☕ Coffee Brewing Ratio Calculator
Calculate perfect coffee-to-water ratios for any brewing method. Get precise measurements for pour over, French press, espresso, cold brew, and more.
Brewing Parameters
☕ Brewing Methods Guide
Pour Over / V60
Ratio: 1:16 (medium)
Grind: Medium-fine
Brew Time: 2.5-3.5 minutes
Temp: 195-205°F (91-96°C)
Characteristics: Clean, bright, nuanced flavors
French Press
Ratio: 1:14 (medium)
Grind: Coarse
Brew Time: 4 minutes
Temp: 195-205°F
Characteristics: Full body, rich, oily mouthfeel
Espresso
Ratio: 1:2 to 1:2.5
Grind: Very fine
Brew Time: 25-30 seconds
Pressure: 9 bars
Characteristics: Intense, concentrated, crema
AeroPress
Ratio: 1:15 (versatile 1:12-1:17)
Grind: Fine to medium
Brew Time: 1-2 minutes
Temp: 175-185°F
Characteristics: Clean, smooth, low acidity
Cold Brew
Ratio: 1:5 to 1:8 (concentrate)
Grind: Extra coarse
Brew Time: 12-24 hours
Temp: Room temp or fridge
Characteristics: Smooth, low acid, dilute before serving
Moka Pot
Ratio: 1:10
Grind: Fine (espresso-like)
Brew Time: 4-5 minutes
Heat: Medium (stovetop)
Characteristics: Strong, espresso-like, no crema
💡 Expert Tips from a Barista
The "golden ratio" (1:16) is a starting point, not gospel—dial in by taste, not rules. Coffee origins, roast levels, and personal preference wildly vary. Ethiopian light roast at 1:16 can taste sour (under-extracted). Same beans at 1:14 unlock sweetness. Colombian dark roast at 1:16 is perfect, at 1:14 becomes bitter. I blindly followed 1:16 for every coffee and wondered why some tasted amazing, others awful. Started adjusting ±2 points based on roast darkness and origin—transformed my coffee game. Light roasts: 1:14-1:15, medium: 1:15-1:16, dark: 1:16-1:17.
Water quality matters more than expensive equipment—bad water ruins $30/lb beans in a $2000 espresso machine. Chlorine tastes like pool, high mineral Content (>150 TDS) tastes metallic/chalky. Ideal: 50-150 TDS, no chlorine. I used NYC tap water (chlorinated, 120 TDS) making espresso—$25/lb beans tasted flat, medicinal. Switched to filtered water (Brita removes chlorine, maintains minerals)—same beans suddenly tasted like berries and chocolate. $30 Brita filter unlocked flavors $2000 grinder couldn't. Test: brew coffee with bottled spring water vs tap—if noticeable difference, filter needed.
Freshness trumps everything—coffee peaks 4-14 days post-roast, becomes mediocre by 30 days. Beans degas CO2 for 48 hours (too fresh = excessive bubbling/channeling), then enter prime window. After 3-4 weeks, aromatics fade, flavors flatten. I bought 5-pound bags "to save money," beans sat for 3 months—tasted like cardboard no matter the ratio or technique. Switched to 12 oz bags, used within 2 weeks—night and day difference. Same ratio (1:16), same grind, 2-week beans vs 3-month beans = completely different coffee. Buy small, brew fresh.
Grinding immediately before brewing is 10× more important than pre-ground coffee freshness. Ground coffee goes stale in 15 minutes (surface area exposed to oxygen). Whole beans last weeks. I used pre-ground "fresh roasted" beans from fancy roaster—tasted dull. Bought $40 hand grinder, ground beans 30 seconds before brewing—flavors exploded. Same beans, grind-on-demand vs pre-ground 2 days prior. If choice between fresh pre-ground and 2-week old whole beans you grind fresh, choose latter. Grinder is essential investment ($40-150), not optional luxury.
Bloom (30-second pre-wet) degases CO2 and improves extraction—non-negotiable for fresh beans. Pour 2× coffee weight in water (30g coffee = 60g water), wait 30-45 seconds for bloom to collapse, then continue brewing. Skipping bloom with fresh beans (<2 weeks post-roast) causes uneven extraction—CO2 repels water, creating dry pockets. I rushed V60 pours without blooming—sometimes perfect, sometimes sour/bitter. Added bloom step religiously—consistency improved 90%. Takes 30 seconds, transforms extraction. For stale beans (>4 weeks), bloom does nothing since CO2 escaped.
⚠️ Common Coffee Ratio Mistakes
❌ Using volume (scoops) instead of weight (grams)
The Problem: Coffee density varies by roast and grind—volume is wildly inconsistent.
Real Example: Home brewer used "2 tablespoons per 6 oz water" formula for years. Light roast whole beans: 2 tbsp = 14g. Dark roast ground: 2 tbsp = 9g. Same "2 tbsp" yielded 1:11 ratio (strong) vs 1:17 ratio (weak) unknowingly. Coffee tasted different every bag but didn't know why. Bought $15 scale, measured everything—discovered 5g variance per scoop. Standardized to 15g per 240ml water (1:16)—finally consistent coffee. Wasted 2 years of inconsistent brews before weighing.
The Fix: Buy kitchen scale ($15-30), weigh coffee and water in grams. Ignore scoops and "cup" markings on coffee makers (they lie).
❌ Not adjusting ratio for brewing method
The Problem: Using same ratio for all methods—pour over ratio for French press tastes weak.
Real Example: Coffee enthusiast used 1:16 ratio (perfect for V60) for every method. French press at 1:16: watery, no body. Espresso at 1:16: pulling 288g output from 18g coffee—thin, over-extracted. Moka pot at 1:16: weak and sour. Learned each method needs specific ratio: French press 1:14, espresso 1:2.5, moka 1:10. Same beans, adjusted ratios per method—everything tasted right. Immersion methods (French press) extract more completely so use stronger ratios. Pressure methods (espresso) use extreme ratios.
The Fix: Match ratio to method: Pour over 1:16, French press 1:14, Espresso 1:2-2.5, Cold brew 1:5-8, Moka 1:10.
❌ Confusing coffee maker "cups" with actual cups
The Problem: Coffee maker "cup" = 5-6 oz, not standard 8 oz cup. 12-cup maker ≠ 12 actual cups.
Real Example: Someone bought "12-cup coffee maker," calculated 12 cups × 8 oz = 96 oz water, used 60g coffee (1:16 ratio for 96 oz = 1800ml). But machine's "12 cups" = 60 oz total (5 oz per "cup"). Result: 60g coffee for 1800ml water = 1:30 ratio, tasted like brown water. Re-measured: machine held 60 oz = 1800ml, needed 113g coffee at 1:16. Used "cup" markings to fill, math to calculate coffee. Wasted $20 of beans making weak coffee before figuring it out.
The Fix: Ignore "cups," measure water in ml/oz with scale or measuring cup. Calculate coffee based on actual water volume, not "cup" markings.
❌ Not grinding fresh or using wrong grind size
The Problem: Using pre-ground coffee or wrong grind (espresso grind for French press = over-extraction, sludge).
Real Example: Coffee drinker used pre-ground "espresso" beans (very fine) for French press because "they were on sale." Every brew: incredibly bitter, thick sludge in cup, gritty mouthfeel. Ratio was correct (1:14) but grind size was wrong—fine grind in coarse-grind method = massive over-extraction. Bought whole beans, ground coarse specifically for French press—same ratio, sweet and balanced. Also tried using pre-ground coarse for espresso—pulled in 10 seconds, under-extracted sour shot. Grind size must match method, can't interchange.
The Fix: Buy whole beans, grind fresh for each brew. Match grind to method: Extra coarse (cold brew), Coarse (French press), Medium (pour over), Fine (AeroPress), Very fine (espresso).
❌ Assuming more coffee always = better/stronger coffee
The Problem: Over-dosing coffee leads to over-extraction and bitterness, not strength.
Real Example: Drinker wanted "strong coffee," used 1:10 ratio (50g coffee for 500ml water) with pour over method. Result: incredibly bitter, astringent, unpleasant—over-extracted tannins. Assumed "needs even more coffee," went to 1:8 (63g for 500ml)—even worse, undrinkable. Issue was over-extraction from too much coffee, not under-extraction. Scaled back to 1:15 (33g for 500ml), tasted balanced. Realized "strong" doesn't mean "bitter"—proper extraction at moderate ratio tastes better than over-extracted at extreme ratio. Wasted $40 of beans over-dosing before learning.
The Fix: Strength comes from proper extraction at right ratio, not just adding coffee. Stay within 1:14-1:17 range for most methods. Adjust grind/time/temp before changing ratio drastically.
📖 How to Use This Calculator
- Select brewing method: Each has optimal ratio range
- Enter water amount: How much coffee you want to make (ml, oz, or cups)
- Choose strength: Weak/Medium/Strong adjusts ratio slightly
- Calculate: Get precise coffee weight needed
- Weigh ingredients: Use scale for accuracy—coffee and water in grams
- Adjust to taste: Note results, tweak ratio ±1-2 points for next brew
- Keep journal: Record beans, ratio, grind, notes—dial in perfect recipe
Pro Tip: Brew same beans at 1:14, 1:16, 1:18 same day—taste side-by-side to find your preference. This "cupping" reveals what ratio works for your palate.
"Coffee brewing is chemistry with artistic interpretation. The 1:16 'golden ratio' exists because it's mathematically in the middle of extraction sweet spot for most coffees—but it's a starting point, not law. I've judged 500+ cupping sessions: Ethiopian naturals often shine at 1:14 (concentrated sweetness), Brazilian pulped naturals at 1:17 (clarity). Ratio interacts with grind, time, and temp—dialing in one variable requires adjusting others. The single biggest mistake home brewers make: using volume instead of weight. 'Two scoops' can be 8-16g depending on bean density and grind size—that's doubling or halving your ratio unknowingly. A $15 scale solves this instantly. Second mistake: assuming expensive equipment matters more than fresh beans and proper ratios. I've made better coffee with $30 grinder, fresh beans, and precise 1:16 ratio than with $3000 espresso machine, stale beans, and guessed ratios. This calculator handles the math—your job is fresh beans, proper grind, and tasting notes to refine."