The Elo Coffee Brewing Guide

A better cup starts with how you brew.

You picked exceptional coffee. Now let’s make sure you’re getting the most out of every bag!

Whether you’re brewing a quick cup before the kids wake up, enjoying a slower Saturday morning with your French press, or perfecting your espresso drinks at home, a few simple adjustments can transform your coffee experience.

At Elo Coffee Co., we believe great coffee should be approachable, enjoyable, and full of flavor! We’ve created this guide to help you find your ideal grind size, coffee to water ratio, and brewing method. Plus, we’ll share which Elo roasts we especially love for each style of brewing.

Let’s make your next cup your best one yet!

The Golden Ratio

How much coffee should you use?

One of the easiest ways to improve your coffee is to measure the amount of coffee you’re using compared to the water. For most traditional brewing methods, we recommend starting with a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio*. That means using 1 gram of ground coffee for every 16 grams (or approximately 16 milliliters) of water. We realize that using gram or milliliter units can be confusing or not as typical for everyday coffee brewing, so we’ve included ounces and tablespoons for units in our cheat sheet below. We’ve included a Cheat Sheet chart for both drip coffee makers and for other brewing methods such as French Press, Pour-Overs, since the amount of cups varies based on method (see asterisks below to learn more!)

Your Everyday Brewing Cheat Sheet

(for drip coffee makers)

*1 coffee maker cup = 5 fl oz water

Coffee Maker Quantity	Water	Ground Coffee (grams)	Ground Coffee (approx. Tbsp)
2	10 oz	18 g	3-4 tbsp
4	20 oz	37 g	6-7 tbsp
6	30 oz	55 g	10 tbsp
8	40 oz	74 g	12-13 tbsp
10	50 oz	92 g	16-18 tbsp
12	60 oz	105 g	18-20 tbsp

Your Everyday Brewing Cheat Sheet

(for French press, pour-over, and other similar brewing systems)

*1 cup = 8 fl oz water

Coffee Quantity	Water	Ground Coffee (grams)	Ground Coffee (approx. Tbsp)
1 cup	8 oz	15 g	2-3 tbsp
1.5 cup	12 oz	22 g	4 tbsp
2 cups	16 oz	30 g	5.5 tbsp
3 cups	24 oz	44 g	8 tbsp
4 cups	32 oz	59 g	11 tbsp
5 cups	40 oz	74 g	13.5 tbsp
6 cups	48 oz	89 g	16 tbsp
8 cups	64 oz	118 g	20-22 tbsp

*The 1:16 ratio in the tables above are just starting point guides. Adjust the ratios based on your personal preference; for example:

• Balanced: 1:16 ratio (above)

• Stronger: 1:15 ratio

• Lighter: 1:17 or 1:18 ratio

**NOTE: Did you know that the “cups” listed on most traditional coffee makers aren’t the same as standard measuring cups?? (If this was just a “mind blown” moment for you…let me explain!) A standard US measuring cup contains 8 fluid ounces, but most drip coffee makers use approximately 5 fluid ounces per cup when filling the coffee maker’s water reservoir or carafe. Now, why would that be? There’s a few reasons:

First: coffee serving sizes were traditionally smaller. Decades ago, people commonly drank coffee from smaller cups and saucers rather than today’s large mugs. A traditional coffee serving was often around 4-6 ounces. Coffee-maker manufacturers adopted smaller serving sizes when labeling their machines.

Second: The industry created its own convention. Rather than using the standard American measuring cup of 8 fluid ounces, many manufacturers standardized around a smaller coffee serving. That convention stuck, even as Americans started drinking larger cups of coffee.

Third: It makes the advertised capacity sound larger…maybe a marketing strategy, maybe not. Jury’s out on that still!

Know Your Grind

Your grind size matters more than you might think.

Coffee that’s ground too fine may over-extract, creating bitterness or harshness. Coffee that’s ground too coarse may under-extract, producing a weak, sour, or underdeveloped cup. Remember, these are starting points. Grind settings can vary depending on your grinder, coffee, and brewing equipment.

Here’s how to find the right grind for your brewing setup.

Coffee Grind Cheat Sheet

Brewing Method	Grind Size
Cold Brew	Extra Coarse
French Press	Coarse
Chemex	Medium-Coarse
Drip Coffee Maker	Medium
Pour-over	Medium-Fine
AeroPress	Medium-Fine
Espresso	Fine

A note about Keurigs: Many Elo enthusiasts have mentioned they use our Elo coffee in reusable k-cup pods. A medium grind works best here.

Our Recommendation: Choose whole bean coffee whenever possible and grind just before brewing. Fresh grinding helps preserve the aromas and flavors that make our coffee so enjoyable. If you don’t have a grinder, all of our ground coffee offerings are set to a medium grind, so this is a convenient option for most standard drip coffee makers and similar brewing styles.

Which Elo Roast Should You Brew?

Every Elo coffee has its own personality with a unique profile and tasting notes. They all can be used in various brewing methods, but here’s a few of our favorite ways to bring out what makes each roast special.

Elo Coffee Brewing Methods + Tasting Notes

Elo Coffee	Roast Level	Tasting Notes	Brewing Methods to Try
Rwanda	Medium	Raspberry, Mandarin, Dark Chocolate	Drip, Pour-Over, Chemex, AeroPress
Ethiopia	Medium	Berries, Honey, Floral	Drip, Pour-Over, Chemex, AeroPress, Cold Brew
Aurora	Medium	Milk Chocolate, Caramel, Sweet Citrus	Drip, Pour-Over, AeroPress, Cold Brew, French Press, Espresso
Peru	Medium	Chocolate, Clove, Cherry	Drip, French Press, Chemex, AeroPress, Cold Brew
Decaf Peru	Medium	Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Date	Drip, French Press, Espresso, Cold Brew
Espresso	Espresso	Dark Chocolate, Caramel	Drip, Espresso, Moka Pot, French Press, Cold Brew
Anchor	Dark	Cacao, Caramelized Sugar, Roasted Almond	Drip, French Press, Espresso, Cold Brew

Remember: These aren’t strict rules! They’re suggestions to help you explore. Every Elo roast can produce a delicious cup across a variety of brewing methods.

Make Every Cup Meaningful!

We hope this brew guide helps take your coffee experience to the next level! And beyond that, we believe your coffee should be more than something that simply gets you through the morning (or afternoon). It should be something you look forward to, something worth slowing down for, and something that brings a little joy into your everyday routine. And with Elo, every cup is part of something bigger!

Our specialty-grade coffees are thoughtfully sourced, third-party tested, and crafted with a commitment to exceptional quality. And we’re committed to giving 10% of our profits to organizations bringing hope and meaningful change to communities locally and around the world.

So whether you’re trying a new brewing method or discovering your next favorite roast, we’re grateful to be part of your coffee routine.