What's the standard coffee-to-water ratio?

SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) recommends 1:16 to 1:18 (coffee:water by weight) for drip/pour-over — typically 60g coffee per liter of water. French press is similar, around 1:15. Espresso runs 1:2 (18g in → 36g out). Cold brew is very strong, 1:4 to 1:8 for concentrate.

Should I measure by volume or weight?

Weight. A 'scoop' of coffee varies wildly by bean density, grind, and how firmly it's packed — a loose scoop of light roast can be 30% less than a compressed scoop of oily dark roast. Grams on a kitchen scale give repeatable results. 1 cup of water ≈ 237 g, so weighing water works too.

Why does espresso use 1:2 but drip uses 1:16?

Different extraction methods. Espresso forces hot water through fine grounds at 9 bar pressure for 25-30 seconds, pulling out a concentrated shot. Drip/pour-over uses gravity through coarser grounds for 3-4 minutes, extracting less per gram but more total volume. Both target similar extraction yield (18-22%) but in wildly different dilutions.

Coffee Ratio Calculator (Pour-Over, Espresso, French Press)

Cooking & Kitchen· 10 tools

Free coffee brew ratio calculator. Pick your method (pour-over, espresso, French press, AeroPress, cold brew) and enter any one of coffee (g), water (g/ml), or target cups — the tool fills in the rest using industry-standard ratios (SCA, James Hoffmann). Custom ratio slider lets you dial in stronger or milder brews. Output in grams for scale users and ounces for convenience.

Brew method

Ratio (1:16.0)SCA standard: 1:15 to 1:18 (stronger → milder)

Coffee (g)

1.06 oz

Water (g / ml)

16.2 fl oz

Cups (8 oz)

approximate finished drink

Weigh both coffee and water on a scale for repeatable results. 1g ≈ 1ml of water; 1 US cup ≈ 237g/8oz. Espresso ratios are "in : out" (dose to yield) — espresso uses much less water than drip but produces a concentrated shot.

Frequently Asked Questions

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