Bert’s Coffee Brew Guide

Bert’s not-so-serious, very helpful cheat sheet for ratios that slap, temps that sing, and grinds that groove.

Start here for any Coo Coo’s Coffee bag you bring home. Then nudge, taste, and riff until it feels like your cup — not a rule book.

Bert: My default groove is a 1:15–1:17 coffee-to-water ratio by weight. That’s roughly 16–18 g coffee per 8 oz (240 ml) cup. Water temp in the sweet spot: 195–205°F (90–96°C). Start there, then slide the grind and ratio until your taste buds dance.

Bert’s Brew Calculator

Choose your ratio, tell us what you know (coffee or water), and Bert will do the math. Works for any mug, carafe, or pour-over setup.

What do you know?
Most drip & pour-over live between 1:15 (full) and 1:18 (easy-sipping).
Example: 300 ml ≈ 10 fl oz.
g
Example: 18 g is a common single-cup pour-over dose.
Result
Use 18 g coffee with about 300 ml / 10.1 fl oz water. Numbers are approximate—adjust grind + time to taste.

1 g of water ≈ 1 ml. We show both ml and fl oz so you can use kettles, scales, or measuring cups.

Hot Brew Basics

Pick your mood, find your brewer, and use these as “guardrails,” not commandments. If a cup tastes good to you, you’re doing it right.

Drip / Auto Brewer

  • Ratio: 1:16 (standard)
  • Temp: 195–205°F
  • Grind: medium
  • Bloom 30–45 sec if possible

Pour-Over (V60/Kalita)

  • Ratio: 1:15
  • Temp: 200°F
  • Grind: medium-fine
  • Total time: 2:30–3:30

Chemex

  • Ratio: 1:16–17
  • Temp: 200°F
  • Grind: medium-coarse
  • Thicker filter = slower drawdown

French Press

  • Ratio: 1:15
  • Temp: 200°F
  • Grind: coarse
  • 4 min steep, stir & plunge

AeroPress (classic)

  • Ratio: ~1:14
  • Temp: 185–195°F
  • Grind: medium-fine
  • 1:30–2:00 total; press 20–30 sec

Espresso (FYI)

  • Ratio: 1:2 (e.g., 18 g in → 36 g out)
  • Time: ~25–32 sec
  • Grind: fine; adjust to hit time/yield

Iced & Cold Brew

Bert: Hot coffee is “right now” comfort. Iced and cold brew are “future you is gonna need this” moves. Brew ahead, chill it down, and thank yourself later.

Japanese Iced Pour-Over (Quick)

  1. Use hot-brew ratio (e.g., 1:15) but make half your water ice in the server.
  2. Bloom 30–45 sec, then pour in pulses to finish over the ice.
  3. Swirl to chill. Bright & aromatic in minutes.

Cold Brew (Ultra Smooth)

  1. Ready-to-drink: 1:10 (coffee:water), 12–18 hr in fridge.
  2. Concentrate: 1:5, 12–18 hr; dilute 1:1 (or to taste).
  3. Grind coarse; strain well; keep chilled 5–7 days.

Tip: a pinch of salt softens bitterness without tasting salty. Tiny pinch, big glow-up.

Dial-In Troubleshooting

Something’s off? Use this as your “what now?” chart. Change one thing at a time and taste again.

Too Bitter

  • Grind coarser
  • Lower temp to 195–200°F
  • Shorten brew time slightly

Too Sour / Thin

  • Grind finer
  • Raise temp to 200–205°F
  • Extend contact time a touch

Water matters: Filtered water (or a simple mineral recipe) dramatically improves sweetness and clarity. Aim for water near neutral with moderate hardness — future you will swear you upgraded your beans.

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