Coffee Ratio Calculator
Get the perfect coffee-to-water ratio for any brew method. Enter cups, get exact grams and tablespoons.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Enter the number of cups you want to brew and select your brewing method. The calculator converts your cup count to milliliters (using the standard 237ml per cup), then divides by the method's ratio to give you the exact weight of coffee grounds needed. Here is what each input controls:
- Cups of coffee. Enter how many cups you want to end up with. One cup is 237ml (8 fl oz) in US measurement. For a standard 12-cup drip machine, enter 12. For a single pour-over mug, enter 1.
- Brew method. Each method has a standard ratio set by specialty coffee organizations. Drip and Chemex use 1:16 (1 gram coffee per 16 grams water). Pour-over uses 1:15 for a slightly stronger cup. French press uses 1:14. Espresso uses 1:2, meaning the output is about half the weight of the grounds. Cold brew uses 1:5 because it is diluted before drinking.
- Read the breakdown. Coffee grams is the most accurate measurement. Tablespoons are shown as a convenience, but note that 1 tablespoon of coffee varies by grind size from roughly 4-7 grams. The calculator uses the common approximation of 5g per tablespoon.
About Coffee Brewing Ratios
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) recommends a brewing ratio of 1:18 (55g per liter) as a starting point for drip coffee. However, most specialty coffee professionals brew at 1:15 to 1:17. The ratios in this calculator represent common defaults for each method, with room to adjust based on taste. A stronger cup means increasing the coffee-to-water ratio (going from 1:16 to 1:14). A weaker cup means decreasing it (going from 1:16 to 1:18).
Note that espresso ratios work differently: the 1:2 ratio is a brew ratio (grounds in to liquid espresso out), not a water-to-grounds ratio for measuring water to heat. For a standard double espresso, use 18g grounds to produce 36g of espresso liquid using about 90ml of water — the rest is lost to the puck.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams of coffee per cup for a standard drip machine?
For a standard drip coffee maker, use about 14-15g of coffee per 237ml cup at a 1:16 ratio. For a 12-cup pot (about 1,900ml of water), that is approximately 120g of coffee, or roughly 24 tablespoons. Many people use far less coffee than this, which is why supermarket drip coffee often tastes thin and weak compared to specialty coffee shop brews.
Why is cold brew ratio so different from other methods?
Cold brew concentrate is brewed at a 1:5 ratio because the cold water extracts coffee much more slowly and less efficiently than hot water. The resulting concentrate is usually diluted 1:1 or 1:2 with water or milk before drinking, which brings the effective final ratio to around 1:10 to 1:15. If you prefer to brew cold brew at serving strength (not as a concentrate), use a 1:10 to 1:12 ratio instead.
Should I measure coffee by weight or tablespoons?
Always measure by weight when possible. One tablespoon of finely ground coffee can weigh 7-8g, while one tablespoon of coarsely ground French press coffee may weigh only 4-5g. This 40-50% variation makes tablespoon measurements unreliable. A digital kitchen scale that reads in 0.1g increments costs under $20 and dramatically improves brew consistency, especially for espresso and pour-over.
What is the best coffee to water ratio for pour-over?
Most specialty baristas recommend 1:15 to 1:16 for pour-over methods like V60, Chemex, and Kalita Wave. This translates to about 15-16g of water per gram of coffee, or 62-67g of coffee per liter of water. Start at 1:15 and adjust based on taste. If your cup is sour or thin, use more coffee (go to 1:14). If it is bitter or overpowering, use less (go to 1:17).