Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator

1:16 (about 62 grams of coffee per liter of water) is the most common starting point for drip and pour-over, and it's the SCA's reference ratio for a reason — it balances strength and clarity for most beans and roast levels.

From there, move toward 1:15 for a bolder cup or 1:17-1:18 if it tastes too strong or bitter.

By weight.

A tablespoon of coffee can vary by 30% or more depending on grind size, bean density, and how packed the scoop is, so two "level scoops" from two different bags rarely brew the same.

A cheap kitchen scale removes that variable entirely and is the single biggest upgrade for a consistent cup.

Yes. This calculator's ratios (1:15-1:18) are for drip machines and pour-over.

French press typically runs stronger, around 1:12-1:15 — use the dedicated French press ratio calculator for that. Espresso works on a completely different scale (1:1 to 1:3, by weight of the shot itself, not brew water) — see the espresso yield calculator.

If the ratio is right but the cup still tastes thin, the cause is almost always grind size (too coarse for your brew time pulls less flavor out) or water temperature (should be 195-205°F / 90-96°C).

A ratio calculator gets the strength math right, but extraction — how much flavor actually comes out of the grounds — depends on grind and contact time too.

There's no reliable tablespoon answer, because scoop weight varies with grind and roast.

As a rough guide, 1:16 works out to about 15 g of coffee for a 240 ml cup.

Weigh it with a scale and enter the amount above for an exact figure.

At the common 1:16 ratio, 1 liter (1,000 ml) of water takes about 62 g of coffee.

Use 67 g (1:15) for a bolder pot or 55-59 g (1:17-1:18) for a lighter one.

The calculator converts any amount in either direction.