Coffee Ratio Calculator
Coffee ratio calculator: exact coffee and water for any brew method, with strength, grind size and cost per cup. Free, no sign-up, and it runs in your browser.
Dedicated page: /en/coffee-ratio-calculator
Used only when the method is Custom ratio. Ratios are by weight: 1 g of coffee to X g of water.
Quick answer
A coffee ratio calculator works out how much coffee and water to use for any brew method. Pick pour-over, French press, drip, AeroPress, espresso or cold brew, set the strength, and enter the water, coffee or cups. It shows grams, tablespoons, fluid ounces, cost per cup and the grind size for your method.
About this Coffee Ratio Calculator
Coffee ratio calculator: exact coffee and water for any brew method, with strength, grind size and cost per cup. It is one of the Food, Kitchen and Everyday on ToolUstad, and like every tool here it runs entirely in your browser: nothing you type, paste or open is uploaded to a server, and there is no sign-up or usage limit.
What a coffee ratio calculator does
A coffee ratio calculator turns a brew ratio into grams and millilitres. The ratio is the weight of coffee to the weight of water: 1:16 means 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. Since 1 millilitre of water weighs 1 gram, the ratio works in millilitres too. For pour-over at 1:16, 474 millilitres of water needs 29.6 grams of coffee. For French press at 1:15, the same water needs 31.6 grams. For espresso at 1:2, 18 grams of coffee gives 36 grams out. The calculator holds the ratio for eight methods, adjusts for strength, and converts the answer into grams, tablespoons, fluid ounces and brewer cups, so you can use a scale, a spoon or the markings on your brewer.
Ratios are the one number that controls the strength of the cup more than any other. Grind size, water temperature and brew time matter, but if the ratio is wrong, nothing else fixes the coffee.
The ratios for each method
Every method has a ratio that suits its brew time and filter. Drip is 1:17, pour-over is 1:16, French press is 1:15, AeroPress is 1:13, cold brew ready to drink is 1:10, cold brew concentrate is 1:8 and espresso is 1:2. The Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup standard is 55 grams per litre, about 1:18, with a band of 10 percent either way, and some sources quote 60 grams per litre, about 1:16.7. The differences between methods come from contact time: espresso extracts in under 30 seconds, so it needs a lot of coffee for a little water, while cold brew steeps for 12 to 24 hours, so it can use a weaker ratio and still extract fully. The method comparison table on this page shows what the same 474 millilitres of water needs for each method, so the differences are visible at a glance.
Strength, grind and brew time
Strength is a 10 percent adjustment on the ratio: mild uses 10 percent less coffee and strong uses 10 percent more. For pour-over, mild is about 1:17.8 and strong is about 1:14.5. Grind size has to match the method, because it controls how fast the water extracts flavour. French press needs a coarse grind, or fine grounds slip through the mesh and make the cup bitter and muddy. Pour-over needs medium-fine, drip needs medium, AeroPress needs fine to medium, espresso needs fine and cold brew needs extra coarse, because the grounds sit in water for hours. If the coffee tastes sour, the grind is too coarse or the brew time is too short. If it tastes bitter, the grind is too fine or the brew time is too long. Fix the grind before changing the ratio.
Learn: how to use the Coffee Ratio Calculator
- Pick a brew method: pour-over, French press, drip, AeroPress, espresso or cold brew.
- Choose your strength: mild, medium or strong.
- Pick what you know: the water, the coffee, or the number of cups.
- Enter the amount you have, in millilitres, grams or cups.
- Read the coffee and water needed, in grams, tablespoons and fluid ounces.
- Check the cost per cup and the method comparison for the same water.
Features
- Eight brew methods with their own ratios, from espresso 1:2 to cold brew 1:8.
- Strength adjustment: mild uses 10 percent less coffee, strong uses 10 percent more.
- Solve from water, from coffee, or from the number of cups.
- Grams, tablespoons, millilitres, fluid ounces and brewer cups, all shown.
- Cost per cup from your bag price and bag size.
- Bags per month, so you know how often to reorder.
- Method comparison table for the same amount of water.
- Grind size guide for every method, from fine to extra coarse.
Worked example
For pour-over at a ratio of 1:16, 474 millilitres of water, about 2 cups, needs 29.6 grams of coffee, which is about 5.6 tablespoons. At 15 dollars for a 340 gram bag, one brew costs 1.31 dollars in beans, and a daily brew uses about 2.6 bags a month. Switch to French press at 1:15 and the same water needs 31.6 grams. For espresso, 18 grams of coffee gives 36 grams out at a ratio of 1:2.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best coffee to water ratio?
The Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup standard is 55 grams of coffee per litre of water, about 1:18, with a band of 10 percent either way.
How much coffee do I need for 2 cups?
Two cups is about 474 millilitres of water. For pour-over at 1:16, that needs 29.6 grams of coffee, about 5.6 tablespoons. For French press at 1:15 it needs 31.6 grams. For drip at 1:17 it needs 27.9 grams.
What grind size should I use for French press?
Coarse. French press uses a metal mesh filter, so fine grounds slip through and make the cup muddy and bitter.
How much coffee is in a tablespoon?
A level tablespoon of ground coffee weighs about 5.3 grams, though it varies with the roast and the grind: dark roasts are lighter and fine grinds pack tighter. For 29.6 grams of coffee, that is about 5.6 tablespoons.
What is the ratio for cold brew?
Cold brew concentrate is made at about 1:8, one part coffee to eight parts water, then diluted one to one with water or milk when served. Ready to drink cold brew is made at about 1:10.
How do I make espresso?
Espresso uses a ratio of about 1:2, one part coffee to two parts water, by weight. A standard double shot uses 18 grams of coffee and gives about 36 grams of liquid espresso in 25 to 30 seconds.
How much does a cup of coffee cost?
At 15 dollars for a 340 gram bag, a pour-over brew of 29.6 grams costs 1.31 dollars in beans. A daily brew uses about 2.6 bags a month, which is about 39 dollars.
Does strength change the ratio?
Yes. Mild uses 10 percent less coffee than the preset ratio, and strong uses 10 percent more. For pour-over at 1:16, mild is about 1:17.8 and strong is about 1:14.5.
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