What is the best coffee to water ratio?

For pour over and drip, 1:16 (one gram of coffee per sixteen grams of water) is the standard starting point. Go stronger toward 1:15 if it tastes weak, lighter toward 1:17 if it tastes harsh.

How much coffee for one cup?

A standard cup is about 250 grams of water. At 1:16 that is roughly 15 to 16 grams of coffee. Use the calculator above to scale it to any number of cups.

Should I weigh coffee or use scoops?

Weigh it. A level tablespoon of ground coffee can vary by several grams depending on the grind, which swings the ratio enough to change the taste. A cheap kitchen scale is the single best upgrade for consistent coffee.

Pour over / drip

Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator

The coffee-to-water ratio is the single biggest lever on how your cup tastes. Most pour over and drip coffee lands between 1:15 and 1:17. Set your water and we will give you the grams of coffee to weigh.

Water (grams)

~250 g water per cup

Ratio1:16.0

1:14.0 (stronger)1:18.0 (lighter)

31.3 g

coffee for 500 g water at 1:16.0

Brew it better

The ratio is free. The taste comes from fresh beans and a consistent grind. Here is what we actually use.

Get fresh beans Shop grinders and scales

Gear we use

The ratio is only as good as the grind and the pour. Here is the gear that makes this brew repeatable.

Coffee scale Burr grinder Drip coffee maker

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How to use it

01
Set your water
Enter how much water you are brewing with, in grams. 1 milliliter of water weighs 1 gram, so 500 ml is 500 g.
02
Choose your ratio
Start at 1:16. Move toward 1:15 for a stronger cup, 1:17 for a lighter one.
03
Weigh your coffee
Weigh out the grams of coffee the calculator gives you, grind, and brew.

Frequently asked

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