Lifestyle
Coffee Ratio Calculator
Calculate the perfect coffee-to-water ratio for drip, pour over, French press, AeroPress, espresso, moka pot, and cold brew. Grams, ml, fl oz, and cups.
Brew recipe
Recommended 1:17 (typical range 1:16 to 1:18).
1 fl oz = 29.5735 ml. A standard mug holds about 240 ml (8 fl oz).
Coffee grounds
29.4 g
5.9 tbsp (approx) for 500 ml water (16.91 fl oz)
Ratio
1:17
Coffee
29.4 g
Water
500 ml
Cups
2.08
The SCA Golden Cup standard is 1:17 to 1:18. A 1:17 ratio is the safest starting point for a home drip machine.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Coffee Ratio Calculator
What is the best coffee-to-water ratio?
The SCA Golden Cup standard is 1:17 to 1:18 by weight, meaning 1 gram of coffee for every 17 to 18 grams of water. That is a safe default for drip and most home brewers. Pour over fans usually tighten that to 1:15 to 1:16, French press users go even stronger at 1:12 to 1:15.
How do I read a ratio like 1:17?
The first number is coffee, the second is water, both by weight. So 1:17 means 1 gram of coffee per 17 grams of water. Since 1 ml of water weighs about 1 gram, you can read the second number as milliliters of water without any extra math.
Why does espresso use a different ratio convention?
Espresso ratios are expressed as ground coffee to brewed yield, not water input. A 1:2 ratio means 18 g of grounds yielding 36 g of espresso in the cup. This calculator treats the espresso ratio that way, so the result is the target yield weight you should pull to.
Do I really need a scale?
Yes, if you want repeatable results. Scoops vary wildly with grind size and bean density. A 5 dollar kitchen scale removes that variance and is the single biggest upgrade most home brewers can make.
How many cups does my recipe make?
We use 240 ml as a standard US coffee cup, which matches most mugs and consumer drip machines. The legal US cup is 236.588 ml and the SCA cup is 150 ml, so adjust the cup count if you follow one of those conventions instead.
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