Coffee Brew Ratio Calculator
Pick a brew method for a sensible starting 1:N ratio, then solve for water, coffee dose, or the ratio itself — the same scale-based math used for pour-over, drip, espresso, Turkish coffee, and more.
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Result
The formula
Brew ratio is coffee mass to water mass, usually written 1:N where N = water ÷ coffee. Water = coffee × N; coffee = water ÷ N. Dose strength in grams per litre is coffee ÷ (water/1000). Method presets fill common starting ratios (for example pour-over 1:16, SCA-style drip ≈1:18, espresso 1:2 as yield÷dose, Turkish ≈1:10); you can still enter a custom N.
Worked example
- Pour-over preset → 1:16. Dose 18 g → water = 18 × 16 = 288 g (≈ 288 ml).
- Strength = 18 ÷ 0.288 ≈ 62.5 g/L.
- Switch to drip (SCA-style ≈1:18.2) with the same 18 g → water ≈ 327 g.
Result: 18 g → 288 g water at pour-over 1:16 (≈ 62.5 g/L)
How coffee brew ratio is calculated
All modes use mass (grams). Water volume in millilitres is treated as equal to grams for kitchen practicality — hot water is slightly less dense, but recipe scales ignore that difference. Brew-method presets only set a starting N; they do not change the algebra.
Brew method presets
Choose pour-over, drip, French press, AeroPress, espresso, Turkish, moka, or cold-brew concentrate to load a typical starting ratio. Espresso-style options treat “water” as beverage yield in the cup (e.g. 18 g in → 36 g out at 1:2), not kettle fill. Turkish and moka starts are thicker slurry-style ratios — adjust to your cezve or pot.
Presets are starting points, not rules. Grind, contact time, roast, and taste still matter more than locking one N forever.
The 1:N convention
“1:16” means one part coffee to sixteen parts water by weight. N is dimensionless: 18 g coffee with 288 g water is exactly 1:16 whether you brew pour-over or French press.
Filter and immersion recipes usually sit between about 1:15 and 1:18. Espresso uses the same algebra with a much tighter N.
Dose strength (g/L)
Grams of dry coffee per litre of brew water is a compact strength label. SCA’s Golden Cup recommendation is 55 g/L ± 10% (about 49.5–60.5 g/L), which is near 1:18 when water mass ≈ 1 kg/L.
Higher g/L (lower N) tastes stronger before extraction yield is considered; grind, contact time, and temperature still decide whether the cup is under- or over-extracted.
What we do not model
No TDS%, extraction yield %, grind size, bloom water, bypass, cezve foam technique, or beverage mass after retention in the puck or grounds. Ratio alone does not guarantee a “Golden Cup” on the brewing control chart.
Interesting facts
SCA points at ~55 g per litre
The Specialty Coffee Association Golden Cup guidance recommends about 55 g of ground coffee per litre of brew water (±10%) as a starting formula for filter coffee — preference and roast still move the dial.
Scales beat scoops
A “tablespoon of coffee” can swing several grams depending on grind and roast density. Weighing dose and water is why café recipes transfer cleanly to home kettles.
Espresso ratio is yield, not kettle water
Baristas often quote espresso as 1:2 meaning beverage mass in the cup ÷ dry dose (e.g. 18 g in → 36 g out), not the full boiler fill. That is still mass ÷ mass — just a different water path.
Cold brew concentrates run thick
Overnight concentrates commonly use roughly 1:5 to 1:8 before dilution; ready-to-drink cold brew is closer to filter ratios once you add water or milk.
Brewing charts plot strength vs extraction
Classic coffee brewing control charts relate brew strength (TDS) to extraction yield, with brew-ratio diagonals connecting the two — ratio is only one axis of “dialing in.”
Frequently asked questions
Pick a brew method for a starting point: pour-over ≈1:16, drip near SCA 55 g/L (~1:18), French press ≈1:15, espresso ≈1:2 (yield÷dose), Turkish ≈1:10. Then taste and adjust — or choose Custom ratio.
Multiply dose by N. Example: 18 g × 16 = 288 g water for a 1:16 pour-over. Choose “Find water”, pick a method (or custom ratio), and enter the dose.
At 55 g/L you need 55 g of coffee per litre of water (~1:18.2). At 1:16 you need about 62.5 g per litre. Use “Find coffee dose” with water = 1000 g and drip or custom ratio.
By weight. Use grams for both coffee and water. Millilitres of water ≈ grams on a kitchen scale; scooping coffee by volume is far less repeatable.
One gram of coffee for every sixteen grams of water. An 18 g dose needs 288 g of water. Strength ≈ 62.5 g of coffee per litre of water.
No. It only solves mass ratio and dose strength (g/L). Extraction yield and TDS need a refractometer and the brewing control chart.
Keep the same 1:N ratio and multiply both coffee and water by the same factor. Example: double 18 g / 288 g → 36 g / 576 g at 1:16.
Espresso recipes usually quote beverage yield versus dose (often ~1:2), not kettle water. Choose the Espresso method (or enter yield as “water”). Turkish coffee uses a thicker starting ratio (~1:10) in the cezve — still weight÷weight, different texture goal.
References
- Towards a New Brewing Chart Explains brew ratio, strength, and extraction on the coffee brewing control chart.
- A new Coffee Brewing Control Chart relating sensory properties and consumer liking to brew strength, extraction yield, and brew ratio Peer-reviewed update linking sensory outcomes to strength, yield, and ratio.
- NIST SP 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI) Mass units and coherent quantity algebra for weight-based recipes.