Coffee Ratio Calculator

There is no single correct coffee ratio. Pour over uses 1:16 (1g coffee to 16g water). French press is closer to 1:15 (slightly stronger because of the longer steep). AeroPress sits at 1:14, drip filter at 1:16, espresso at 1:2, cold brew at 1:4 (because it is a concentrate diluted before drinking). The ratio is what most home brewers get wrong, and it is the single biggest factor in whether your coffee tastes thin and watery or rich and balanced.

Pick your brewing method, choose lighter or stronger if you want to push the ratio either way (this multiplies water by 1.2 or by 0.85 respectively), then enter either coffee weight or water weight. The other value calculates instantly. Hit the switch button to flip which side you control. Default of 20g coffee gives you 320g of water for pour over, which is roughly a 12oz cup.

Scoop measurements are a problem because coffee bean volume changes with bean density and grind size. A scoop of light-roasted Ethiopian beans weighs less than a scoop of dark Italian beans because the roast has driven off water. A scoop of fine espresso grind packs heavier than the same scoop of coarse French press grind. The ratio is by weight in grams, not by volume in scoops, and a £10 kitchen scale that reads to 1g is the only equipment upgrade that consistently improves home coffee.

Water temperature matters almost as much as ratio. The standard range is 90 to 96°C, which is a few degrees off boiling. Espresso uses the lower end (88-92°C). AeroPress works at 80-90°C, which is unusual but right. Boiling water (100°C) over coffee scalds the grounds and pulls bitter compounds; lukewarm water under-extracts. If you do not have a thermometer, boil the kettle and wait 30 to 45 seconds before pouring. For larger batches, the [recipe scaler](/recipe-scaler) handles ratio scaling for any liquid recipe.