Finding the ideal coffee to water ratio is one of those simple tricks with the power to take your coffee from blah to unbelievable. Often, when coffee is too weak or too bitter, it boils down to a bad ratio of water to coffee for your brew system and your beans. Because that’s what’s important to remember: the ratio of grounds to water for the perfect espresso will be quite different than the ratio you’d use for French press or drip. Learning how to make adjustments to your ratio, taking all these factors into account, can really make your morning coffee incredible.
What is the coffee-to-water ratio?
Your coffee to water ratio is how many parts coffee you should have for every part of water. It’s based on weight and is the easiest way to understand exactly how much coffee and water to use every time, even as you scale up or down in quantity, to achieve the taste you love. It’s also essential to know to accurately scale your brewing recipe up or down.
Without it, you can easily end up with one of two scenarios. One, your coffee is overly bitter and much too strong because you’ve added too much coffee and not enough water. Two, your coffee is weak and watery because there’s too little coffee and too much water. Essentially, a lack of a proper coffee to water ratio is the primary cause of under- or over-extraction.
What is the optimal coffee-to-water ratio?
You might be wondering if there’s a true answer to the ideal coffee to water ratio. Yes and no, because it will depend on how strong you like your coffee to be. That said, there is a good place to start from, and that’s about 1:16. That means one part coffee for every 16 parts water, which also works out to be about 60 grams of coffee per 1 liter of water. This is a great place to start if you’re new to considering ratios or brewing coffee at home.
Once you brew with a 1:16 ratio, you can start honing in on what you like or dislike about your morning cup and go from there. Want something a little stronger? Try for a 1:15 ratio. Want a milder flavor? Then aim for a 1:18 ratio. Experimenting here will lead you to the proper ratio for your perfect cup. It will also make it easier to adjust your measurements when trying out new beans from different origins or different roasts, both of which are factors that can affect the final product.
Do tools matter when it comes to the coffee-to-water ratio?
Yes! Tools matter a great deal here because switching from the “scoop method” to the optimal coffee to water ratio is all about precision. The scoop method is basically a volumetric measurement, which can be highly inconsistent. A scoop of dark roast and a scoop of light roast coffee can vary in weight by several grams. It’s why your coffee can be good one day and bad the next, even when you’ve used the same number of scoops and the same amount of water!
Investing in a precision scale, ideally one that can measure to the tenth of a gram, will allow you to nail your coffee ratio every time. If you’re making espresso, then grabbing high-quality tampers will also help ensure your ratio is ideal.
Best coffee-to-water ratios by brewing method
How you brew your coffee will have a definite impact on the best coffee-to-water ratio for you. Steep time, water pressure, and more can have an effect on the ratio that’s best for you, so let’s walk through the most common brew methods.
Optimal coffee-to-water ratio for pour-over coffee
An excellent base ratio for pour over is 1:16, which would be 25 grams of coffee to 400 grams of water. It should be the easiest to measure here because you can literally put your entire setup on a scale and measure the water as you pour straight from the kettle. If you’re anxious about getting it right, you can always measure the boiling water into a separate vessel before pouring it over your grounds.
Best coffee-to-water ratio for French press
For french press, start with a base coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 to 1:16. That would be 30 grams of coffee for 450 grams of water for 1:15 and 30 grams of coffee for 480 grams of water for 1:16. Starting with 30–36 grams of coffee for a standard 16–20 ounce french press depending on how strong you like your coffee. French press uses a coarser grind and a 4–5 minute steep time, which means the coffee has less surface area and sits immersed in the water for longer than other brew methods.
Ideal coffee-to-water ratio for drip and coffee pot brewing
For drip coffee, your base coffee to water ratio should be about 1:17. This is how you can get a more balanced cup, and because you won’t have much control over the water temperature, flow rate, or timing, getting the ratio right is even more important. For a full pot with 12 cups, that would be 160 grams of coffee for 2,721 grams of water. That’s how you’ll get the most widely accepted strength and flavor profile. But if you find yourself with constantly weak drip coffee, using this ratio is a great way to correct it. Using filtered water and fresh beans can also go a long way toward improving your cup.
Best coffee-to-water ratio for espresso
Espresso is not only more concentrated, but it uses powerful pressure to brew the coffee, which means a different ratio is necessary. It’s also the simplest ratio, with most people recommending 1:2. That would be about 18 grams of coffee for 36 grams of water. But even in this smaller scope, there’s room to play with brewers varying their shots from 1:1.5 to 1:2.5 depending on the flavor profile they want. These seemingly small changes can have a big impact on the final product, from crema to mouthfeel. That means investing in a high-quality portafilter like those from Pesado can do a lot for improving your shot.
How to measure coffee and water accurately
Weighing your coffee and water is the only way to be precise in your brew ratio. Volumetric measurements are positively unwieldy and will be your biggest downfall when aiming for a perfect and consistent brew. A precision scale that can measure to the tenth of a gram is ideal for the best measurements. Record your measurements and adjustments in a brew journal or app to track your progress and learn more about what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, what you like.
Get the perfect pour with Pesado!
Armed with an understanding of the best coffee to water ratio, at least to start with, you can get on your way to taking your coffee or espresso to the next level. Investing in your method also means investing a little more in your gear, and that’s where Pesado can help (especially for the espresso lovers). Our high-quality portafilters, tampers, mugs, and more allow you to elevate your morning cup. You might only be a few changes away from the best possible cup. Shop the entire collection.
