Coffee Ratio Calculator

Enter how much coffee you want to brew and your preferred strength to get exact coffee and water amounts.

Coffee Ratio Calculator

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Cups to brew (1 cup = 240mL)

Strength

Coffee needed

30.0 g

Water needed

480 mL

Water (fl oz)

16.2 fl oz

A coffee "cup" for brewing is conventionally 240mL - larger than a standard 8oz measuring cup used elsewhere.

The formula

Water (mL) = Cups x 240 Coffee (g) = Water (mL) / Ratio

Example

2 cups at a standard 1:16 ratio: water = 2 x 240 = 480mL, coffee = 480/16 = 30.0g.

Step-by-step guide

Enter how many cups you want to brew.
Choose your preferred strength - a lower ratio number means more coffee relative to water, for a stronger brew.
Weigh out the coffee and water using a kitchen scale for the most accurate result.

Why weighing beats scooping

Coffee grounds vary noticeably in density depending on grind size and roast, so a "scoop" or "tablespoon" of coffee can vary by a meaningful margin from one bag to the next. Weighing both coffee and water in grams (water conveniently weighs almost exactly 1 gram per mL) removes that variability and is the most reliable way to hit a specific ratio consistently, which is why most specialty coffee guidance recommends a scale over volume scoops.

Common mistakes

Using a standard 8oz (237mL) measuring cup interchangeably with a "coffee cup" - close, but coffee brewing conventionally uses 240mL as one cup, a small but real difference at larger batch sizes.

Confusing "1:16" as meaning 16 grams of coffee - the ratio is coffee to water, so 1:16 means 1 part coffee to 16 parts water, and you solve for coffee based on your water amount, not the reverse.

Frequently asked questions

What ratio should I use for a French press?

A stronger ratio like 1:13 to 1:15 is common for French press, since the immersion brewing method and coarser grind typically call for a bolder brew than a standard drip or pour-over.

Does grind size affect the ratio I should use?

Grind size mostly affects extraction speed and flavor rather than the ratio itself - a finer grind extracts faster and can taste stronger even at the same ratio, so adjust grind size for taste before changing the ratio dramatically.

Why does espresso use such a different ratio?

Espresso uses a much lower ratio (often close to 1:2) because it's a concentrated, pressure-brewed shot meant to be small and intense, not a full cup of brewed coffee - this calculator's ratios apply to standard drip, pour-over, and French press brewing.

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