How Many Coffee Beans Per Cup, that’s the question?
I know I am slowly building a reputation for being ‘nerdy’ when it comes to the science behind coffee *sweat smile* *grin* but… Have you ever wondered how many coffee beans per cup you need? Or am I the only one? Please leave some comments below to let me know!
In this blog post we will look at the following:
How many coffee plants do I need for my coffee consumption?
Like a true coffee-fanatic (*grin), I do wonder all sorts of things about coffee though… like:
- how much coffee does a tree produce?
- how many coffee plants do i need
- how many pounds of coffee per tree (or kilos, whichever you prefer)?
- how many beans per cup of coffee?
- how many coffee beans per cup?
- how many coffee plants per person
I’ve done some research on this topic, which I’ll share in this article. Why not continue reading to the end, and then try my free coffee plant calculator to see how many plants you’ve been consuming?! There is also a free copy of my calculator at the end of this article that you can post on your website!
Let’s have some fun and guess how many coffee beans we use!
See my list on 25 Best Gifts For Coffee Snobs Under $100 here
How to calculate how many coffee plants do I need (to cover your coffee consumption)
How do you calculate your coffee consumption? What information would you need in order to do the calculation?
First of all, this is no accurate science project. This is meant to be a fun project with some degree of truth. The thing is, there are so many factors that play a role in the calculations, that it comes down to making average guess-timates (guesses and estimates).
But basically, first, we need to know how many beans you use per cup of coffee for the type of coffee you drink. Then we find out how many cups in average you drink. Ultimately we then use these numbers and pair them with how many beans one coffee plant produces per season.
What are some of the factors that are considered when calculating the number of beans per coffee cup?
- the size cup you use
- the type of roast
- the brewing method
This will be the foundation of the calculation to find out how many coffee beans per cup you need. So many variables right!
Cup sizes vary, but the average acceptable American coffee cup size is 8oz. Generally, one tablespoon ground coffee is used to make a good 8oz cup of coffee (you can check out my article on coffee-to-water-ratio calculator here).
But first, we need to know how many coffee beans it takes to get one tablespoon of ground coffee.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the details to find out .
How much coffee does a tree produce?
It is said and believed that, on average, one coffee plant can produce 2000 fruits per year.
Keep in mind, that there are two beans in each fruit as we talked about here on the coffee tour. So that will be 4000 coffee beans for the year.
If someone drinks one 8oz cup of coffee per day, every day for the year, we can calculate the amount of coffee trees that would be needed to support that person’s habit. But first we need to know the weight/measurement of the beans after they have been processed into coffee granules/powder. Don’t worry, I’ve explained all of that below!
I wonder how many pounds of coffee per tree in beans? Let’s see if we can find out.
How many pounds of coffee per tree – bean size and roast
Finding out how many pounds of coffee per tree in beans would be difficult because the beans do vary in size. However, according to one website, there are about 3250 whole beans (roasted) in a one pound bag of coffee beans (not counting the broken ones). So, technically speaking, a whole tree only produces one pound of (roasted) coffee beans… hmm…
Another important thing to note is that roasted beans weigh less than whole beans.
Calculations for how much coffee a tree produces will vary, depending on the roast. Why is that? As the roasting goes on, the beans not only get darker and darker… they get lighter in weight too. In other words, a medium roast weighs more than a dark roast. Wow… so much to factor in!
Well, if you like these kinds of things, make sure to try the coffee personality quiz too! We will match you up with a coffee style perfect for you.
How many coffee beans per cup – The coffee math
Well, you can guess how many coffee beans per cup. But it really “boils” down to the variables mentioned at the beginning of the article – cup size, roast, brewing method. But let us get into the actual coffee math now.
Expresso is the simplest to calculate when it comes to how many beans is required per cup. Why? Expresso has the least variables… well actually, there is no variable per se. In order to produce expresso, dark roast is almost always used. There are 60-80 beans in a 6oz (or 200ml) cup of coffee.
For the best cup of espresso, you need the best espresso maker, right!? Then read my l’or coffee machine reviews here.
Per cup measurement for light roast works out to 110, or 0.044 pounds (roughly 20 grams). For medium, and dark roast, please try my new coffee plant calculator. I’ve simplified the calculations for you, so you can play around with it. Have fun seeing how many coffee plants you consume per week, month, or day, based on your specific habit! Click below:
What it burns down to
So how many beans per cup of coffee? And how many coffee plants per person?
Essentially, coffee math burns down to which coffee you are drinking, as each type of roast takes a different number of beans per cup.
I’m sure you had fun playing around with the coffee calculator. There are so many small and big coffee farmers all over the world. We have coffee from the Caribbean, South-America, Africa and Asia. Why not share this fun calculator with your coffee contacts, be it farmers or consumers, so they can get in on the excitement too?!
If you liked this “how many coffee beans in a cup calculator”, feel free to copy the code below and paste it into an HTML box on your website! You might also like to know what your coffee says about you. Head over there and take the quiz.
Thanks for exploring the weight and number of coffee beans per cup calculations with me! Remember to subscribe and stay tuned for more fun coffee blogs. You can check out my other posts too such as Coffee from VietNam – What gives Vietnamese Coffee the extra punch?.
FAQ
How many coffee beans are needed per cup of coffee?
The number of coffee beans needed per cup of coffee can vary depending on personal preference and the type of coffee being brewed. A general rule of thumb is to use approximately 10-15 grams (or 2-3 tablespoons) of coffee grounds per 6-8 ounces of water. This translates to about 70-100 coffee beans per cup of coffee.
Does the type of coffee bean affect the number needed per cup?
Yes, the type of coffee bean can affect the number of beans needed per cup. For example, Robusta beans tend to be smaller and more densely packed than Arabica beans, so a smaller number may be needed per cup. Additionally, some coffee beans are roasted to a darker degree, which can make them more brittle and prone to breaking, resulting in smaller bean fragments.
Can I use a coffee bean calculator to determine the number of beans needed per cup?
Yes, there are a variety of coffee bean calculators available online that can help determine the number of coffee beans needed per cup based on personal preferences and brewing method. These calculators typically take into account factors such as roast level, bean size, and brewing method to provide a more accurate estimate of the number of beans needed per cup.