Coffee Ratios - Measuring Coffee

When we're talking about ratio, what we mean is brew strength.

Did you know that 30% of coffee solids can be dissolved in water but only 18%-22% of those are actually desirable flavors? That is why, you need to master the skill of finding the perfect balance between aromatics, acidity, sweet and spicy flavors. If your coffee tastes bitter or too woody it is over-extracted, while if it's too sour and you desperately miss some sweetness, it means the coffee was a victim of under extraction.

Depending on what you like, you can adjust the grind to get more or less out of your coffee, if you are within the Golden Ratio range.

Let’s learn two new tricky terms that can help out understand what our aim is. The amount of coffee particles extracted from the original dry grounds is what we call the percentage extraction. The percentage of total dissolved solids is the percentage of coffee solids actually in your cup of coffee or a "brew strength" that we mentioned earlier on. When you correlate these, the result is a Coffee Brewing Control Chart, with a target area in the center that highlights the optimal brew strength.

So how to reach the most refined flavor with the right ratio?

Try using this tactic: start with the Golden Ratio of 17.42 units of water to 1 unit of coffee. The ratio will get you into the optimal zone, plus it is unit-less, which means you can use grams, ounces, pounds or stones. The key moment should be not sticking strictly to the Golden Ratio while fine-tuning. Instead, adjust to taste. To make this game easier, invest in a good scale.

Try using this tactic: start with the Golden Ratio of 17.42 units of water to 1 unit of coffee. The ratio will get you into the optimal zone, plus it is unit-less, which means you can use grams, ounces, pounds or stones. The key moment should be not sticking strictly to the Golden Ratio while fine-tuning. Instead, adjust to taste. To make this game easier, invest in a good scale.

Golden Ratio stands for the perfect balance of coffee and water developed by the SCAA to ensure the best cup of coffee. This is a dream come true for every barista and coffee lover and confirmation that you have mastered the perfect way of coffee brewing! To achieve it, you need a decent amount of patience, a childish drive to play and a huge amount of love for coffee!

In this range the sweet sugars are pleasant and refreshing, the acids and bitter notes are proportionate and the overall taste of the coffee is balanced with all the elements in harmony.

The BIG question keeps emerging and that is – what ratio makes the best Golden Ratio?

If we want to make it simple, we would say it is 2 tbsp (10.6g) of ground coffee beans per 6 oz. of water. It makes a 1/8 cup. The SCAA also defines 10 grams per 6 oz cup as the best measure for brewed coffee, having in mind American standards.

Another advice would be to use 10 grams of ground coffee per 180ml of water, which requires a scale. We encourage the more ambitious ones to try it out and invest in this piece of equipment, as it is absolutely worthwhile.

Factors to have in mind

Knowing how to measure your ground beans is a crucial detail for making the best coffee ratio. It can be done in several ways with several tools. Again – the point is freeing your mind to experiment, play and enjoy and after a while you will figure out exactly which method suits best for you. Then all you have to do is stay persistent in practicing it until you become a coffee ratio virtuoso!

Volume Measuring

In case you are a fan of this type of measuring, there are two tools you can use.

The biggest flaw of this type of measuring is imprecision.

Coffee beans come in all sizes, so a bean from one part of the world can be tiny while the one from the different zone can be twice the size. You have to have this in mind while measuring, as it can significantly affect the final coffee taste. Density matters as well. A tablespoon of one coffee may just be 4g of coffee. A tablespoon of a different coffee can be as much as 7g of coffee, even though the beans can often look the exact same size.

Nearly 2 grams difference per tablespoon will throw your whole recipe out of whack.

That is why you can always opt for the second method we recommend. And that is….

Measuring with a Scale

Using a scale to measure is a lifesaver! It can change everything and it facilitates the whole process greatly! Here is why:

  Accuracy Is Mama! – Different beans can be more or less dense, making measurements inaccurate compared to weighted measurements. Using a scale will help you measure with precision, which will result in finding the right ratio of ground coffee to water and perfecting your skills.

  Test & Repeat – Once coffee and water are measured, a scale enables you to repeat this giving you the same result every time! No fuss and too much testing, triumph with the tested recipe!

  Reducing Waste – By using a grinder we often grind more coffee than needed. It is such a coffee waste! Using weighted single doses can reduce waste almost completely. And it’s a good thing, right? We want our beans IN the coffee mug, not away from it.

  Play & Experiment – Using a scale allows you to play around with different brew ratios so you can find that perfect shot. You can test it with all different methods of coffee - French Press/immersion, pour overs, iced coffee, AeroPress, etc.

The scale does not have to cost a fortune. Do your research and purchase the more affordable one. Once it finds its place on your kitchen counter you will say goodbye to inconsistency for good and learn how to brew with fun and ease.

Before we jump onto the ratio tips and tricks, let’s share a few words about the equipment you need to have. In order to make a pour over coffee, you will need a brewing device, filters and a kettle.

A dripper is a device that holds the coffee filter and grounds. Get yourself a nice Chemex, Kalita Wave, or even the everday Melitta. The advantage of using any one of these devices is that they are easily available, simple to use, and most of all – each has a specific design that affects the flow and extraction process.

As for the filters, you can use either paper filters or cloth filters. Make sure your filter fits the dripper properly. Cloth filters are slightly more desirable because they do not affect the final taste of the coffee as the paper ones. In order to avoid the odd smells, rinse your paper filter and the problem is gone.

Do your online research before buying a kettle. There are many types - electric, stove-top or a batch water heater will be just fine for finalizing your heavenly drip drink. See our coffee gift guide for some of our top picks in coffee making gadgets.

Drip typically requires less coffee. A ratio between 1:15 and 1:17 will get you from bold to standard, but let’s agree that 1g of coffee to 17g of water is an excellent starting point.

Try changing the ratio of coffee to water. If your brew lets you down with a watery note, this means it’s time to add more coffee without changing other factors and assessing if it tastes better. If your cup seems to be too intense, reduce the amount of coffee. An important detail is to use filtered water only, because tap water can contain contaminants that affect flavor.

Always note or remember the changes you have made, so you can recreate your mastered brew recipe!

  Fun Fact: Did you know that the first pour is also called the bloom pour? It is essential for an even extraction because it soaks all of the grounds. To make the most out of it, pour in slow and steady spirals, then stir gently. Give it some love for about 30-45 seconds.

Espresso

Playing around with brew ratio, time, and the temperature is very important as every single of these factors are crucial for the final taste of your coffee. So, keep reading and feel free to take notes.

The dose of dry ground coffee that you put into the basket of the portafilter should range from 13 to 22 grams, depending on the coffee basket. The weight of the liquid espresso should be somewhere between one and three times the weight of the dry coffee. The most common brew ratio is two times the dry coffee dose, meaning: if you decide to use 18 grams of dry coffee, you will get 36 grams of coffee in your cup.

Aim for the brew time to be between 25 and 35 seconds. If you start with 18 grams of coffee and your target brew ratio is 1:2, then it should take about 25 to 35 seconds for the espresso machine to produce a 36-gram shot of espresso.

Water temperature is one of the crucial factors for a good recipe. The ideal one should be between 195 °F / 91 °C and 203 °F / 95 °C. Most professionals go for 200 °F / 93 °C but don’t let this give you too much of a headache. Beginners can always use the default brew temperature on the coffee machine.

French Press

During the French Press method, the coffee is immersed in water while it brews (for more details on this brewing method see our 'French Press 101 Guide' here, and see our favorite French press makers here).

We’ll teach you how to go from light to strong and make three different variants of brew, following simple coffee ratio instructions.

First of all, let’s do a recap of what the ratio actually represents - a 1:15 ratio describes 1 gram of coffee to 15 milliliters of water, while a 1:18 ratio would be 1 part coffee and 18 parts water and will be more diluted. These are the three different ratios we encourage you to try out and see for yourself which type of brew you'll most likely fall in love with.

Light Brew

If you prefer just a bit of coffee with your water, start with a 1:16 to 1:18 coffee to water ratio, or approximately 18g of coffee to 300 ml of water.

Normal Brew

For the indecisive ones, the best option would be a moderate one. The everyday coffee drinker will generally use a 1:13 to 1:15 ratio or approximately 20g of coffee to 300ml of water.

Strong Brew

To kick off a new day with a wonderful bold cup of coffee, we recommend you use a 1:10 to 1:12 ratio. This means, if you’re making 12 oz of coffee, that would equate to around 30 grams of coffee with 300 ml of water.

Dear lazy ones – if you wish to measure your ratio having in mind the cups, voilà:

  Don’t forget: Although they may look alike, have in mind the density of your beans will always vary. For that reason, ditch that spoon and use the scale! The only way to ensure the accuracy of your measurements is to measure by weight, not by volume.

Pour Over Coffee

This method involves pouring hot water through coffee grounds in a filter. The water drains through the coffee and filter into a carafe or mug. Making pourover coffee takes a little practice, but once you dial it in you'll love the results. See our complete guide on the art of making pourover coffee. Pour over, also known as filter coffee or drip coffee, is clean, consistent and we love it because it accentuates intricate flavors.

We call cold brew every coffee that is brewed by steeping coffee grounds in cold or room-temperature water for an extended period of time. This method is specific because we use water that is not heated, so adjusting the right ratio is a crucial step for getting the desired flavor. That is if you are not a fan of consuming brownish water looking and tasting like a swamp.

To make this type of brew, you will need some basic gadgets like a glass jar and a quality filter. With the key detail – tons of patience! We all know cold brew takes time.

We can say with confidence that a cold brew coffee ratio of 1:8 is an ideal measure for a balanced preparation. Since in this method specifically, brew times can make a huge difference, experimenting is key.

So, there you go – we are pleased to give you some insights that will help you play the right way!

Cold Brew coffee-to-water ratios

Now it’s time to play!

Don’t be afraid to test, experiment and fail. After all, the greatest pleasure is hidden in the practice and joy of discovering new ways to make and consume the world’s most wanted, most adored drink – coffee.