Why Your Coffee Tastes Weak (And How to Fix It)

There’s nothing worse than waking up before sunrise, firing up the camp stove, and pouring a cup of coffee that tastes... like hot water with a whisper of dirt. We've all been there, whether at home or in the blind and it’s a letdown, especially when you’re counting on that first cup to kickstart the hunt or the day.

If your coffee tastes weak, watery, or just “off,” chances are you’re making one of a few common mistakes. The good news? They’re all easy to fix.

Here’s how to turn your brew from bland to bold, whether you're brewing in the kitchen or in the back of your truck.

1. You're Using the Wrong Coffee-to-Water Ratio

This one’s at the top of the list for a reason. Most weak coffee isn’t bad beans—it’s bad math.

The golden ratio: Use 1 gram of coffee for every 15–17 grams of water.
If you're not into weighing, that’s about 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6–8 oz of water.

Use too little coffee, and your brew will come out underwhelming and flavorless. Use too much, and it can get bitter fast.

Pro tip: For pour-overs, French press, or AeroPress, try 1:15 as a starting point and adjust to taste.

2. Your Grind Size is Off

Grind too coarse for a short brew time and you’ll get weak, sour coffee. Grind too fine for something like a French press and you might over-extract, which weirdly also makes it taste flat or chalky.

Here’s a quick guide:

• French Press = coarse grind (like sea salt)

• Pour-Over = medium grind (like sand)

• Espresso = fine grind (like powdered sugar)

If you’re using pre-ground coffee and not sure what the grind is, you’re kind of flying blind. That’s why we always recommend grinding fresh if you can right before brewing.

3. Your Water Isn’t Hot Enough

Coffee extracts best at 195°F–205°F.
If your water isn’t hot enough, say, you didn’t bring it to a full boil or let it cool too long before pouring, you’re missing out on flavor.

Too cool, and you’re under-extracting the coffee’s oils, acids, and deeper notes. The result? A weak, almost tea-like brew.

Quick tip: If you're brewing outdoors, bring water to a rolling boil, then let it cool 30 seconds before pouring.

4. Your Beans Are Old

Even the best beans lose flavor with time. Coffee starts to degrade just 2 weeks after roasting if it’s not stored properly. And once it’s ground? You’ve got about 15–30 minutes before flavor begins fading.

What to look for:

• Buy coffee that’s roasted fresh (not “best by” dated months out).

• Store beans in a cool, dark place in an airtight container.

• Skip the grocery store shelf and get coffee directly from a small-batch roaster (like us).

5. You’re Brewing Too Fast

Patience is part of the ritual. If your pour-over takes 90 seconds, or you plunge your French press after one minute, your coffee hasn't had time to fully extract.

Let your method guide your timing:

• French Press: 4–5 minutes

• Pour-Over: 2.5–3 minutes

• Drip Coffee Maker: let it complete the full cycle

Trust the process—and enjoy the aroma along the way.

Final Thoughts

Weak coffee happens to the best of us. But once you dial in your ratio, grind size, water temp, and brew time, you'll be amazed at the difference in taste. Even outdoors in the wind or cold, a proper cup can feel like magic.

At Gundog Grind, we roast every batch fresh so you’ve got the best starting point. Whether you're brewing in your kitchen or on a tailgate at 5 AM, we’ve got a roast that’s bold enough for the field and smooth enough for the porch.

Because great mornings deserve great coffee.

Want more brewing tips, gear breakdowns, and hunting camp recipes?
Sign up for the Gundog Newsletter and get field-tested coffee knowledge straight to your inbox. You can signup at the bottom right corner of our homepage.