Coffee Brew Ratio Calculator

About this calculator

A coffee brew ratio expresses the relationship between coffee grounds and water by weight, written as a ratio like 1:16, meaning 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. The Specialty Coffee Association's general guideline puts balanced pour-over and drip coffee somewhere between 1:15 and 1:17, with tighter ratios around 1:15 producing a stronger, more concentrated cup and looser ratios around 1:17-1:18 producing a lighter, more delicate one, while espresso uses a much tighter ratio (often around 1:2) by design.

Coffee enthusiasts and baristas use brew ratio math because it's the single biggest lever for controlling strength and extraction independent of the specific brewing method — dialing in a ratio lets you replicate a good cup consistently, and adjusting it is the standard first move when a brew tastes too weak, too strong, over-extracted (bitter) or under-extracted (sour).

This calculator takes your total water weight and target brew ratio and returns exactly how many grams of coffee to dose and the brewed yield you should expect in the cup.