Ever wonder how many coffee beans are in a cup of coffee? The answer, like a perfectly brewed cup of morning coffee, is a little more complex than a simple number. While you might picture a specific number of beans going into a cup, the reality depends on a few factors, including coffee grind, bean density, and your desired coffee strength.
Variables aside, our experiment found that on average it takes about 68 beans to make one cup of coffee.

Our Experiment: How Many Coffee Beans in a Cup of Coffee?
Variables aside, we conducted an experiment to estimate how many beans are in a cup of coffee. To start, we prepared our beans for a single mug of hot coffee as we would any morning: by grinding them.
After grinding the beans, we weighed the ground coffee to find the weight in grams. We then compared the weight of the ground coffee to the weight of a single bean. Then, by dividing the weight of the ground coffee by the weight of a single bean, we arrived at how many beans were required to brew a single cup of coffee.

We repeated this experiment five times to find an average, and in the end, our perfect mug of coffee required 68 coffee beans. As we repeated the experiment, there were four variables that impacted this number, which we'll get into below.
What Influences How Many Coffee Beans in a Cup of Coffee?
Three variables impacting how many beans go into each hot cup of coffee include the grind size of coffee, the density of the beans, and of course your desired strength of the finished mug.
Coffee Grind: The finer the grind, the more surface area exposed to water, which can impact the flavor strength. More coarsely ground coffee might require a higher bean count to achieve the same strength.
Bean Density: Different coffee bean varieties have varying densities. For example, Robusta beans are denser than Arabica beans. This means you'll get fewer Robusta beans for the same weight compared to Arabica.
Desired Strength: Do you like your coffee strong or mild? A stronger cup will naturally require more coffee grounds, and therefore more beans.
Mug Size: Filling a big mug? Naturally you'll need more beans to brew more coffee, while a smaller mug will require far fewer coffee beans.
So, while we can estimate that a standard cup of coffee holds roughly 68 coffee beans (based on our experiment), this figure serves as a helpful starting point rather than a definitive answer.
Your final answer will depend on the personalization of how you prepare your coffee to your unique tastes and preferences. Experiment with different bean types, grind sizes, and coffee-to-water ratios to discover the perfect cup that awakens your taste buds and invigorates your soul. After all, the journey to a great cup of coffee is just as delightful as the final sip!