Coffee Brewing Ratio Calculator

Editor’s note:
It is part of our core philosophy that the best way to make coffee is the way you like it. The ratios in this calculator are based on manufacturer suggestions and crowdsourced information. Use them as a starting point, and then adjust to your liking. Just like every brewer is a little different, so is every person doing the brewing. Happy sipping.

Every method of brewing coffee is unique when it comes to the ideal ratio of water to coffee. We’ve built this handy brewing calculator to quickly and easily see how much water you need for your next cup.

Now there’s no need to remember each ratio or have to Google around every time you want to make a cup — both of which can be especially tough for that first cup of the morning.

How To Dial In To Get the Perfect Brew for You

We’re big fans of the ratios we’ve listed here. And in general, they tend to work for us. But that’s not always the case, and you may simply have different tastes. That’s why we encourage you to use these ratios as a — to use podcast parlance — jumping off point. Here’s how.

Use the Ratios Listed in the Calculator First

You’ve gotta start somewhere. The ratios we’ve used in our calculator tool are as good a place as any.

Use a scale and be sure to measure in grams. Select the brewing tool you’re using from the dropdown. Then, enter the amount of coffee beans you want to use. Once you do, you’ll see the total amount of water to use in the “Water Needed” box.

Brew using this ratio as a starting point for a new coffee. In the next steps, we’ll show you how to adjust to fit your taste.

Consider What You’re Tasting

To be clear, there are more variables to the coffee brewing equation than we’re going over here. Things like grind size, brew time, bloom time, pouring technique, water temperature, and even the composition of your water all play a role. But the most significant factor is the ratio of coffee to water you’re using, so that’s where we’re starting.

Once your cup is at a drinkable temperature, take a few sips. Allow yourself to fully taste the coffee. At this time, we suggest focusing on two components: density of flavor and flavor profile.

Changing Your Ratio

We’re using the term “density of flavor” where many people might use “strength” to describe the same thing: how rich the coffee flavor of your finished brew is. The term “strength” can be a bit of a misnomer because it makes it easy to conflate flavor and amount of caffeine. While there is often a correlation between the two, that is not always the case.

The ratio of coffee to water is directly related to the density of flavor in your cup. As you’d expect, the higher the ratio of coffee to water, the more dense the flavor. For example, a Hario V60 brew ratio of 1:14 would have a higher density of flavor than a ratio of 1:16.

That means that if you’re looking to pack more flavor into your cup, use less water compared to the amount of coffee you’re using. If you want less, go the opposite direction.

Adjust Your Grind Setting

Coffee varies wildly in flavor, but there are some flavors that we generally agree we do not want in our brew, namely “sour” and “bitter.” If you’re tasting either of those notes, it’s time to make adjustments to your grind setting.

Understanding that, again, there are other variables at play, you can remedy a cup that’s out of balance with your grind setting. Coffee pros use the terms “underextracted” and “overextracted” when talking about the quality of a brew. Generally speaking, underextracted coffee tastes sour and overextracted coffee tastes bitter.

If your coffee tastes sour, you can increase the extraction by grinding the beans finer. This increases the surface area of the coffee grounds and slows down the rate at which water seeps through it. Similarly, if your coffee tastes bitter, you can decrease the extraction by moving to a coarser grind setting and speeding up the drip.

The Quest for the Perfect Cup

With experience, you’ll get a feel for your own taste preferences and how to get your brew there. You’ll also learn just how much of an adjustment you need to make when you aren’t getting the flavors you want.

We’ve provided a place to start your journey to the perfect cup of coffee. The rest is up to you.