Coffee-to-Water Ratio Guide

Updated April 2026Coffee guide

Perfect Coffee-to-Water Ratios

The golden ratio is 1:16 (1g coffee to 16g water). But different methods need adjustments.

Standard Ratios by Method

Drip Coffee: 1:15 to 1:17 - Example: 30g coffee to 500g water (makes ~2 cups)

Pour Over: 1:15 to 1:17 - Example: 25g coffee to 400g water (makes 1 large cup)

French Press: 1:12 to 1:15 (stronger) - Example: 55g coffee to 800g water (makes 3-4 cups)

Cold Brew: 1:5 to 1:8 (concentrate) - Example: 100g coffee to 600g water, then dilute 1:1

Espresso: 1:2 to 1:2.5 - Example: 18g coffee to 36-45g liquid

AeroPress: 1:14 to 1:16 - Example: 17g coffee to 250g water

How to Measure

Use a kitchen scale (±1g accuracy). Volume measurements (scoops) are inconsistent because different beans have different densities.

Keep Going

Use these next pages to compare products, solve related problems, or keep narrowing your setup.