Coffee Brew Ratio Calculator
Enter how much coffee you want to make and get the exact grams of coffee and water for pour-over, French press, AeroPress or espresso, with cups converted automatically.
How to use it
Pick your brewer, choose how much coffee you want to end up with (or how much ground coffee you have), and the calculator fills in the rest. The ratios below are the sweet spots we use at home; slide them if your beans or taste call for it.
You need
25 g coffee
400 g water (about 1.7 cups)
Our starting ratios
| Method | Ratio | Grind | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pour-over (V60, Kalita, Chemex) | 1:16 | Medium-fine | Bloom with 2x coffee weight in water for 30–45 s. |
| French press | 1:14 | Coarse | 4 minutes steep, skim the crust, press gently. |
| AeroPress | 1:12 | Medium-fine | Concentrated; dilute to taste after pressing. |
| Espresso | 1:2 | Fine | 18 g in, 36 g out in 25–32 s is a safe starting point. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio for pour-over?
Most people land between 1:15 and 1:17. Start at 1:16 (for example 25 g coffee to 400 g water) and go tighter for a bolder cup or looser for a lighter one.
Do I measure water by weight or volume?
By weight. A kitchen scale is the single biggest upgrade for consistency; 1 ml of water weighs 1 g, so grams and millilitres are interchangeable for water.
How big is a "cup" in this calculator?
We use 240 ml (8 US fl oz) as a cup, which is a typical mug. Many coffee makers mark a "cup" as 150 ml, so check your brewer.
Why is espresso so different?
Espresso ratios compare dry coffee to liquid espresso in the cup (typically 1:2), not to the water you push through, so the numbers are much smaller.
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