How to Brew Coffee Without a Scale (a.k.a. Embrace the Chaos)

In the world of craft coffee, a scale is as important as the brewer. It allows us to nail the perfect coffee-to-water ratio for a consistently awesome cup, every. single. time. But here’s the deal: I know not everyone’s got a fancy coffee scale hanging out in their kitchen cabinet. If you’re new to the wonderful world of coffee brewing (beyond your Mr. Coffee) the idea of weighing your beans can feel… extra.

The Good News? 

You don’t need a scale to make a killer cup of coffee. I’m here to give you a quick hack on how you can brew awesome, balanced coffee using just a couple of things you already have: a measuring cup and a tablespoon. No more eyeballing it like you’re on a caffeine-induced game show challenge.

Quick tip: A kitchen scale is cheap and useful for way more than coffee (like, ever heard of baking?). But hey, I get it—there are many times that I bring my scale to the shop or roasting facility, and it just runs out of juice (as I uncaffeniatedly curse my Xbox controller for using the last of my batteries).

The Golden Ratios 

So, what’s the magic formula? Well, while there’s no *one true* coffee-to-water ratio, there is a sweet spot that most coffee experts agree on: 1 gram of coffee to 15-18 grams of water (a.k.a. *the Golden Ratio*). In this range:

- The acids and bitter notes play well together

- The sugars are sweet and balanced

- You get the tasting notes intended by the roaster 

My personal go-to is 1:15, and let me tell you, it’s never done me wrong. Once you’re a certified  snobby snoberson, feel free to tweak it to your heart’s content. But start here—it’s the safe bet.

Measuring Without a Scale (It’s Possible - Hell Yeah Brother)

Alright, without a scale, the process gets a little creative, but don’t worry—I've got you. You only need:

  1. Tablespoon - A level tablespoon of whole coffee beans is about 4-7g, but for sanity’s sake, let’s just say it’s 5g. 
  2. Liquid Measuring Cup - 1g of water = 1ml of water. Why? Because science.
  3. A Calculator - Unless you’re Rain Man, dividing 3 figures by 2 figures pre-coffee is genius level sh**. 

The Lazy Way to Make an 8oz Mug of Coffee

Here’s the foolproof guide to an 8oz cup (which is about 225ml). Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple this (you freak): 

Step 1: Measure 225ml (8oz) of water in your liquid measuring cup and pour it into your kettle.

Step 2: Use the 1:15 ratio. Divide your water weight by the ratio (225 / 15 = 15g of coffee).  

Step 3: Since 1 tablespoon = 5g of coffee, divide the total coffee weight by 5 (15g / 5 = 3 TBS).  

Step 4: Use 3 level tablespoons of coffee beans

Step 5: Grind and Brew 

TL;DR - 8 oz Cup of Coffee 

  • 8 oz water in kettle
  • 3 level tablespoons (15g) of whole bean coffee 
  • Grind 
  • Brew 

The Fine Print (a.k.a. Limitations to This Method)

This no-scale method works, but it’s not foolproof. Remember how we’re just assuming a level tablespoon equals 5g of coffee? Yeah, that’s not going to be the case 100% of the time. 

Coffee beans come in different sizes, like snowflakes. One might be teeny-tiny and another as big as a baby’s tooth. But it’s not just size—it’s density, too. One tablespoon of beans might weigh 4g, while another might weigh 7g. And they could look identical! So if you’re getting super serious about your brew game, that $20 scale might be worth its weight in… coffee. 

And that’s it! Now you can make a great cup of coffee without the fancy gadgets. And if my bad jokes made you roll your eyes, I promise the coffee will make up for it.

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