Moccamaster coffee ratio
A full 10 cup Moccamaster carafe (1.25 liters) takes about 69–75 g of ground coffee, or 13 to 14 tablespoons. Moccamaster's own rule is two tablespoons of coffee for every 6 oz of water, or 55 grams per liter. That is a ratio of about 1:18. Its blog gives 55 to 60 g/L, so the top of the range is 1:16.7.
Coffee by number of cups
The KB and KBGV models are listed at 1.25 L, 40 oz, 10 cups. That makes a Moccamaster cup 4 oz, smaller than a mug. The table counts cups that way. The last row uses the 1.25 L figure directly, which is a little more than 40 oz.
| Water | Amount | 55 g/L | 60 g/L | Tbsp | Scoops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cups | 237 ml | 13 g | 14 g | 2.7 | 1.3 |
| 4 cups | 473 ml | 26 g | 28 g | 5.3 | 2.7 |
| 6 cups | 710 ml | 39 g | 43 g | 8 | 4 |
| 8 cups | 946 ml | 52 g | 57 g | 10.7 | 5.3 |
| 10 cups, full carafe | 1183 ml | 65 g | 71 g | 13.3 | 6.7 |
| 1.25 L as printed on the brewer | 1250 ml | 69 g | 75 g | 14.1 | 7 |
Tablespoons follow the maker's rule of 2 per 6 oz, and a scoop is counted as 2 tablespoons. The Green Pods guide says the scoop that comes with the brewer holds about 12 g, which is more than the 55 g/L figure implies (about 10 g per 2 tablespoons). Weigh one scoop of your coffee before relying on the scoops column.
Why the sources differ by 5 g
The Brewing 101 page says 55 g/L. The brewing blog says 55 to 60 g/L for the same two tablespoons per 6 oz. A level tablespoon of ground coffee weighs a little under or over 5 g depending on roast and grind. Chronic, a Swiss roaster, starts at 60 g/L. It suggests 50 to 55 for a lighter cup and 65 to 70 for a stronger one.
On a 1.25 L carafe the whole spread from 55 to 70 g/L is 69 to 88 g. Start at 55 or 60, taste, and move by 5 g.
Worked example
You fill the reservoir to the 10 cup line for a family breakfast. That is 40 oz x 29.57 = 1183 ml. At 55 g/L the coffee is 1183 / 1000 x 55 = 65 g. In spoons it is 40 / 6 x 2 = 13.3 tablespoons, which is 6.7 scoops.
The pot comes out a bit weak, so you move to 60 g/L: 71 g, which is 6 g more. For 4 cups the same step adds 2 g to the 26 g.
Calculate your own pot
Starts at 69 g and 1:18.1, a full 1.25 L carafe. Change the water for a smaller batch.
Change any field and the others update. A full Moccamaster KB or KBGV carafe is 1.25 L, so enter 1250 ml of water.
Water: 42.2 fl oz, 5.3 cups
What's next
I'm thinking about a brew log that saves your recipes with a note on how each cup tasted. It isn't built yet. The button below only adds one to a counter, so I can see if enough people want it.
Thanks, counted.
Grind and brew time
- Moccamaster recommends a medium-coarse grind, like sea salt or rough sand (500 to 800 microns). That is coarser than most pre-ground drip coffee.
- The KBGV page names a saturation time of 4 to 6 minutes and a brewing temperature of 196 to 205 °F. If a full carafe finishes much faster, grind finer. If it overflows or drags on, grind coarser.
- The KBGV has a switch for a half carafe. The page does not give the half carafe size, so measure the water for a small batch and use the table above.
- Sour or thin coffee at the right dose usually means the grind is too coarse. Harsh or bitter means too fine. See why coffee tastes bitter or sour.
Other drip machines count a cup as 5 oz, so a 10 cup machine holds 50 oz. The coffee maker table covers those sizes. To convert any g/L figure to a ratio, see grams of coffee per liter.