What’s the Right Coffee-to-Water Ratio, Water Temperature & Grind Size?

Online Sales & Marketing, Kendon Shaw and Head Roaster and Green Buyer, Dennis Peseau

Victrola Coffee is on a mission to help all coffee enthusiasts brew the perfect cup of coffee. To that end, Dennis Peseau and Kendon Shaw will be tackling your coffee questions in our new video series, Ask Victrola.

How much coffee should I use? Somedays it’s too strong, somedays too weak. It’s never consistent.

The best coffee-to-water ratio is between 1:15 and 1:18 grams. Contrary to popular belief, the ideal blend is determined by weight, not volume. That is, 1 gram of coffee to 15 through 18 grams of water. For a stronger taste preference, use 15 grams. Invest in a home scale to achieve the perfect balance. After all, the true secret to an ideal cup of coffee is consistency.

When making coffee in a pour over, how long after the water stops boiling should I start the pouring? Do I need to re-boil during the bloom and the rest of the pour?

For the best pour over or Chemex coffee:

1. Bring water to a boil in a kettle
2. Place a filter in the dripper and wet with hot water. (Be sure to dump excess water before continuing)
3. Add grounds to filter
4. Take the kettle off the boil and let it sit for about 45 seconds
5. Use a thermometer and look for a read of 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit
6. Begin initial pour slowly to allow coffee to ‘bloom’
7. Kettle does not need to be returned to heat in between pours (Pro tip: Invest in a kettle that will retain heat, like the Hario Buono Kettle, which features a gooseneck for slow, even pouring.)
8. Complete additional pours over the course of two minutes
9. Take a minute and appreciate the deliciousness you’ve just created.

Whenever possible, reduce the number of variables. Much like our ideal water-to-coffee blend, the key to great pour over coffee is consistency. Check out our Pour-Over Brewing Guide to learn more!

What grind size should I be using?

The perfect grind size for coffee beans, when using an auto drip or pour-over, is roughly kosher salt size. Beyond that, it’s about the taste. If the coffee tastes bitter or astringent, too much was extracted from the beans, and the grind was too fine. If the coffee tastes thin or grassy or sour, the beans were under-extracted, and the grind was too coarse.

Grind several options, taste each batch, record your findings for future brews, and discover your sweet spot. Learn more about coffee grinding in our Coffee Brewing Fundamentals guide.

We’d love to hear about your coffee quandaries. Please write in to info@victrolacoffee.com, or DM us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and we’ll answer either on the show or via e-mail. We’ll send you a free t-shirt if we answer your question on the show!