14 · Basic, Intermediate
Batch Brew: Filter Coffee for the Bar, Made the Same Every Time
55g per litre, grind for flavour, sold within the hour
Written by Chanho Hong
What this chapter covers
Batch brew for cafes: the reference ratio of 55g of coffee per litre of water, tuning flavour with grind, holding vessels and selling time, and how to size batches across the day.
Batch brew means brewing filter coffee several cups at a time on a machine and serving it from a holding vessel. Three rules carry it: start at about 55g of coffee per litre of water, tune flavour with grind, and brew only what you can sell within an hour.
What batch brew is
Batch brew is filter coffee brewed several cups at a time on a machine.
Pour-over makes one cup per order; batch brew makes a set volume at once and serves it from a holding vessel. The principles of filter coffee (ratio, grind, contact time) stay the same. What changes is scale and holding time.
When filter orders stack up, as they do in the morning, the cup is ready without a barista brewing each one.
Once the recipe lives in the machine, every brew uses the same ratio and contact time, whoever is on shift.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | Weight of coffee to weight of water |
| Holding time | How long brewed coffee sits in the vessel |
| TDS | Concentration of dissolved solids in the cup |
Ratio: start at 55g per litre
The SCA coffee brewer standard uses 55g of coffee per 1,000g of water as its reference ratio, roughly 1:18. In shop terms:
| Water | Coffee (1:18) | Coffee (1:17) |
|---|---|---|
| 1L | 55g | 59g |
| 2L | 110g | 118g |
| 3L | 165g | 176g |
1:18 is a starting point. If your guests like a stronger cup, move toward 1:17 or 1:16. For comparison, the MTSPACE Allrounder pour-over reference recipe is 12g to 192g, which is 1:16.
Changing the ratio moves strength; changing the grind moves how much dissolves. Change both at once and you cannot tell which one changed the cup.
Tune flavour with grind
With the ratio fixed, adjust flavour with grind. Machines hold water against the coffee for different lengths of time, so your pour-over grind may not carry over. Taste the first batch, note the brew time, and move one step at a time.
| Taste | Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Sour and thin | Grind | A little finer |
| Bitter and astringent | Grind | A little coarser |
| Only lacking strength | Ratio | Keep the grind, add coffee |
Scaling up a pour-over recipe. Keep the ratio, but re-dial the grind because contact time differs on a machine. Write the first batch's time and taste on the recipe card; it becomes tomorrow's starting point.
Holding and selling: brew only what sells within an hour
Brewed coffee loses aroma and changes in taste as it sits. The SCA coffee brewer standard requires the holding vessel to keep coffee at 80~85℃ for the first 30 minutes, and many shops work to selling within an hour.
An insulated airpot keeps flavour longer than a glass server on a hot plate. Preheat it with hot water before use.
Brew big batches often at peak and small batches when it is quiet. Write the brew time on the vessel.
① Brew a 2L batch right after opening and label the time.
② After an hour, check how much is left.
③ If a lot is left, drop the next batch to 1L.
④ A week of records shows the right batch size for each part of the day.
"Leftover batch brew can go into iced coffee." Its aroma has already changed. Brew iced coffee separately to protect the cup.
Which coffee suits batch brew
Because you brew many cups at once, a coffee that does not swing from day to day is easier to run. Blends are strong on consistency; single origins show origin character and are easy to rotate as guests respond. For a first batch brew, start with one blend, then add a single origin to compare once the routine settles.
Questions this chapter answers
- What ratio should batch brew start at?
- Start at 55g of coffee per litre of water, roughly 1:18, the reference ratio in the SCA coffee brewer standard. For a stronger cup, move toward 1:17 or 1:16.
- Can I just scale up my pour-over recipe?
- Keep the ratio, but re-dial the grind. A machine holds water against the coffee for a different length of time.
- How long can brewed coffee be held?
- The SCA standard requires the vessel to keep coffee at 80~85℃ for the first 30 minutes, and many shops work to selling within an hour. An insulated airpot keeps flavour longer than a hot plate.
FOR CAFES & BUSINESSES
Want to serve this coffee at your venue?
Ask us about supply terms and samples, or register as a business to see wholesale pricing after approval.
See supply terms and how it worksFigures and regulations are verified against a source hierarchy: Tier 1 in-house knowledge base → Tier 2 SCA·WBC and peer-reviewed literature → Tier 3 web. Anything not adequately supported is marked [to verify] in the text.