For 20 people, use about 300 to 340 g of coffee, which is 60 to 68 level tablespoons or 30 to 34 scoops, roughly one 12 oz bag. That is 1:16 for 160 oz of water (one 8 oz cup each) plus a small margin for second cups. A 12 cup coffee maker will need about three pots. The full chart for other brewers is on the how much coffee per cup page.
How much coffee for 10, 20 and 30 people?
This table assumes one 8 oz cup each, 1:16, 30 g of water per ounce, level tablespoons of 5 g and scoops of 2 tablespoons (10 g). The margin column adds about 10 percent, because some people go back for more.
| People | Water | Coffee at 1:16 | Tablespoons | Scoops | With margin | 12 oz bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 80 oz (2.4 kg) | 150 g | 30 | 15 | 165 g | Half a bag |
| 20 | 160 oz (4.8 kg) | 300 g | 60 | 30 | 330 g | One bag |
| 30 | 240 oz (7.2 kg) | 450 g | 90 | 45 | 495 g | One and a half |
A 12 oz bag is about 340 g, so one bag covers 20 people with a little left. At $28 a bag, that works out to about $1.40 a person.
How many pots on a 12 cup coffee maker?
A 12 cup drip machine counts cups of about 5 oz, so a full pot is roughly 60 oz and takes about 111 g of coffee. Our 12 cup coffee maker post has the table for one pot.
| People | Water needed | Full 12 cup pots | Coffee in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 80 oz | 1.3 (make 2 pots, the second part full) | About 165 g |
| 20 | 160 oz | 2.7 (make 3) | About 333 g |
| 30 | 240 oz | 4 | About 444 g |
Brew in rounds and keep the finished coffee hot in a thermal carafe. Coffee left on a hot plate for a long time goes bitter, and a pot sitting for an hour is a worse cup than a fresh one. If your gathering lasts three hours, brew a pot every 45 minutes or so, not all at once.
What if you use an urn or a big batch brewer?
Large urns are commonly sold in sizes of 30 cups and up, and those cups are also small, often 5 oz. Check the capacity marked on your own urn and work from the water. Multiply the ounces of water by 30 to get grams, then divide by 16 for the coffee. For 160 oz, that is 4,800 g of water and 300 g of coffee. If you do not know the size, pour in measured water the first time and mark the line.
Which coffee should you serve a crowd?
For a mixed group, pick a coffee nobody argues with. No. 6 Hegemony is listed by the roaster as the pot everyone in the house drinks without complaining: cocoa and smooth, low acidity and heavy body, medium roast. If you want a second pot, No. 10 Folklore is the one the roaster calls the pot you make for the house, with salted caramel and citrus. Offer both and let people pick.
Our pick
No. 6 Hegemony
Parana and Sao Paulo, Brazil · 750 to 1,050 m · Pulped natural, sun dried · Catuai, Mundo Novo · Medium
Cocoa and smooth on the label, for the pot everyone in the house drinks without complaining.
Our pick
No. 10 Folklore
Piura and Amazonas, Peru · 1,100 to 1,700 m · Fully washed, sun dried · Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, Catimor · Medium
Salted caramel, citrus and a silky body on the label, for the second pot.
Both ship free in the US as 12 oz bags, whole bean or ground. If you want all of it ground for the machine, pick ground at checkout. Browse all ten coffees, or put the house coffee on a subscription, 11% off, skip or cancel in one click.
What about smaller sizes?
For an office or a family of four, the pot-by-pot numbers are in the 10 cup and 12 cup maker posts, and the 64 oz post covers a larger carafe. The spoon math is explained in how many tablespoons are in a coffee scoop.
Weigh the coffee, brew in rounds, and keep the pots hot and fresh.
Questions people ask
How many scoops of coffee for 20 cups?
About 30 to 34 scoops (300 to 340 g), counting a scoop as 2 level tablespoons or 10 g, for 160 oz of water at 1:16. Cup size is the thing to check: 20 cups of 8 oz is a different amount than 20 cups of 5 oz.
How many pounds of coffee for 20 people?
About three quarters of a pound, or 300 to 340 g, which is roughly one 12 oz bag.
How much coffee for 30 people?
About 450 g at 1:16 for one 8 oz cup each, or close to 500 g with a margin for second cups. That is one and a half 12 oz bags.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.