Coffee Measure Converter

Coffee measurement conversions for ground coffee.

Standard coffee scoop:

• 1 scoop = 2 tablespoons = 10 g of ground coffee
• 1 tablespoon = 5 g of ground coffee
• 1 teaspoon = 1.67 g of ground coffee

Brewing ratios (coffee to water):

• Standard: 1:15 to 1:18 (1 g coffee per 15-18 ml water)
• Strong: 1:12 (1 g coffee per 12 ml water)
• Weak: 1:20 (1 g coffee per 20 ml water)

Common amounts:

• 1 cup of coffee (240 ml): about 14 g = 1.4 scoops
• 4 cups (960 ml): about 56 g = 5.6 scoops
• 12-cup pot: about 168 g = 16.8 scoops

Note: Scoop size and coffee density can vary. These values are based on a standard 2-tbsp coffee scoop.

The reason serious coffee people weigh their beans instead of scooping is that volume lies. A scoop of light, fluffy beans and a scoop of dense, oily dark roast can differ by a couple of grams, which is enough to push a brew from balanced to weak or bitter. A cheap kitchen scale removes the guesswork. It also helps to remember that the brewing ratios are by weight, grams of coffee to grams (or milliliters) of water, not by volume. Since one milliliter of water weighs one gram, the water side is easy to measure. Start near 1:16, taste, then nudge stronger or weaker from there.