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Kopi Tubruk Recipe: Ratio, Grind and How to Leave the Grounds

By Ali Can DoralarReviewed by Online Coffee Guide editorial teamPublished Updated 5 min read

Kopi tubruk is Indonesian coffee brewed by pouring hot water directly onto grounds in the drinking cup, without filtering. Let the grounds settle, then sip the liquid above them. This home starting point uses 12 g coffee, 180 ml water (6.1 US fl oz) and a four-minute rest; sugar is optional.

Kopi tubruk unfiltered Indonesian coffee served in a glass
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Drink Snapshot

Caffeine
Not measuredHome cup brewed from 12 g coffeeCaffeine depends on the beans, brewing and the amount of coffee consumed.
Calories
2 kcal (estimated proxy)150 g (5.3 oz) plain-liquid comparison; optional sugar excludedUses the USDA plain brewed-coffee record. The calculation is available below.
Serving, sugar and sources
Serving
One home cup from 12 g coffee and 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water; nutrition comparison: 150 g (5.3 oz) plain liquid
Made with
Roasted ground coffee and hot water; grounds remain in the cup
Sugar
0 g added, served plain. Optional white sugar contributes 5 g total sugar to the estimate.
Preparation
About 8 minutes, including heating and a 4-minute rest

The 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) is water input. The 150 g (5.3 oz) liquid amount is a separate nutrition comparison, excluding wet grounds. See the full calculation or label comparison.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Brew in the cup with 12 g ground coffee and 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water, a 1:15 input ratio.
  • 2Start medium-fine, stir once and rest for 4 minutes. Leave the grounds behind instead of drinking or continually stirring them.
  • 3A 150 g (5.3 oz) plain-coffee comparison gives an estimated 2 kcal; optional 5 g (1¼ US tsp) white sugar adds 19 kcal and 5 g sugar.
On This Page10 Sections

How to Make Kopi Tubruk

You need roasted ground coffee, hot water and a heatproof cup, rather than an espresso machine or a filter. This kopi tubruk recipe scales Otten Coffee's 1:15 starting ratio to 12 g coffee and 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water, with a four-minute rest within its 3–5-minute guidance.

Kopi tubruk home method with 12 g ground coffee, 180 ml water at 92–95°C, a brief stir and a 4-minute rest before sipping above the sediment
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Following Otten and Panna guidance, let grounds settle before sipping; 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) is brewing-water input, not finished yield.

Recipe

Kopi tubruk: one home cup

Makes:
1 cup; 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water input, drinkable yield varies
Time:
About 8 minutes, including a 4-minute rest

Ingredients

  • 12 g medium-fine ground coffee
  • 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water
  • 5 g (1¼ US tsp) white granulated sugar, optional

Equipment

  • Heatproof 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz) mug, kettle, scale, thermometer, spoon

Method

  1. Put 12 g medium-fine ground coffee in a heatproof mug or glass with at least 250 ml (8.5 US fl oz) capacity.
  2. Heat 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water to 92–95°C (198–203°F). Pour it slowly over the grounds, leaving room below the rim.
  3. Stir briefly to wet the grounds. If sweetening, dissolve 5 g (1¼ US tsp) white sugar now; the default recipe is plain.
  4. Rest undisturbed for 4 minutes. Allow more cooling before drinking if it is still too hot.
  5. Sip gently without stirring again. Leave the settled grounds and the last gritty mouthful in the cup.
Recipe notes

A 150 g (5.3 oz) plain-coffee comparison gives an estimated 2 kcal; 5 g (1¼ US tsp) sugar adds 19 kcal.

A thermometer makes the chosen temperature repeatable. If you only have a basic kettle, let boiling water stand briefly rather than assuming a particular waiting time always reaches the same temperature. Use a vessel rated for hot drinks, not an ordinary thin drinking glass.

Kopi Tubruk: Grind, Ratio and Settling

Start with a medium-fine grind, then adjust for taste and settling. Otten recommends medium-to-fine grounds. Panna Coffee explicitly discusses a range of grinds and publishes its own 12 g coffee, 200 g (7.1 oz) water, 95°C (203°F) recipe with a later stir and skimming step.

The useful adjustment is to change one variable at a time. If the cup is weak, try a little less water or a slightly finer grind on the next brew. If it is harsh, try a coarser grind or a different roast. Extra agitation just before drinking redistributes the sediment.

Kopi Tubruk: Grind, Ratio and SettlingScrollable table
Kopi Tubruk: Grind, Ratio and Settling
Same 12 g coffee doseApproximate input ratioWhat changes
180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water, this recipe1:15Starting point used in the printable method
200 ml (6.8 US fl oz) water1:16.7More water for the same dry dose
216 ml (7.3 US fl oz) water1:18A further dilution of the input recipe

These are arithmetic comparisons, using water at approximately 1 g per ml. Grounds retain liquid, and you leave some coffee with them. For vessel choice, grind adjustment and settling in more detail, see the kopi tubruk equipment and technique guide.

Tubruk vs. Kothok and Turkish Coffee

Tubruk vs. Kothok And Turkish CoffeeScrollable table
Tubruk vs. Kothok And Turkish Coffee
PreparationMain actionWhat to expect at serving
Kopi tubrukHot water poured over grounds in the cupSip above sediment; no filtering step
Kopi kothokGrounds and water heated together in a potRest and carefully pour from the pot
Turkish coffeeVery finely ground coffee heated in a small potA distinct pot-brewed recipe and service tradition
Instant coffeeSoluble coffee granules mixed with waterNo bed of spent coffee grounds

Kopi tubruk works with arabica or robusta, with sugar optional. It also differs from kopi joss, whose charcoal addition is a separate service distinction.

What Does Kopi Tubruk Taste Like?

I like the directness of coffee brewed in the cup with no filter to remove afterward. With kopi tubruk, I enjoy the liquid above the settled grounds without expecting the texture of a paper-filtered brew.

Unfiltered kopi tubruk can carry fine particles. Flavor comes from the beans and roast; Otten gives both arabica and robusta examples.

Sugar changes sweetness, not the basic brewing method. Milk gives another variation; kopi susu explores coffee with milk. If your packaged ground coffee already contains sugar or other ingredients, use its label rather than the plain-coffee assumptions below.

Kopi Tubruk: Caffeine, Calories and Sugar

Caffeine is unmeasured for this kopi tubruk recipe. For calories, a 150 g (5.3 oz) plain-coffee comparison gives an estimated 2 kcal. Adding 5 g (1¼ US tsp) white sugar adds 19 kcal and 5 g sugar. The comparison portion is separate from the recipe's 180 ml (6.1 US fl oz) water input; grounds retain some liquid.

Kopi Tubruk: Caffeine, Calories and SugarScrollable table
Kopi Tubruk: Caffeine, Calories and Sugar
Addition to the same 150 g (5.3 oz) coffee referenceEstimated total caloriesEstimated total sugar
None2 kcal0 g
5 g (1¼ US tsp) white sugar21 kcal5 g
10 g (2½ US tsp) white sugar40 kcal10 g
Serving calculation and ingredient sources

USDA ordinary brewed coffee (record 171890) supplies 1 kcal and 0 g total sugar per 100 g. The 150 g liquid comparison therefore models 1.5 kcal, rounded to 2 kcal. It represents coffee liquid alone, excluding wet grounds.

USDA granulated sugar (record 169655) contributes 3.87 kcal and 0.998 g total sugar per gram. The optional 5 g adds 19.35 kcal and 4.99 g sugar before rounding. The table assumes the full portion is consumed. Palm sugar, milk and the pictured snacks need their own portions and composition data.

Dry coffee dose alone cannot establish caffeine intake; the beans, extraction and consumed portion matter. A tubruk and a pot-brewed kothok made from the same dose can therefore differ.

Fixing Common Kopi Tubruk Problems

Fixing Common Kopi Tubruk Problems
Fixing Common Kopi Tubruk Problems
Mistake or symptomBetter fix
Grounds arrive with each sipStop stirring, allow more settling and sip gently
Floating clumps after pouringWet the grounds with the initial brief stir; avoid vigorous late agitation
Too bitter or harshChange grind, roast or water temperature one at a time on the next cup
Too weakReduce water slightly or adjust grind, keeping notes on the dose
Cup is too hotWait longer; four minutes is a brewing reference, not permission to drink scalding coffee

You do not need to swallow the grounds. If you choose to paper-filter the finished brew, that is a practical way to remove particles, but it changes the unfiltered serving style.

An Everyday In-Cup Coffee

Indonesian coffee sellers describe tubruk as an accessible preparation used at home and in coffee stalls. It needs little equipment, which helps explain its place in everyday coffee service.

Three glasses of black kopi tubruk with snacks, peanuts and wrapped parcels on a shared table
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Let the grounds settle before sipping; the three cups and accompanying snacks show a serving setting, not the recipe’s batch size or nutrition portion.

Common Questions

Should kopi tubruk use coarse or fine grounds?
Start medium-fine for this recipe. Otten recommends medium-to-fine while Panna describes using a range of grinds. Adjust for the coffee and the texture you prefer.
Do I need sugar?
No. The printed recipe is plain by default, with an optional 5 g (1¼ US tsp) white-sugar addition. Add it before the resting period so you do not stir sediment up again just before sipping.
Can I use instant coffee?
It will make a different drink: soluble coffee dissolves, whereas tubruk leaves spent grounds in the cup. Use roasted ground coffee for kopi tubruk.
Is kopi tubruk the same as Turkish coffee?
Both can be served unfiltered, but this tubruk recipe steeps in the cup. Turkish coffee is heated in a small pot and uses its own fine-grind preparation.
How long should it settle?
Start with the recipe's four-minute rest after stirring, and wait longer if the cup is still too hot or unsettled.

Editor's Take

Sources and Further Reading

4 references

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