Coffee Ratio Calculator ☕

1. Using the coffee ratio calculator
2. Coffee-to-water ratios
• How to use a coffee brew ratio
• French press coffee ratio
• Pour over, a.k.a. V60 brew ratio
• Cold brew ratios
3. The Golden coffee ratio
4. Brewing the perfect coffee
5. Espresso coffee ratios explained
6. Frequently asked questions
• What is the best coffee to water ratio?
• How much ground coffee for one cup?

    Using the coffee ratio calculator

The coffee to water ratio calculator supports three calculation modes. In all of them you need to specify a brewing method (french press, cold brew, pour over (V60), autodrip, aeropress, etc.) and how strong you want the coffee to be: mild, average, strong, or robust. Espresso, including ristretto and lungo are also supported.

• The tool functions as a simple coffee ratio calculator if you press calculate after specifying just the brew type and strength. It outputs the coffee to water ratio, and the amounts of coffee and water needed to prepare one standard coffee cup or one coffee mug.
• If you specify the amount of coffee you want to have in the end, the calculator will apply the relevant ratio to give you precise amounts of ground coffee and water to use by weight and volume.
• Alternatively, specify how much ground coffee you want to use to find out how much water you need to use to reach the specified coffee strength.

You can also input a custom ratio in which case the amount of ground coffee and water are all that will be calculated.

It is recommended to use weight measurements (grams or ounces) instead of volume measurements like cups, mugs, fluid oz, teaspoons, or tablespoons, since the latter do not lead to the same precise results due to slight differences in the density of coffee, as well as water density varying by temperature. For example, a tbsp of light roast weighs more than the same scoop filled with dark coffee so investing in a kitchen scale is the way if you want to make the perfect coffee.

    Coffee-to-water ratios

The table below is of different brewing methods and the coffee to water ratio for each.

Coffee to water chart

Coffee type	Coffee to Water Ratio
French press	1:15
Pour over (V60)	1:16
Cold brew	1:8
Autodrip	1:16
Aeropress	1:14
Siphon	1:14
Chemex	1:16
Moka pot	1:8
Espresso	1:2
Ristretto Espresso	1:1.5
Lungo Espresso	1:3
Golden Cup Standard	1:18

The coffee ratios given are for average strength coffee. Increase the ratio for a less intense brew, or decrease it for a more intense one. Notes and explanations about a few of the choices and ratios are below.

How to use a coffee brew ratio

To calculate the amount of ground coffee using a coffee brew ratio by hand, first convert all measurements to weight units (grams or ounces), then use the following simple formula:

Coffee amount = (Total water * Coffee-to-Water ratio)

For example, to find how much ground coffee is needed to make two cups of coffee with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:18, first identify the amount of water, which for two cups is 2 *middot; 227g = 454g of water (15.4 oz). Then use the equation to find the amount of ground coffee by multiplying the amount of water by the coffee-to-water ratio as such: 454 * 1/18 = 454 / 18 = 25.2g (0.89 oz = 9/10 oz).

French press coffee ratio

The French press coffee ratios are slightly higher compared to drip methods since immersion brews are a bit worse at extracting the coffee flavor. For mild tasting coffee use a coffee to water ratio of 1:17, use 1:15 for average, 1:13 for a strong taste, and 1:12 for a really robust coffee. The numbers are almost identical for the Aeropress coffee which is a similar, but slightly different type of immersion extraction.

Pour over, a.k.a. V60 brew ratio

The pour over method is the one for which the Golden Cup Standard was written and so the ratios here reflect that starting with 1:18 for mild, going to 1:16 for average, 1:15 for strong and 1:14 for a robust coffee. It is better than drip methods since it allows finer control over the taste, texture, temperature, and strength of the brew which makes it preferable to both coffee enthusiasts and professional baristas.

Cold brew ratios

Cold brew takes a long time (typically 12-18 hours) for the extraction process and the coffee to water ratios here are quite much higher. Use 1:8 for a normal strength coffee, 1:10 for mild, and go to 1:5 for a more robust coffee.

What about a 3:50 ratio?

Some coffee guides list ratios like 3:50 and others which are not based on one, but we believe these to be confusing. For example, a 3:50 ratio is exactly the same as 1:16.6 ratio, which was the golden coffee ratio according to the heritage coffee standards of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).

    The Golden coffee ratio

The SCAA, the Specialty Coffee Association of America, has issued an official coffee standard in 2015, the "Golden Cup" standard ^[1] which states in its brewing best practices that "to achieve the Golden Cup standard the recommended coffee-to-water ratio is 55 g/L ± 10%". Converting this 55/1000 ratio to a ratio with base one results in a ratio of 1:18 (1 part coffee to 18 parts water), or 18.18 to be precise. This is what most refer to when they speak of the Golden coffee ratio or ideal coffee ratio.

Note, however, the large percentage error of ±10%. What this means translated into coffee to water ratios is that any coffee with a ratio between 1:16.5 and 1:20 adheres to the Golden Cup standard.

Some consider the coffee produced by the 1:18 coffee ratio to be a bit weak, but that only refers to coffee nailing the Golden coffee ratio perfectly in the middle. A 1:16.5 coffee (60.5g of coffee per 1L of water) would be a noticeably stronger coffee while still (barely) within standard.

    Brewing the perfect coffee

Consistency is key, so once you get your coffee recipe right, stick to it and make sure it is easy to do so. Using weight measurements instead of scoops, cups, and spoons is one way to help achieve a consistently good brew. Another is making sure you buy the same type of coffee and use the same grind.

How to get to that perfect coffee, though? Here are some tips on what to do if the result is not satisfactory in a certain manner. Coffee is:

• too strong? In this case, decrease the coffee to water ratio.
• too weak? Try decreasing the coffee to water ratio.
• tasting sour or acidic? Try increasing the extraction.
• too bitter or astringent? In this case decrease the coffee extraction.

The extraction rate can be altered by the brewing method and the water temperature with hotter water resulting in increased extraction of flavor whereas colder water should result in less extraction. For reference, the SCA recommended brewing temperature is 93.0°C or 200°F with an allowable tolerance of ±3°C / ±5°F giving you a range between 90°C and 96°C or 195°F and 205°F ^[1]. Finer grinds and longer brewing time also facilitate higher extraction rates. For the coffee ratios, just use our coffee to water ratio calculator to get the amounts right.

Other things to consider if you want the "perfect coffee" are using filtered high-quality water, high-quality filters for your machine, and using freshly roasted beans stored in an airtight container to preserve the flavors. Machine maintenance and regular cleaning is also key to avoid oily build ups and other issues that may prove detrimental to coffee taste.

    Espresso coffee ratios explained

Espresso comes in three varieties: Normale Espresso, Ristretto Espresso and Lungo Espresso, each with a distinct ratio which are all much lower than for other coffee types. Due to it being a concentrate diluted in water or milk it has different requirements than ground coffee. However, the principles are the same, e.g. if you want to get out 36g of Espresso (~36ml), given a ratio of 1:2 you should put in 18g of coffee in the machine with 36g of water.

For Ristretto, or a short Espresso shot, use a ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.5. For Lungo, or long Espresso, use anywhere from 1:3 to 1:4.

    Frequently asked questions

Here are a few commonly asked questions about coffee brewing and coffee ratios.

What is the best coffee to water ratio?

There is no such thing as "best" or "ideal" coffee ratio since the end result depends on many variables, including the type of coffee, the grind size, the brewing method and brew time, the water temperature, and finally: personal taste, e.g. how strong one wants their coffee. The brewing ratio reflects on the intensity of the brew, a.k.a. coffee strength, but so does the extraction method. Things like the Golden coffee ratio of 1:18 (previously set to 1:16.6) are a good starting point, but ultimately your should explore different ratios and come up with one which works best for your particular taste and circumstances.

How much ground coffee for one cup?

By our coffee cup definition the water required is 8 fl oz or 236 ml while the amount of ground coffee would depend on both the brewing method and how intense the coffee should be. For example, a strong French press coffee ratio is 1:14 meaning that you will need 0.67oz (2/3 oz, 19 g) of coffee for this amount of water. Use our coffee ratio calculator for other brews like cold brew and pour over using a V60 machine, etc. to estimate how much coffee is needed for a given amount of water.

How much is a "coffee cup"?

There are a lot of different definitions since there is no industry standard about how much volume a coffee cup contains. The 8oz (236ml) coffee cup is the closest one gets to a "standard coffee cup", especially when it comes to the US, so this is the definition used in our coffee calculator. Some prefer a small/medium/large/extra large classification, corresponding to 8 oz / 16 oz / 24 oz / 32 oz (fluid ounces), or 236 ml / 462 ml / 698 ml / 924 ml. This or a closely similar classification is used in the likes of Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and McDonalds across the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

European coffee cups are typically much smaller since Europeans adhere more to the Turkish and Italian coffee tradition, both of which dictate much stronger brews. A more intense brew mean a smaller amount of coffee is drank so European cups are respectively smaller ranging from 2 fluid ounces (60ml) for the smallest coffee cups and going up to 8 fl oz (236 ml) for more American-style types of coffee like Latte, Red Eye Coffee, Frappé, and the aptly named Caffe Americano. The same mostly applies to UK coffee cup conventions.

How much is a "coffee mug"?

While no single definition exists, the closest to a standard coffee mug is the 12 fl oz mug (350 ml). However, some establishments and cup manufacturers may refer to a 16 oz mug as standard, for further confusion. 16 oz, 20 oz and even 30 oz coffee mugs see use in the US and Australia. In our calculator a "coffee mug" is defined as holding 12 US fluid ounces (350 ml). For example, with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:16, you will need 3/4 oz (21 g) of ground coffee and 12 fl oz (350ml) of water to make an average strength coffee.

Coffee grind size chart

Note that different brewing types require different grind sizes. Ideally you want to match how fine your freshly ground coffee is with what works best with your brewing method. Here is a handy table to help you out:

Coffee grind sizes

Brewing method	Grind size
French press	Coarse
Cold brew	Coarse
Pour over (V60)	Medium-fine
Autodrip	Medium-fine
Aeropress	Medium-fine
Chemex	Medium-fine
Siphon	Medium-fine
Moka pot	Fine