How Many Grams of Coffee per Cup?

The short answer: for a normal 125 ml cup of filter coffee, use around 7 to 8 grams of coffee. For a 250 ml mug, that comes to about 15 grams. If you brew half a litre, start with 30 grams. This is not a coffee law that needs to be stamped onto your kitchen counter, but it is a very solid starting point.

The confusion usually is not about the coffee, but about the word “cup”. One cup is a modest 125 ml serving; another is a mug that could almost hold a small vase. That is why I prefer to calculate using water rather than cups: around 60 grams of coffee per litre of water. At least then you know exactly where you stand.

How many grams of coffee per cup? The quick calculation table

Using 60 grams of coffee per litre of water gives you a ratio of approximately 1:16.7. In other words: one gram of coffee for almost 17 grams of water. Use this table as a starting point.

Do not feel like doing the maths? Multiply the number of millilitres of water by 0.06. For 300 ml, that gives you 300 × 0.06 = 18 grams of coffee. Done. No barista course required.

Why 60 grams per litre is a good starting point

The Specialty Coffee Association uses a Gold Cup ratio of around 55 grams of coffee per litre for certified home brewers. In the same organisation’s technical literature, you will also often find 60 grams per litre for filter coffee. The difference is smaller than it sounds: both values sit within the same practical range.

At home, I therefore like to start at around 60 grams per litre. It is easy to calculate and usually produces a full, balanced cup with filter coffee. If your coffee is more heavily roasted or you prefer a milder cup, move towards 55 grams. Want it stronger? Try 62 to 65 grams. Change one thing at a time; otherwise you still will not know why that one pot suddenly tasted better.

How much coffee do you need for each brewing method?

Not every brewing method uses the same ratio. Espresso is a different story: you compare the amount of ground coffee with the weight of the drink in the cup, not with all the water inside the machine.

Filter coffee and pour-over

For filter coffee, 60 grams per litre is the simplest foundation. If you use 250 ml of water, weigh out 15 grams of coffee. For 500 ml, use 30 grams. With a pour-over, you can then mainly adjust the grind size and brewing time. Adding more coffee is not the answer to every weak cup.

Espresso

With espresso, look at what goes in and what comes out. A common starting point is 18 grams of ground coffee and around 36 grams of espresso in the cup. That is a 1:2 ratio. A single espresso can be made with a smaller dose, but many modern filter baskets are designed for a double shot.

If 36 grams of espresso runs through in fifteen seconds, adding even more coffee usually will not help. The grind is probably too coarse. Espresso is sensitive stuff; one turn of the grinder can do more than adding two extra grams to the basket.

Automatic coffee machine

An automatic coffee machine largely decides how much coffee it grinds. The strength button usually changes the dose, but the exact amount varies by brand and model. So do not make a large mug by simply running much more water through the same small dose. That is more likely to produce thin, bitter coffee than a good large cup. If necessary, brew two normal servings into one mug.

Moka pot or percolator

Weighing is less practical with a moka pot. Fill the metal filter basket to the rim, level it off and do not tamp the coffee. The manufacturer has matched the basket capacity to the size of the pot. We will cover the percolator in more detail in a dedicated brewing guide; the right grind size matters there too.

How many tablespoons of coffee per cup?

A scale is more accurate, but sometimes you are in a holiday home with three blunt knives and one mysterious coffee spoon. You still want coffee.

A level tablespoon of ground coffee contains roughly 5 to 7 grams. The result depends on the grind size, roast and how enthusiastically you fill the spoon. For a 125 ml cup, you therefore need about one heaped tablespoon or one and a half smaller level tablespoons. For a 250 ml mug, you will often need two to three level tablespoons.

Think of that as an emergency solution, not a laboratory measurement. With a small digital scale, you can make the same coffee tomorrow as you do today. That may not be romantic, but it tastes good.

Does a coffee bean become lighter after grinding?

No. Fifteen grams of whole coffee beans will still be approximately fifteen grams of ground coffee after grinding. You may lose a tiny amount that remains inside the grinder. For recipes, you can therefore use the weight of whole beans and ground coffee interchangeably.

Counting individual beans is not very useful. Beans differ in size, density and roast. If you mainly want to know how many cups you can make from a bag, read our guide to how many cups of coffee you can make from 250 grams or 1 kilo of beans.

Does the coffee taste too weak or too strong?

Taste what is going wrong before you start changing the number of grams.

• Thin and watery: use a little more coffee or grind slightly finer.
• Sour and sharp: the coffee may be under-extracted; grind finer or extend the contact time.
• Bitter and dry: grind a little coarser, shorten the contact time or use slightly less coffee.
• Strong but still flat: check the freshness of your beans. A higher dose cannot make old coffee fresh again.

Change only one variable per brew. Start with the dose, then adjust the grind if needed. If you change the grind, temperature, amount and brewing time all at once, you are mainly keeping yourself busy guessing.

Does the type of coffee bean affect the dose?

The basic ratio stays the same, but different beans may benefit from a small adjustment. A light roast is denser and may sometimes need a finer grind or hotter water for filter coffee. A darker roast dissolves more easily and can become heavy or bitter more quickly at the same dose.

Always begin with the same recipe and adjust according to taste. This works whether you switch between an approachable blend and a single origin. If you want to practise, choose a bean with a clear origin and roast profile, such as our Colombia Single Origin. Or browse all our freshly roasted specialty coffee beans.

How long does a bag of coffee last?

With 15 grams per mug, 250 grams gives you around 16 mugs. From 450 grams, you get about 30, and from one kilo roughly 66. If two people each drink three mugs a day, a kilo will therefore be gone in about eleven days. This is useful to keep in mind when ordering: buy enough not to run out, but not a year’s supply that slowly gives up its aroma.

My practical advice

For filter coffee, start with 60 grams of coffee per litre of water. That is 7.5 grams for a small 125 ml cup and 15 grams for a 250 ml mug. Weigh the coffee and water a few times, taste calmly and only then make an adjustment.

Once you have found a ratio that works for your bean, grinder and taste, write it down. The best coffee recipes are not the ones with the most decimal places, but the ones you can repeat on a sleepy Wednesday morning.

Wondering how much caffeine those different cup sizes contain? We have a separate guide on how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams of coffee do you use for one cup?

For 125 ml of filter coffee, 7 to 8 grams is a good starting point. For a 250 ml mug, use around 15 grams.

How many grams of coffee do you need for 1 litre?

Start with 60 grams of coffee per 1 litre of water. For a milder coffee, move towards 55 grams; for a stronger pot, move towards 65 grams.

How much coffee do you use for 500 ml of water?

At a ratio of 60 grams per litre, use 30 grams of coffee for 500 ml of water.

How many tablespoons of coffee go into one cup?

For a small 125 ml cup, around one heaped tablespoon to one and a half smaller level tablespoons of ground coffee is a useful estimate. Weighing remains more accurate.

Should you weigh coffee beans before or after grinding?

Preferably weigh the whole beans before grinding. The weight stays almost the same, and you avoid grinding more than you need.

Sources and methodology

• Specialty Coffee Association – Certified Home Brewer Program Requirements. Used for the Gold Cup guideline of around 55 grams of coffee per litre and the technical context of filter brewing.
• Specialty Coffee Association, 25 Magazine – Brewing ratio versus beverage ratio. Used for the common 60 g/l ratio for filter coffee and the distinction from the beverage ratio used for espresso.
• Voedingscentrum – Coffee. Used for the Dutch reference in which a standard cup of coffee is 125 ml.

Sources last checked on 11 August 2026. Doses are starting points: the bean, roast, grind size, equipment and personal taste can all affect the best ratio.