Standard Drip (1:17)
Pour Over – Strong (1:15)
French Press (1:16)
AeroPress (1:12)
Cold Brew Concentrate (1:8)
Custom Ratio
The Ultimate Guide to Coffee to Water Ratios
Consistency is the secret ingredient to a perfect cup of coffee. While many people use "scoops" and "cups," professional baristas use mass (grams) to ensure every brew tastes exactly the same. Our Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator helps you dial in the precise measurements for any brewing method.
Why the Coffee Ratio Matters
The ratio of coffee to water determines the strength and extraction of your brew. If you use too much water, the coffee tastes thin and over-extracted (bitter). If you use too little water, the coffee is concentrated and under-extracted (sour or salty).
Standard Brewing Ratios
Method
Ratio
Description
Pour Over
1:15 to 1:17
Clean, bright, and highlights acidity.
French Press
1:16
Full-bodied and immersive.
Drip Coffee
1:17
The "Golden Ratio" for standard home brewers.
Cold Brew
1:8
A strong concentrate meant to be diluted.
How to Use This Calculator
Select your method: Choose from the dropdown to automatically set a recommended ratio, or enter your own.
Enter what you know: If you know you want to drink 500ml of coffee, enter "500" in the Water field and click "Find Coffee Needed."
Reverse calculation: If you only have 20g of coffee left in the bag, enter "20" in the Coffee field and click "Find Water Needed" to see how much water to use.
Example Calculations
Example 1: You want to make a standard 1:17 drip coffee with 500ml of water.
Calculation: 500 / 17 = 29.4g of coffee.
Example 2: You have a 30g scoop of coffee and want a strong 1:15 pour over.
Calculation: 30 x 15 = 450ml of water.
Pro Tips for Better Coffee
Use a Scale: A digital scale is more accurate than volumetric spoons because different coffee roasts have different densities.
Water Quality: Since coffee is 98% water, use filtered water for the best flavor profile.
The Bloom: When starting your brew, use twice the weight of water as coffee (e.g., 30g coffee = 60g water bloom) and let it sit for 30 seconds to release CO2.
function updateRatio() {
var brewMethod = document.getElementById("brewMethod").value;
var ratioInput = document.getElementById("ratioInput");
if (brewMethod !== "custom") {
ratioInput.value = brewMethod;
}
}
function calculateCoffee() {
var water = parseFloat(document.getElementById("waterInput").value);
var ratio = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ratioInput").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("coffee-result");
var resultText = document.getElementById("resultText");
if (isNaN(water) || isNaN(ratio) || water <= 0 || ratio <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Water and Ratio.");
return;
}
var coffeeNeeded = (water / ratio).toFixed(1);
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultText.innerHTML = "To brew with a 1:" + ratio + " ratio using " + water + "ml of water, use:" + coffeeNeeded + " grams of coffee";
}
function calculateWater() {
var coffee = parseFloat(document.getElementById("coffeeInput").value);
var ratio = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ratioInput").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("coffee-result");
var resultText = document.getElementById("resultText");
if (isNaN(coffee) || isNaN(ratio) || coffee <= 0 || ratio <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Coffee and Ratio.");
return;
}
var waterNeeded = (coffee * ratio).toFixed(0);
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultText.innerHTML = "To brew with a 1:" + ratio + " ratio using " + coffee + "g of coffee, use:" + waterNeeded + " ml (grams) of water";
}