Technivorm
Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select Review
A hand-built Dutch drip maker with SCA-certified temps and a reputation for lasting a decade or more.
Updated
Coffee Brew Yield Calculator
This coffee yield calculator works both ways: enter how much brewed coffee you want, or how much water you will pour, to see the coffee dose, the water the grounds keep, and what ends up in the cup.
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Calculate your coffee brew yield
ml
1:16.0
Concentrate (1:4)Light (1:20)
Water to pour
1143ml
Coffee dose
71.4g
Kept by grounds
143ml
Brewed (fl oz)
33.8fl oz
Next: Grounds hold back water, so you always pour more than you drink. Weigh the brewed coffee once and adjust the method if your filter keeps more or less.
The math behind the calculator
Spent grounds keep about k grams of water per gram of coffee (k ≈ 2 for drip, 2.2 for immersion, 2.5 for cold brew). Brewed coffee = water - k × coffee.
With water = ratio × coffee, the coffee needed for a target amount is: coffee = target ÷ (ratio - k). That is why stronger ratios need proportionally more extra water.
How to use the result
- 1Choose whether you know your target or your water.
- 2Pick the brew method and ratio.
- 3Brew, weigh the result once, and adjust if needed.
Common mistakes
- Assuming water in equals coffee out.
- Using the drip figure for cold brew.
- Forgetting to dilute a concentrate.
What this calculator assumes
Every fixed figure the maths uses, so you can check the result against your own gear.
- Water is taken as 1 g per ml, and brewed coffee as roughly the same density.
- Grounds keep about 2 g of water per g of coffee (drip), 2.2 g (immersion) and 2.5 g (cold brew).
- Evaporation and water left in the brewer are ignored; they are small for home batches.
- Espresso is not covered.
Worked examples: water and coffee for the amount you want
Calculated with the same formula as the tool. Weigh your result once and adjust.
| You want | Ratio | Coffee | Water to pour |
|---|---|---|---|
| One 12 oz mug (350 ml), drip | 1:16 | 25 g | 400 ml |
| 500 ml for two, drip | 1:16 | 36 g | 571 ml |
| 1 liter, drip | 1:16 | 71 g | 1,143 ml |
| 12-cup carafe (1,774 ml), drip | 1:16 | 127 g | 2,027 ml |
| 500 ml, French press | 1:14 | 42 g | 593 ml |
| 500 ml cold brew concentrate | 1:5 | 200 g | 1,000 ml |
Each row uses coffee = target ÷ (ratio − water kept per gram): 2 for drip, 2.2 for immersion and 2.5 for cold brew. Dilute cold brew concentrate before drinking; the cold brew guide covers how much.
Drip Machines for Big Batches
For a full carafe, a good drip machine keeps brewing temperature steady across the whole batch. These are the drip brewers we rate highest.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy.
Why do I get less coffee than the water I pour?
Spent grounds hold onto water, about 2 g for every gram of coffee.
At 1:16, 1,000 ml of water uses about 62 g of coffee, which keeps roughly 125 ml, leaving about 875 ml in the pot.
How much water to make 1 liter of coffee?
At 1:16 with drip or pour-over, about 1,140 ml of water and 71 g of coffee give roughly 1 liter of brewed coffee.
Does French press keep more water?
A little more, because the grounds sit in the water the whole time.
The calculator uses about 2.2 g per gram for immersion and 2.5 for cold brew.
Does this work for espresso?
No. Espresso is measured by the shot weight that comes out.
Use the espresso yield calculator for that.
How accurate is the absorption figure?
It is a typical value.
Your filter, grind and how long you let it drip all change it, so weigh your brewed coffee once and nudge the result.
How much water for a 12-cup coffee maker?
A 12-cup carafe holds about 60 fl oz (1,774 ml) of brewed coffee.
At 1:16 that takes roughly 2,030 ml of water and 127 g of coffee, which is more than many reservoirs hold, so most people brew 10 cups instead.
Related Guides
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