Coffee to water ratio calculator

How much coffee per cup?

Use this tool to quickly calculate how much water and coffee you need to brew any number of cups.

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Yoji and Nathaniel

Published

 

19 May 2019

Updated

 

18 Sep 2023

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Coffee to water ratios explained

Coffee to water ratio (also know as brew ratio) is a measurement that determines the amount of coffee grounds used in relation to the amount of water. It is a critical factor in coffee preparation as it directly impacts the strength of your cup of coffee.

The more coffee there is in relation to water, the stronger the brew. The more water there is, the weaker the brew.

The strength of coffee is often described in grams (g) of coffee to litres (L) or millilitres (ml) of water — but any unit of weight or volume can be used.

An example of a coffee to water ratio would be 50g/1000ml or 1:20. Let’s say you wanted to brew a coffee using this measurement but you wanted 500ml of brewed coffee instead, you can calculate the amount of coffee needed by using the ratio — In this case 25g.

The amount of water is the input, not the output. Due to retention of some water in the waste ground coffee, the amount of water in the final brew will be less than the water put in.

People adjust these ratios according to their preference for strength — as well as for specific coffee beans, roast level, grind size, and the brewing method.

Experimenting with different ratios can help you find the perfect balance for your cup of coffee.

French press ratio 1:15

A French press, also known as a cafetière or coffee plunger, is a glass container equipped with a plunger attached to a metal mesh. Pushing the plunger down forces the brew through the mesh, separating the grounds from the finished drink.

While we couldn’t find the definitive ratio for the original French Press (dating from 1852) — the general rule of thumb is a ratio of 1:15 — around 1.3 tablespoons of coffee to 1 cup (U.S) of water.

Your ratio for French press can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:12 and a weaker brew of 1:18.

This range was determined by these french press manufacturers:

• Illy: 1:12¹
• Alessi: 2:25²
• Fellow: 1:15³
• Hamilton: 1:15⁴
• Frieling: 1:15⁵
• Bodum: 1:16⁶
• Espro: 1:12 – 1:18⁷
• OXO: 1:18⁸

Moka pot ratio 1:10

A moka pot is a stovetop coffee maker. It brews coffee by forcing boiling water through ground coffee, producing a strong espresso-like drink.

Your ratio for a Moka pot can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:7 and a weaker brew of 1:12.

This range was determined by these popular recipes:

• Coffee Improved: 1:7 – 1:8⁹
• Blue Tokai: 6:50¹⁰
• The Commons Cafe: 1:11¹¹
• Baked Brewed Beautiful: 1:12¹²

AeroPress (standard) ratio 1:15

The AeroPress is a distinctive and portable coffee brewing device that utilises a plunger and airtight cylinder to create air pressure, forcing water through coffee grounds.

Your ratio for a standard AeroPress can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:12 and a weaker brew of 1:18.

This ratio was based on these popular recipes:

• Caravan Coffee: 10:125¹³
• Stumptown: 17:220¹⁴
• Tim Wendelboe: 7:100¹⁵
• Tetsu Kasuya: 1:15¹⁶
• Redemption Roasters: 11:200¹⁷

AeroPress (inverted) ratio 1:12

The inverted method for AeroPress is a brewing technique where the device is assembled upside down, allowing coffee grounds and water to steep together before plunging.

Some people prefer the inverted method over the standard method, because it allows for a longer extraction time and greater control over the brewing process.

Your ratio for an inverted AeroPress can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:10 and a weaker brew of 1:14.

This ratio was based on these recipes by popular baristas:

• Paulina Miczka: 7:74¹⁸
• Eric Peters: 1:11¹⁹
• Kata Muhel: 2:23²⁰
• Lukas Zahradnik: 1:13²¹

AeroPress (concentrate) ratio 1:6

The ratio of 1:6 is taken from the original recipe by Alan Adler²² — inventor of the Aeropress. This brew ratio results in a concentrate, much like an espresso — you can add hot water or milk to your liking.

Espresso ratio 1:2

Espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot pressurised water through finely-ground coffee, resulting in a rich and intense flavour with a layer of crema foam on top.

Espresso serves as the base for the most popular coffee drinks served in cafés, including lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and Americanos.

1:2 is the most common ratio for espresso used in cafés today. Between the bitter 1:1 of a ristretto and the weaker 1:4 of a lungo. Your ratio for espresso can be anywhere between a strong shot of 2:3 and a weaker shot of 2:5.

Ristretto ratio 1:1

A ristretto is an espresso shot made with a reduced amount of water, resulting in a shorter, more concentrated, powerful coffee.

Your ratio for espresso can be anywhere between a strong shot of 1:1 and a weaker shot of 2:3.

Lungo ratio 1:4

A lungo is an espresso shot made with a larger amount of water than a regular espresso, resulting in a more diluted coffee.

People often order lungos when they desire a milder and less intense coffee like a regular espresso, without having to dilute an espresso shot, like in an americano.

Your ratio for espresso can be anywhere between a strong shot of 2:5 and a weaker shot of 1:4.

Pour-over ratio 1:15

Pour-over, also known as drip or filter coffee, is a brewing method that involves manually pouring hot water over coffee grounds in a cloth or paper filter.

Your ratio for Pour-over can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:14 and a weaker brew of 1:16.

This range was based on these recipes by popular baristas and manufacturers:

• Lance Hedrick: 1:14 – 1:17²³
• Nicole Battefeld-Montgomery: 1:15²⁴
• Melitta: 1:15 – 1:17²⁵
• Carlos Medina: 1:16²⁶

V60 ratio 3:50

The V60 brewer is a pour-over brewer designed by Hario. It is currently the most popular pour-over brewer in the world, and a favourite among coffee enthusiasts for its ability to produce a clean and flavourful cup of coffee.

Your ratio for V60 can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:14 and a weaker brew of 1:18.

This range was based on recipes by popular baristas:

• Rave Coffee: 7:100²⁷
• Tetsu Kasuya: 1:15²⁸
• Matt Winton: 1:15²⁹
• Pull and Pour: 1:16³⁰
• Hario: 3:50³¹
• Origin Coffee: 3:50³²
• North Star: 2:25 – 3:50³³

Chemex ratio 1:15

Chemex is a brand that manufactues manual, hourglass-shaped coffee makers that use a specialised paper filter to brew pour-over coffee.

Chemex recommends you “put one rounded tablespoon of coffee per 5 oz cup into the filter cone.” This is roughly a 1:10 ratio, but many people agree that this creates a very strong brew.

Your ratio for Chemex can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:10 and a weaker brew of 1:21.

This ratio was based on these recipes by popular roasters and manufacturers:

• Chemex: 1:10³⁴
• Blue bottle: 1:14³⁵
• Union Coffee: 1:16³⁶
• Nobletree: 1:16 – 1:17³⁷
• Ueshima Coffee Company: 3:50³⁸
• Crema.co: 1:21³⁹

Steep-and-release ratio 1:16

The steep-and-release method, which has gained popularity recently, resembles a pour-over but combines elements of immersion and percolation to create a hybrid brewing technique. With this approach, coffee can be steeped in water for as long as the user wants, until the water is released through a filter in one go.

Your ratio for steep-and-release can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:14 and a weaker brew of 1:17.

This ratio was based on recipes by renouned baristas and manufacturers:

• Tetsu Kasuya: 1:14⁴⁰
• Square Mile: 3:50⁴¹
• James Hoffmann: 3:50⁴²
• Clever Dripper: 9:155⁴³

Cold brew ratio 1:11

Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth and less acidic beverage.

Your ratio for cold brew can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:8 and a weaker brew of 1:15.

This ratio range was determined by these popular coffee companies:

• Washington Post: 1:8⁴⁴
• Counter Culture Coffee: 1:10⁴⁵
• Blue Bottle: 17:150⁴⁶
• Fellow: 1:10⁴⁷
• Hario: 11:140⁴⁸
• Seven Miles 1:15⁴⁹
• Batch Coffee: 2:35⁵⁰

Cold brew (concentrate) ratio 1:5

Cold brew concentrate involves the same process as normal cold brew but with less water, resulting in a highly concentrated extract that can be diluted with water or milk to create a smooth cooling beverage.

Your ratio for cold brew concentrate can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:4 and a weaker brew of 1:6.

• The Worktop: 1:4⁵¹
• Counter Culture Coffee: 2:9⁵²
• Spruce Eats: 1:5⁵³
• Seven Miles: 1:5⁵⁴
• Moustache Coffee Club: 1:6⁵⁵

Siphon ratio 1:15

Siphon coffee, also known as vacuum coffee, is a brewing method that consists of two glass chambers where water is heated and forced upward from the bottom chamber to mix with coffee grounds in the upper chamber, and then filtered back down through a cloth or metal filter, resulting in a clean and aromatic coffee.

Your ratio for a siphon can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:12 and a weaker brew of 1:16.

This range was based on recipes by these sources:

• Blue Bottle: 1:12 – 1:15⁵⁶
• Hario: 8:125 – 17:250⁵⁷
• Hayman: 1:16⁵⁸

Auto drip ratio 1:16

An auto-drip coffee maker, also known as a filter coffee machine or by popular brand names like Moccamaster, brews coffee by automatically dripping coffee over coffee grounds in a filter.

Your ratio for an autodrip can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:14 and a weaker brew of 1:17.

This ratio range was based on recipes by these coffee companies:

• Coffee Geek: 1:14⁵⁹
• Oddly Correct: 1:15⁶⁰
• Wonder State: 1:16⁶¹
• Sample Coffee Roasters: 1:16⁶²
• Coffee Cirlce: 3:50⁶³

Turkish coffee ratio 1:10

Turkish coffee is a traditional coffee preparation method where finely ground coffee beans are simmered in water, often with sugar, and served unfiltered in a small cup, resulting in a strong, rich, and sediment-filled coffee.

Your ratio for Turkish coffee can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:8 and a weaker brew of 1:12.

This range was based on these sources:

• Speciality Turkish Coffee: 1:8 – 1:12⁶⁴
• JavaPresse: 1:9⁶⁵
• Trade Coffee: 1:10⁶⁶

Cupping ratio 11:200

Coffee cupping is a systematic evaluation method used by coffee professionals to assess the aroma, flavor, and overall quality of coffee samples by sniffing and slurping small sips from a spoon to identify nuanced characteristics and defects.

Your ratio for cupping can be anywhere between a strong brew of 1:17 and a weaker brew of 1:19.

• Speciality Coffee Association: 11:200⁶⁷

How much is a cup of coffee?

A cup in the context of coffee, is the volume of coffee given in one serving — and these servings will vary depending on the brew method and coffee strength.

Not to be confused with the unit of measurement cup.

Methods like espresso and Turkish coffee use small amounts of water, resulting in concentrated, strong coffee. One cup of double espresso is often around 38g per serving.

Methods like drip brewing and cafetières use much larger coffee-to-water ratios, producing milder, less concentrated brews. These methods can make larger, full mugs of coffee.

What is the best unit of measurement for brewing coffee?

Although any unit of measurement for volume and weight could be used to measure coffee and water, you should always measure coffee as a weight (eg. grams and ounces) and not as a volume (eg. millilitres, tablespoons). This is because coffee can vary in density depending on roast level, type of beans, grind size and compactness of the grounds.

Which unit of weight should you use?

We recommend using grams to measure both coffee and water because grams are an internationally standardised unit of measurement — making it easier to share and replicate recipes. Although ounces can be used effectively, but grams are easier to specify and comprehend when adjusting to a finer level.

Another reason to measure both coffee and water in grams (or millilitres for water as both values are the same) is that comparing and adjusting the ratio is easier, as both measurements are on the same scale.

Using digital kitchen scales ensures you can accurately replicate your desired coffee-to-water ratio, leading to a more consistent and well-balanced cup of coffee, especially in methods like pour-over or espresso where precision makes a huge difference in taste.

Strong and weak, not dark and light

Using the terms “strong” and “weak” to describe the strength of coffee is more precise than “dark” and “light” because it directly relates to the concentration of coffee solubles in the brew.

“Dark” and “light” is typically used to describe the roast level of coffee beans, which doesn’t always correlate with strength — light roasts can yield strong coffee if brewed with a high coffee-to-water ratio, and vice versa.