Coffee-to-water ratio calculator
Updated
Pick your brew method, set the ratio, and get the exact grams of coffee and water. Start from the water you want to brew (in grams, fluid ounces or cups) or from the coffee you have left. For espresso, enter the shot you want out and it gives the dose in.
Brew method
Start from
You need
31.3g coffee
for 500g water (16.9 fl oz, about 2.1 cups of 8 oz) at 1:16 · about 5.9 level tbsp if you don't have a scale
A digital scale beats spoons every time — coffee's density varies by roast and grind, so volume measures drift. Weigh both your coffee and your water for repeatable cups.
Coffee-to-water ratio chart
Grams of coffee for the amounts people actually brew. Water is in grams or millilitres, which are the same thing for water. The SCA's Golden Cup Standard sits at 55 g per litre, give or take 10% — about 1:18, with 1:16.5 to 1:20 inside the band.
| Water | 1:15 | 1:16 | 1:17 | 1:18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 oz cup (240 ml) | 16 g | 15 g | 14 g | 13.5 g |
| 12 oz mug (355 ml) | 23.5 g | 22 g | 21 g | 19.5 g |
| Two mugs (700 ml) | 46.5 g | 44 g | 41 g | 39 g |
| 1 litre (1000 ml) | 66.5 g | 62.5 g | 59 g | 55.5 g |
Using a ratio
- Divide the water by the ratio. 500 g of water at 1:16 is 500 ÷ 16, about 31 g of coffee. The calculator above does exactly this.
- Fix the ratio, then adjust the grind. If a cup is sour or thin at a sensible ratio, grind finer; if it is bitter or harsh, grind coarser. Change one thing at a time.
- Count the brewing water, not the cup. Grounds hold back some water, so the cup ends up smaller than what you poured. Espresso is the exception: its ratio is coffee in to drink out.
Source: Specialty Coffee Association of America, Brewing Best Practices (Golden Cup Standard: 55 g/L ± 10%), Internet Archive copy of the SCAA page. Grind sizes for each method are in the grind size chart. Measuring in scoops or coffee-maker cups instead of grams? Use the how much coffee calculator.
Dial it in
Ratios only matter if your grind and weight are consistent. The two tools that make the biggest difference:
Common questions
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio?
The SCA's Golden Cup Standard recommends 55 g of coffee per litre of water, plus or minus 10%. That works out to about 1:16.5 to 1:20, with 1:18 at the centre. Many pour-over and French press recipes run a little stronger, around 1:15 to 1:16. Go lower for a stronger cup, higher for a lighter one.
What is the golden ratio for coffee?
It is the SCA's Golden Cup ratio: 55 g of coffee per litre of water, within 10% either way. In the 1:X form most recipes use, that is roughly 1:18, with an acceptable band from about 1:16.5 to 1:20.
How much coffee for one cup?
An 8 oz (240 ml) cup at 1:16 needs about 15 g of coffee. Most mugs are 10–12 oz, so 18–22 g is a more realistic single-mug dose.
How many grams of coffee per litre of water?
About 55 g by the SCA's Golden Cup Standard, with roughly 50–60 g acceptable. At 1:16 a litre takes 62.5 g, at 1:17 about 59 g, and at 1:18 about 56 g.
What ratio should I use for a French press?
Around 1:15 is the calculator's default for a French press, which gives the fuller body immersion brewing is known for. Use a coarse grind, and move toward 1:16 or 1:17 if the cup tastes heavy.
Do I really need a scale?
Yes — it is the single cheapest upgrade to your coffee. Ground coffee's density changes with roast and grind, so a 'tablespoon' can swing 20% in weight. Weighing coffee and water makes every cup repeatable.
Is espresso ratio the same?
No. Espresso uses a brew ratio of dose in to shot out, typically 1:2 (e.g. 18 g in → ~36 g out) over 25–30 seconds. That's a concentration ratio, not a filter dilution ratio.