
-
Brew your coffee as usual, but add just a bit more coffee than normal. If your coffee maker can handle it, increase the amount of ground coffee by up to 1 1/2 times the normal amount. Only use an increased amount if it does not create a problem with the brewing cycle, such as overflowing the drip coffee basket. Bold and dark roasted coffees make great iced coffee. Flavored coffees work well too.
-
If you want your coffee sweetened, add sugar to the hot coffee after brewing and mix it well. If you don't want your coffee sweetened, just skip this step.
-
When finished brewing, allow your coffee to cool to room temperature and transfer into an airtight container suitable for refrigeration. A glass or plastic container works well, but make sure you allow the coffee to cool before transferring to a glass container.
-
Place the container into the refrigerator and refrigerate overnight for best results. Your refrigerated coffee will keep well for about 24 hours until it starts to grow stale.
-
Fill a glass with ice and pour your cold coffee over the ice.
-
Adding milk or half and half is a great complement to your iced coffee. Do not add sugar at this stage, because it will not mix well with the cold coffee. If you want your coffee sweetened, add sugar or sweetener to your coffee while it is still hot after brewing.
-
A great touch to finish the coffee is to add a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy your coffee over ice!
BEST WAY TO STORE COFFEE
The best way to store coffee is to purchase fresh, whole bean coffee and grind it yourself. Only grind enough to use just before brewing. Store the remaining beans in an air-tight container in a cool dark area, typically a pantry, etc.. The two key things that are detrimental to roasted coffee is air and moisture. Make sure your storage method does its best to avoid contact with air and moisture, including condensation.
I recommend a very simple and inexpensive container for storing coffee beans. Restaurant supply stores sell a white polyethylene food storage container that is standard in the industry. You can purchase these at any restaurant supply store for under $5.00. These do an excellent job of sealing out air and moisture and they last forever. If you purchase coffee in 1 lb. bags, use a 2 quart container. If you purchase coffee in 5 lb. bags, use an 8 quart container.
SHOULD I REFRIGERATE OR FREEZE COFFEE?
Coffee should never be put into a refrigerator with one exception, brewed coffee chilled for iced coffee. Coffee has a great tendency to absorb odors, either whole bean or ground coffee. Placing in a refrigerator allows for absorption of odors and moisture, which degrades the coffee. As mentioned above, the only exception is when brewing iced coffee. After you brew your coffee and allow it to cool, it is fine to pour it into a container and chill for use within the next 24 hours. Chilled, brewed coffee flavor will not be affected for a short time in the refrigerator.
Likewise, coffee should typically not be placed in a freezer. If you purchase a large amount of coffee that cannot be used in a normal period, it is okay to store it in the freezer, provided it is placed into an airtight container and is not exposed to moisture or condensation. Just take out what you need to brew at a given time. Do not allow it to sit or thaw. Just use it cold. Never re-freeze coffee.
|
TM