Coffee Brew Ratio Calculator

Coffee brew ratios explained

A brew ratio expresses grams of coffee to grams of water. The lower the second number, the stronger the brew. Industry-standard ratios deliver predictable results:

• Pour over (V60, Chemex): 1:16 for a clean balanced cup. 1:15 for a stronger brew.
• Espresso: 1:2 ratio (e.g., 18g in, 36g out) for a normale shot. 1:1.5 for ristretto, 1:3 for lungo.
• French press: 1:15 — slightly stronger to compensate for the long contact time pulling more solids.
• AeroPress: 1:14 to 1:16 depending on recipe; inverted method goes stronger.
• Cold brew: 1:8 concentrate that gets diluted 1:1 with water or milk at serving.

The bloom step

For pour over, pre-wet the grounds with 2 times the coffee weight in water (e.g., 30g water for 15g coffee). Wait 30-45 seconds for CO2 to release before pouring the rest. Skipping bloom causes acidic, uneven extraction.

Grind size by method

• Espresso: Fine, like table salt or finer
• Pour over: Medium-fine, like sea salt
• AeroPress: Medium-fine for short brews, medium-coarse for longer ones
• French press: Coarse, like breadcrumbs
• Cold brew: Extra coarse, like cracked pepper

For tested grinders and brew gear, see our coffee reviews.