Coffee Ratio Calculator

This coffee ratio calculator tells you how much ground coffee to use for a given amount of water, or how much water to use for the coffee you have. Choose a brew method, set the coffee-to-water ratio with the slider, and enter water in milliliters, fluid ounces or cups, or coffee in grams.

Alongside the gram weights, you get an approximate number of level tablespoons and scoops, an estimate of how much brewed coffee you will end up with, and how your ratio compares with the Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup reference of about 55 grams per liter. For espresso it switches to dose and yield in grams.

How to Use the Coffee Ratio Calculator

1
Choose your brew method
Pick pour-over/drip, French press, AeroPress, cold brew concentrate or espresso. The slider jumps to a typical ratio for that method.
2
Adjust the ratio
Drag the slider. A lower number such as 1:14 makes stronger coffee; a higher number such as 1:17 makes it lighter. The hint shows whether you are inside the typical range.
3
Enter water or coffee
Use the I know the water tab and enter an amount in ml, fl oz or cups, or switch to I know the coffee and enter grams.
4
Check tablespoons and yield
Set how many grams your level tablespoon holds (about 6 g by default), then read the grams, tablespoons, scoops and approximate brewed coffee.

How the coffee ratio works

A brew ratio compares the weight of dry coffee to the weight of water. At 1:16 you use 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. Because 1 milliliter of water weighs about 1 gram, you can measure water by volume or weight. The calculator converts fluid ounces (29.57 ml) and US cups (236.6 ml) to milliliters first.

Grounds hold on to about twice their weight in water, so the brewed coffee in your cup is less than the water you poured. The calculator estimates that as water minus 2 x coffee. For espresso the ratio compares the dry dose to the weight of liquid espresso in the cup, so no absorption estimate is needed.

Coffee (g) = water (ml) / ratio. Water (ml) = coffee (g) x ratio. Brewed coffee = water - 2 x coffee. Tablespoons = coffee (g) / grams per tablespoon

Worked example: a pour-over for two

You want to brew 500 ml of water as a pour-over at 1:16.

Coffee: 500 / 16 = 31.3 g
Tablespoons at 6 g each: 31.3 / 6 = 5.2 level tablespoons, or 2.6 scoops of 2 tablespoons
Brewed coffee: 500 - 2 x 31.25 = about 438 ml
Strength: 1,000 / 16 = 62.5 g per liter, a little stronger than the SCA reference of 55 g/L

Typical coffee ratios by brew method

These are the typical ranges the calculator shows for each method. They are common starting points, not rules. Taste and adjust.

Method	Typical ratio	Default in calculator
Pour-over / drip	1:15 to 1:17	1:16
French press	1:12 to 1:15	1:14
AeroPress	1:12 to 1:17 (recipes vary)	1:15
Cold brew concentrate	1:4 to 1:8	1:5
Espresso (dose to yield)	1:1.5 to 1:3	1:2

Coffee needed at common ratios

Grams of ground coffee for three common batch sizes, computed as water divided by ratio. A 12 fl oz mug holds about 355 ml.

Ratio	250 ml	12 fl oz (355 ml)	1 liter
1:12	20.8 g	29.6 g	83.3 g
1:14	17.9 g	25.3 g	71.4 g
1:15	16.7 g	23.7 g	66.7 g
1:16	15.6 g	22.2 g	62.5 g
1:17	14.7 g	20.9 g	58.8 g
1:18	13.9 g	19.7 g	55.6 g

Tips for dialing in your ratio

Weigh your coffee if you can. A tablespoon of ground coffee can hold roughly 5 to 7 g depending on grind and how it is packed, so scoops are only an approximation.
Change one thing at a time. If coffee tastes weak, lower the ratio or grind finer; if it tastes harsh or bitter, raise the ratio or grind coarser.
Coffee maker cups are not measuring cups. Many drip machines mark a cup as 5 or 6 fl oz, while this calculator uses the US 8 fl oz cup.
Dilute cold brew concentrate before drinking. A 1:5 concentrate is often mixed about 1:1 with water or milk, to taste.
For espresso, weigh the shot in the cup. An 18 g dose at 1:2 means pulling about 36 g of espresso.

Features

Pour-over/drip, French press, AeroPress, cold brew and espresso presets
Ratio slider with the typical range for each method
Solve for coffee from water, or water from coffee
Water in ml, fl oz or US cups
Approximate tablespoons and scoops with an editable grams-per-tablespoon
Brewed yield estimate and SCA Golden Cup comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best coffee to water ratio?

For drip and pour-over, most recipes use 1:15 to 1:17, meaning 1 g of coffee for every 15 to 17 g of water. The Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup reference is about 55 g of coffee per liter, which is roughly 1:18. Start at 1:16 and adjust: a lower number is stronger, a higher number is lighter.

How much coffee do I use for 12 oz of water?

Twelve fluid ounces is about 355 ml. At a 1:16 ratio you need 355 / 16 = 22.2 g of ground coffee. At about 6 g per level tablespoon that is roughly 3.7 tablespoons, or a little under 2 scoops of 2 tablespoons each. For a stronger cup at 1:15, use about 23.7 g.

How many tablespoons of coffee per cup?

For an 8 fl oz US cup (236.6 ml) at 1:16, you need about 14.8 g of coffee, which is roughly 2.5 level tablespoons at 6 g each. The common kitchen advice of 2 tablespoons per 6 fl oz is in the same range. Because tablespoon weight varies with grind, a scale is more consistent.

What ratio should I use for French press?

French press is usually brewed a little stronger than pour-over, around 1:12 to 1:15. For a 1 liter press at 1:14 you need 1,000 / 14 = 71.4 g of coarsely ground coffee. Expect roughly 857 ml of brewed coffee, since the grounds soak up about twice their weight in water.

What is the ratio for cold brew coffee?

Cold brew concentrate is typically made at 1:4 to 1:8. At 1:5, 1 liter of water needs 200 g of coarsely ground coffee. Steep it in the fridge for about 12 to 24 hours, strain, and dilute the concentrate with water or milk to taste before drinking. Ready-to-drink cold brew uses a much weaker ratio.

What is a standard espresso ratio?

A common starting point is 1:2, meaning the liquid espresso weighs twice the dry coffee dose. An 18 g dose gives about 36 g of espresso. Ristretto shots run tighter, around 1:1 to 1:1.5, and lungo shots longer, around 1:3 or more. Adjust grind size to hit your target yield in a reasonable shot time.

Last reviewed September 21, 2026