I grind my own beans in a burr type grinder.

I prefer a richer tasting coffee, the Seattle type coffee...sorta like Starbucks House Blend. (I have tried Columbian beans and found them too bitter)

I also start with one scoop per every 2 cups of coffee, so for 12 cups I would use 6 generous scoops.

Cold filtered water is a must.

Not letting your coffee remain in the pot after brewing is a must too.

As soon as my coffee is brewed, it goes straight into a thermal carafe.

I'm not certain what kind of coffee maker you have, but the drip cone style kind makes superior coffee over the basket type models. (Due to the way that the water is distributed over the grounds.)

Hope this helps.