Ground coffee: everything you need to know to properly dose your coffee

Coffee is a staple in many homes. It accompanies breakfasts, late meals and snacks in many families around the world. In addition to its ability to improve concentration and memory, coffee is a comforting element that is part of our daily routine. In beans, capsules or pods, ground or soluble, coffee is omnipresent. However, the taste of coffee is not always the same, and it can happen that you miss your coffee, the fault of a bad dosage with unsuitable proportions of ground coffee, among other reasons.

How to use ground coffee properly? To obtain a well-dosed ground coffee and enjoy your cup, some rules must be followed during the preparation. To avoid missing a cup of coffee and to take pleasure in drinking it, here are some tips to put into practice.

Dosing a ground coffee: a question of quantity, grinding and water

Given the specificities of the different coffee makers, it is important to pay attention to several key points in order to guarantee the preparation of a well-balanced coffee. Among the elements to be taken into account and to which special attention must be paid, we should mention

the quantity of ground coffee, which varies according to the volume of coffee to be prepared;
the type of grind, which is determined by the coffee maker;
the water used in the coffee maker, which has a role in the proper functioning of the machine and the quality of the coffee.

To learn more about these different elements and find out how to properly dose your ground coffee, let's take a closer look at each of these points.

Recommended quantities for the correct dosing of ground coffee

As a general rule, it is recommended to use about 10 g of ground coffee per 100 ml of water when preparing a coffee. For comparison, 10 g of ground coffee is equivalent to one tablespoon.

However, depending on the type of coffee maker, the amount of coffee can be adjusted. It is also according to the preferences of each person, and in order to adjust the taste of coffee, it may be preferable to put more or less ground coffee in the machine.

Choosing the right coffee grind for your coffee maker

To make a successful coffee, the choice of the grind is an essential criterion. Even if you respect the dosage recommendations, it is impossible to make a successful coffee if the grind chosen is not adapted to the equipment you have. It is important to know that if the grind is too fine for the coffee machine, it will produce a very strong coffee, which may not be appreciated.

The reverse also applies, since choosing a grind that is too thick will result in a tasteless coffee that will give the impression of drinking water, which is not the best effect.

Making a coffee may seem trivial, but it's actually quite an art. There are many types of coffee and a wide variety of coffee machines. Thus, preparing a coffee can involve a completely different procedure depending on the coffee maker used. As a reminder, there are among others :

the Italian coffee maker ;
the piston coffee maker ;
the filter coffee maker ;
the percolator ;
the Turkish coffee maker ;
the electric coffee maker.

Depending on the coffee maker, it is necessary to choose the most suitable grind, otherwise the coffee may be too strong, or on the contrary too bland and uninteresting. In fact, it is preferable to choose a grind :

extremely fine in the context of a Turkish coffee maker;
fine with an Italian coffee maker or a percolator;
average if the coffee machine is electric or if it is a filter coffee maker;
thick with the piston coffee maker.

If you change your coffee maker, it is possible that the grind used with your previous coffee machine is not suitable. If this is the case, it may be preferable to give the remaining ground coffee to a relative who uses this type of grind.

Spring or filtered water: the importance of quality water for a good coffee

As far as the Italian coffee maker is concerned, it is also possible to buy coffee beans. Whether it is ground coffee or coffee beans, it is worth mentioning that it is recommended to use mineral water or filtered water for two main reasons. First, it allows you to enjoy a more refined coffee. The minerals present in the water carry the aromas and therefore allow them to be enhanced. On the other hand, it is for the longevity of the coffee maker that the use of quality water is relevant.

Using hard water can cause premature wear and tear on the machine, which can lead to an early buyout of the coffee maker. It is therefore better to take precautions on a daily basis and to promote the longevity of the coffee maker, rather than being forced to spend significant sums of money to renew the coffee machine.

What is at stake when it comes to dosing your coffee?

The dosage has an important role, since it allows you to enjoy a coffee in the best conditions. By using the recommended dosage and grind according to the type of coffee maker used, it is possible to fully enjoy the quality of a coffee, with particular attention to :

to the body of the coffee ;
to its power;
to the length in mouth;
the level of roasting.

Note that the body of the coffee corresponds to the sensations transmitted by the coffee on the tongue. The body of the coffee can be qualified by four levels, which go from light to full, with two intermediate statuses that define a medium or heavy body. Depending on the body of the coffee, the impression of texture can be more or less greasy, watery or bitter.

As for the strength of the coffee, it actually defines the intensity, which is rated on a scale of 1 to 10. The more intense a coffee is, the more aromas it is able to deliver. The intensity thus makes it possible to judge whether the coffee is weakly or strongly perfumed.

The length in the mouth is a complex criterion, which is analyzed by counting the time during which the taste and the aromas persist after swallowing a sip of coffee. During tastings, all these elements are taken into consideration to judge the quality of a coffee.

We recommend these other pages: