Planning coffee for home or a small office is easier when you convert weight into real cups, understand freshness windows, and make a clear call on bag size. This guide gives you simple maths, practical storage tips, and a straight view on value so you can buy with confidence.
How many coffees does 1 kg of beans make?
It depends on your brew method and dose per cup. Here are realistic averages for whole beans ground fresh just before brewing.
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Espresso, 18 g double shot: about 55 cups per 1 kg
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Bean to cup machine, 10 g per cup: about 100 cups per 1 kg
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Cafetiere or French press, 60 g per litre: around 16 standard 350 ml mugs per 1 kg
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V60 or pour over, 1:16 ratio, 15 g per 250 ml cup: about 66 cups per 1 kg
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Moka pot, 15 to 18 g per brew (small pot): 55 to 66 brews per 1 kg
Ground retention and dial in waste can reduce these numbers a little. If you purge a few grams when changing grind settings, expect 1 to 3 cups fewer per kilogram over time.
How long will a 1 kg bag last?
Work back from your daily use.
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Solo espresso drinker, two doubles a day: about 27 days
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Two people on flat whites at home, four doubles a day total: about 14 days
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Small office with a bean to cup machine, 20 cups per weekday: about 5 days
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Weekend cafetiere household, two 1 litre pots across Sat and Sun: about 8 weeks
If you are near the one month mark, freshness planning matters. Aim to buy amounts you will finish within 3 to 4 weeks once the bag is open.
Freshness 101: roast date, best before, and rest time
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Roast date: this is the useful freshness signal. Back Yard Coffee prints the roast date on every bag and roasts to order.
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Best before: a conservative quality marker used for retail, not a freshness guarantee. Coffee does not spoil like milk, yet flavour and aroma fade over time once exposed to oxygen.
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Rest time: most filter roasts taste great from day 3 after roasting. Espresso often peaks around day 7. Decaf can follow similar timing, with espresso decaf commonly happiest near a week.
If you plan espresso, try to have your bag land a few days before you need it. For filter, brewing any time after day 3 is usually good.
Storage to keep flavour longer
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Keep beans sealed in their valve bag, airtight, cool, dry, and dark.
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Avoid the fridge. Condensation harms flavour when you move beans in and out.
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Freezing is fine if essential. Portion into airtight one week packs, freeze once, and do not refreeze. Let the pack come to room temperature before opening.
Buy whole beans and grind fresh. This locks in aroma far better than pre ground. It also makes dialing in easier if you change brew methods.
Buying little and often vs 1 kg bags
Both approaches have merits. Choose based on usage.
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Little and often, 250 g bags: best for low volume homes or frequent flavour exploration. You cycle through roasts quickly and always sit in the sweet spot of freshness.
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1 kg bags: strong value for busy households and small offices. You reduce packaging waste and cut per cup cost. The trade off is managing freshness across more days.
A practical middle ground is two 500 g bags or one 1 kg split into airtight containers. Open one half now, keep the other sealed until you need it. If your usage is slow, portion and freeze one or two weeks worth.
Is it cheaper to buy beans in bulk?
Generally yes, the per kilogram price for a 1 kg bag is usually lower than buying four separate 250 g bags. You also save on packaging and sometimes on shipping. The saving makes the most sense when you will finish the bag within a month or you are happy to portion and freeze part of it.
How much is 1 kg of coffee beans in the UK?
Market ranges vary by quality, origin, and roasting approach. Supermarket commodity blends sit at the lower end, while freshly roasted specialty coffees sit higher. Expect a clear price step for traceable, single origin, roast to order coffee with a printed roast date. For live pricing and current selections, check the Back Yard Coffee store.
Is it worth buying whole bean coffee?
Yes, if you want better flavour and control. Whole beans preserve aromatics and give you the option to tune grind size for different methods. A simple hand grinder or compact electric burr grinder pays back in taste quickly, even if you only brew a couple of cups a day.
Suggested doses and quick ratios
Use these as starting points and adjust to taste and brew time.
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Espresso: 17 to 19 g in for a double, aim for 1:2 yield in about 25 to 30 seconds
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Cafetiere: 60 g per litre, 4 minutes steep, gentle plunge
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V60 or other pour over: 1:16 ratio, for example 30 g coffee to 480 g water, total time about 3 minutes
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Moka pot: fill the basket level, do not tamp, use medium fine
If shots run fast and taste thin, grind finer and nudge the dose down slightly. If the pour stalls or tastes bitter, step coarser and increase the dose a touch. Change one variable at a time.
Saving money without losing freshness
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Match bag size to real consumption. If you drink 10 cups a day on a bean to cup machine, a 1 kg bag will last about two weeks and stay in a fresh window.
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Use airtight storage. Roll and clip the valve bag tightly or decant into a vacuum canister.
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Consider a subscription on whole bean. Regular deliveries reduce last minute supermarket grabs and help you hit the right rest window.
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Offices benefit from simple ordering. Keep a spare sealed bag in the cupboard so you never run out at 10 a.m.
When a 1 kg bag makes sense
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Households making four or more espresso based drinks a day
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Small offices with a bean to cup machine
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Hosting, events, or busy weeks where you expect high volume
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Anyone happy to portion and freeze part of the bag for later
If your usage is one espresso a day or a couple of weekend cafetieres, smaller bags will keep variety and freshness at their best.
Ready to plan your coffee year?
Choose a bag size that matches your pace, focus on roast date, and store beans well. Whole bean saves flavour and gives you control over every cup. For fresh roasts and flexible options, explore our 1kg coffee beans and whole bean subscriptions. If you need grinders or airtight containers, our coffee accessories brighton range covers the essentials. Local to the coast and looking for independent roasters, see our coffee roasters brighton page for more and check real time pricing and availability on the Back Yard Coffee store.
Summary
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1 kg yields roughly 55 espresso doubles, 66 pour overs, or 100 light bean to cup servings.
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Aim to finish an open bag within 3 to 4 weeks. Espresso often peaks around day 7, filter from day 3.
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Store airtight, cool, dry, and dark. Freeze only in sealed portions and do not refreeze.
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Bulk bags usually cost less per cup. They are worth it when your usage is steady or you will portion and freeze.
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Whole bean is worth it for flavour and control. A good grinder plus fresh roast equals better cups every day.
Check the store for live pricing, current roasts, and subscription options. If you run a small office and want straightforward restocking, we can help keep you brewing without fuss.