quantity of coffee needed in stove-top pots?

[anguka]

Does the water chamber and coffee ground basket have to be full to make good coffee?

If we have a 12/14 cup coffee maker but only want a smaller amount of coffee, will simply filling the coffee basket and the water level to the same proportion as the amount of coffee, i.e. for 4 cups would we just use 1/3 the amount of water and 1/3 the amount of ground coffee to produce the desired result, or does this not work, and what can we do?

[Tjwhite]

I'm not sure but I think it's supposed to work best when the basket is filled with coffee such that when the coffee gets wet it swells to form a fairly firm plug. My guess is it's the firmness of the plug (created by the swelling in the confined space of the basket) that helps create the pressure. Too little coffee and it won't form the plug, too much and you'll get other problems. Once you've worked out the right amount of coffee I think you can vary the amount of water to suit your taste but I think the whole unit has been designed for particular quantities (of coffee and water).

Having said that, other people may have other ideas...

[Andy]

I'm with you TJwhite, I've always had the best results with a stove-top when the basket is full of coffee and the base full of water.

Another tip... as soon as the first drops of coffee rise to the top of the stovetop take it off the heat, even wrap it in tea-towel and let it run on it's own residual heat. Far less bitter result than letting it get too hot.

Maybe you need a second smaller pot too anguka and keep the big one for serving a crowd?

[gonzo89]

I'll chime in here as the third to recommend always filling it up for too many reasons to justify. Unfortunately, if you need to brew a smaller amount it's best so get a pot that is suited to brew that amount.
By all means experiment, but in time you will come to see it's just not the same result.