Food & Cooking
Coffee-to-Water Ratio
Calculate the perfect coffee-to-water ratio for any brewing method.
The golden ratio for coffee is 1:15 to 1:17 (coffee to water by weight). This calculator scales to any number of cups for any brewing method, using gram-based precision for reproducible results.
Coffee Weight
32.0g coffee
- water
- 480ml water
- ratio
- 1:15 ratio
- grinds Approx
- 29 level tablespoons (approx)
Formula and method
Coffee (g) = Total Water (ml) / Ratio
Weight-based (grams/ml) for precision. 1 ml water ≈ 1g. SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) recommends 1:15 to 1:17 for most filter methods.
Worked examples
Morning pour-over for two
- Number of Cups:
- 2
- Cup Size (ml):
- 300
- Water-to-Coffee Ratio:
- 15
- Brew Method:
- Pour Over (V60)
Coffee Weight: 40.0g coffee
French press batch
- Number of Cups:
- 4
- Cup Size (ml):
- 240
- Water-to-Coffee Ratio:
- 14
- Brew Method:
- French Press
Coffee Weight: 68.6g coffee
Assumptions and limits
- Water density = 1g/ml
- Filter absorption not subtracted (negligible for most methods)
This tool provides an educational estimate. Rules, rates and personal circumstances can change the answer. Review the assumptions before relying on a result. Report a correction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using tablespoon measurements instead of grams — tablespoons are wildly inconsistent for ground coffee.
- Using the same ratio for all brewing methods — espresso uses 1:2, pour-over 1:15-17, French press 1:14.
Frequently asked questions
Why use grams instead of tablespoons?
Different coffee grind levels (fine, medium, coarse) have very different densities. A tablespoon of finely ground espresso weighs 7g while a tablespoon of coarsely ground French press coffee weighs only 4g. Grams eliminate this inconsistency.