Black Coffee Recipe

1. Measure coffee

Weigh or measure 7 grams (about 0.0375 cups) of whole coffee beans for a single 8-ounce (approximately 240 ml) cup. This recipe uses a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 by weight (7 g coffee to 105 g water) scaled for a 120 ml (0.5 cup) finished pour — adjust proportionally if you want a full 240 ml cup.

2. Grind

Grind the beans just before brewing. For pour-over or drip: grind medium (similar to granulated sugar). For French press: grind coarse (similar to breadcrumbs). For automatic drip follow medium-fine if required by your machine. Aim for uniform particles.

3. Heat water

Heat fresh cold water to 92–96°C (197–205°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring to a boil and let sit 30 seconds to reach the correct range.

4. Pre-wet filter (if using paper filter)

If using a paper filter in a pour-over or drip, rinse the filter with hot water to remove paper taste and preheat the vessel. Discard rinse water.

5. Bloom

Place ground coffee in the dripper or basket. Start by pouring just enough hot water over the grounds to saturate them (about twice the weight of the grounds — ~14 g water). Let bloom for 30–45 seconds to release CO2.

6. Brew pour / extraction

Continue pouring the remaining water in slow, steady circular motions (for pour-over) until you reach 120 ml (0.5 cup) of brewed coffee in the server or mug. For drip machine or French press, add hot water to the level for 120 ml and follow machine/French press timing: drip completes automatically; French press steep 4 minutes then press slowly. Total contact time should be ~2.5–4 minutes depending on method.

7. Serve

Once brewing is complete, pour the coffee into a warmed mug. No milk or sugar is added—serve black. Taste and adjust future brews by changing grind size (finer = stronger/extracted, coarser = lighter), coffee dose, or water temperature.

8. If using a grinder, clean any old grounds and grind immediately before brewing for maximum freshness. If using a kettle without temperature control, boil and rest 30 seconds for proper temperature.

9. If using a French press, gently plunge after 4 minutes and decant promptly to avoid over-extraction. If using an automatic drip, use the machine’s normal cycle and ensure the basket is clean.