Coffee to Water Brewing Ratio (The Simple Way)
(Scoops, Tablespoons, Ounces & Grams)
Rounded off numbers for ease of use
| BREWED CUPS | WATER | GROUND COFFEE | |||||
| US Cups | US Fl Oz | ml | Scoops | Tablespoons (TBS) | ounces | grams | |
| 1 | 3/4 | 6 | 180 | 1 | 2 TBS | 3/8 | 11 |
| 2 | 1 1/2 | 12 | 360 | 2 | 4 TBS | 3/4 | 22 |
| 4 | 3 | 24 | 720 | 4 | 8 TBS | 1 1/2 | 44 |
| 6 | 4 1/2 | 36 | 1080 | 6 | 12 TBS | 2 1/4 | 66 |
| 8 | 6 | 48 | 1440 | 8 | 16 TBS | 3 | 88 |
| 10 | 7 1/2 | 60 | 1800 | 10 | 20 TBS | 3 3/4 | 110 |
| 12 | 9 | 72 | 2160 | 12 | 24 TBS | 4 1/4 | 132 |
The “Golden Ratio” – two tablespoons of coffee for every six ounces of water will give you an acceptable cup of coffee, but that is just the beginning; if you really want to dial it in, I have some tips to make you the most knowledgeable coffee snob in the neighborhood.
People often find themselves wondering how much coffee for how much water when they are brewing coffee. They might know how to make THEIR cup in the morning, or THEIR pot, but when visitors come over, and they need to make ten or twelve cups, they need some help with the math. The above handy-dandy chart is a quick reference to solve that problem. It will give you the amounts to brew an acceptable pot of coffee. And that’s fine if you are a normal coffee person, but it begs the question: What is THE RIGHT WAY? If you really want to elevate your game, we need to get into the weeds.
Skip to the Metric Version
What “Ratio” Actually Means
What is the correct amount of water?
Get the Measurement right
What is the correct amount of coffee?
French Press Coffee to Water Ratio
Coffee to Water Ratio for Drip Coffee Makers
A Note From Tim
FAQs
What “Ratio” Actually Means (and Why Tablespoons ≠ Scoops ≠ Grams)
I’ve thrown that word, “ratio,” around a bit; it simply means the relationship between two or more values. A one-to-one ratio (1:1 or 1/1) means that both are equal. Two to one (2:1 or 2/1) means that there are twice as many of one thing as the other. I’ll admit, it’s a little math-y. In the coffee world, the basic coffee-to-water brewing ratio is two tbsp per cup: two tablespoons of ground coffee to six ounces of water, cheekily named The Golden Ratio.
It is probably not surprising to find that “a scoop” is not an official unit of measure. Thankfully, because of how well-known the Golden Ratio is, most “coffee scoops” have a volume of two tablespoons.
Using a volume measure like “scoops” is quick, but it is not the most accurate way to determine how much coffee you are brewing. You can get very precise: Beethoven is known to have insisted on 60 beans for each cup of coffee. But I think we can do Beethoven one better.
Neither of these two methods accounts for the fact that some coffees are more or less dense than others, and coffee beans are not all the same size! Bar none, the best way to get the right amount of coffee is by weight. Three ounces (by weight, not the same as a fluid ounce) of dry, ground coffee brewed with 6 cups (48 fluid ounces) of water will give you 8 cups of the “golden ratio brew.” So, break out the kitchen scale if you really want to get it right. And if you really want to get it right, use metric measurements: grams and milliliters!
A minor controversy
There has been some back and forth online about whether you should measure the volume of your coffee before or after you grind it. Both camps are adamant that “their way” is “the right way.” Someone asked me about this a while back, and I decided to do a little experiment to determine which one WAS the “right way.” Spoiler Alert: I’m going to let you in on my conclusion in a moment, so if you want to view the original page first, do it now, or forever hold your peace.
In short, I found a visible volume difference between whole beans and the same beans ground. However, the difference was so slight that when I added more ground coffee to bring the level up to the top of the two-tablespoon scoop, it didn’t change the weight on my digital kitchen scale. My conclusion was that it was “a distinction that did not make a difference in my cup.”
What is the correct amount of water?
The first thing you might notice is that the table above says to use ¾ cup of water to brew 1 cup of coffee. What’s that all about? Surely the liquid doesn’t magically expand. Well, the difference comes from the fact that a cup of water by US measure is 8 fluid ounces, but a “cup” of coffee is 6 fluid ounces. Although this difference might sound odd, the reason for it is that coffee is usually served in a “teacup” and a teacup holds six ounces. We can thank England for that.
Now, if you like your coffee in a mug, that is going to come in at 10 – 12 fluid ounces, depending on the size. A Starbucks Venti? Well, that’s 20. FYI, those little European demitasses that they use for espresso are 3 fluid ounces (Get it? demi = half and tasse = cup. Three is half of six, which makes it a half cup!). With all these confusing numbers, it is little wonder that we run into difficulty when we try to brew a proper cup of coffee.
Get the measurement right
Since there is such a large variation in the amount of liquid that might be found in a “cup,” we must accurately determine how much water we are actually dealing with. So, in order to get the correct coffee-to-water brewing ratio in the brewing process, we have to use a measuring cup to find out our numbers.
- What is the volume, in ounces, of your cup?
- What is the volume, in ounces, of your pot?
- What do the gradations on the pot represent?
Swiped from HulaDaddy.com
I know, the pot says “12,” but 12 what? 12 teacups or 12 US cups? Or maybe it is just 12 of whatever the guy who designed the pot had lying around. The bottom line is, you don’t really know until you actually measure it. Once we get that figured out, we are ready for the important part of the ratio: the correct amount of coffee.
Metric is sooooo much easier!
The “Golden Ratio” translates to roughly 61 grams of coffee for every liter of water. This will give you an acceptable cup of coffee. At that point, it is up to you to adjust your water to fit your cup needs and your ground coffee to fit your tastes. The following chart will give you the proper coffee-to-water brewing ratio.
Dedicated Metric Coffee to Water Brewing Ratio
| Brewing Ratio (By Volume) | ||
| Cup Size | How Much Coffee to Use | Water |
| Demitasse (90 ml) | 5-6 grams | 90 ml |
| Teacup (180 ml) | 11 grams | 180 ml |
| 200 ml | 12 grams | 200 ml |
| US cup (240 ml) | 14-15 grams | 240 ml |
| 300 ml | 18 grams | 300 ml |
| 350 ml | 21-22 grams | 350 ml |
| 1 liter pot | 61 grams | 1 liter |
Basically, just multiply the amount of water (in ml) you are using by .061 to get the proper amount of coffee.
What is the correct amount of water, Metric-style?
First off, let me define some terms for the non-US audience. The first thing you might notice is that the table above says you are brewing 1 cup of coffee. Here is where some confusion may arise.
A “cup” can mean different things depending on the circumstances. A cup of water by US measure is 8 fluid ounces. This is equal to about 237 ml. But wait a minute: A “cup” of coffee is 6 fluid ounces, about 177 ml. The reason for this discrepancy is that coffee is usually served in a “teacup” and, thanks to the British, a teacup traditionally holds six ounces. Now, if, like me, you like your coffee in a mug, that is usually going to come in at 300 – 350 ml, depending on the size. A Starbucks Venti? Well, venti is the Italian word for twenty, and 20 fluid ounces equals roughly 600 ml. I know it can be confusing, but we want to get our coffee-to-water brewing ratio correct, right?
FYI
Those little cups they serve you in a fancy restaurant are called a demitasse. Demitasse comes from the French words demi and tasse, which mean half and cup. That’s right, those little cups are 3 fluid ounces (Get it? Three is half of six, which makes it a half cup!). That works out to about 90 ml. Don’t even get me started on Imperial measures. It is little wonder that we run into difficulty when we try to brew a proper cup of coffee.
Clockwise from the top, they hold 300 ml, 350 ml, 75 ml, and 275 ml.
What is the correct amount of coffee?
a scoop is little more than a guess.
Using a volume measure like “spoonfuls” or “scoops” is not an accurate way to determine how much coffee you have. “Two spoonfuls per cup” or “10 scoops per pot” is just not going to get the job done. If you want the right amount of coffee, you must weigh it.
Remember, the “golden ratio brew” is 61 grams per liter of water. Which means that if you are brewing one of my 350 ml mugs in a pour over, you will need to use 21-22 grams of coffee for the proper coffee to water brewing ratio. So, break out the kitchen scale if you really want to get it right.
So, what is the correct amount of coffee?
Of course, in the end, it is all a matter of taste, and all of this fussing about only gives you a baseline. Brew a cup and see if it is all you hoped it would be. If it isn’t, then adjust the amount of coffee up or down to suit your taste. Once you have zeroed in on your brewing preferences, you can go back to the “spoonful” method and eyeball it. You will be able to estimate accurately how much coffee you need for your particular situation.
I suggest checking your measurements when you switch coffees; every coffee is different from roast to roast, and switching from a Sumatran Monsooned coffee to a strictly hard bean Guatemalan might make a big difference in the amount of coffee you need for a specific volume. A little time and care can go a long way toward improving your cup. After all, if you are going to be semi-serious about your coffee brewing technique, then you are going to have to decide to make a little extra effort, take a little extra care, and time.
Another minor controversy
Lately, there has been a switch to using ratios like 1:17 or 1:15 on some of the fancier sites aimed at the coffee fanatic. This is just another way Big CoffeeTM tries to keep you in their pocket. These ratios are just expressing the relationship of coffee to water based on weight. One gram of coffee to 17 grams of water. This is easily explained, but to do it, I’m going to have to get math-y again.
If you look at the metric parts of The Chart, you will see that for 180 ml of water, you need 11 grams of coffee for a proper cup. The great thing about ratios is that they work in both directions. So, if we multiply 11 (grams of coffee) times 17 (that 1:17 ratio), we get 187 for the grams of water necessary. One gram of water has a volume of one milliliter (just another sensible thing about metric measures). That means 187 ml of water, which is ridiculously close to 180.
As I said earlier, and I’ll probably say it again: These are just guidelines to get you a drinkable cup of coffee and to maintain the proper coffee-to-water brewing ratio. If you think it needs to be stronger, you will have ample opportunities to adjust your brew to your taste.
French Press Coffee to Water Ratio
Many coffee aficionados swear by the French press. They go on and on about the rich, pure coffee flavors. They talk about the easy brewing. They’ll swear it is the ONLY way to brew “real” coffee. The pots are readily available at almost every location that sells brewing equipment, and they can be found in the kitchen of every Airbnb I have ever stayed in. There never seems to be any instruction booklet with them, though. The coffee lover coming face-to-face with a plunger pot for the first time has many questions and may find themselves with nowhere to turn. How many cups of water should I use? How many scoops of coffee?
To improve the likelihood that your coffee will be at least drinkable, remember the “Golden Ratio.” No matter what type of coffee brewing method you are using, two tablespoons of coffee per six fluid ounces of water will serve. If you prefer metric measurements, that works out to 11 grams of coffee per 200 milliliters of water.
How to Find the Right Amounts for YOUR French Press Pot
Now that you know the correct ratio, here is the foolproof method for determining the exact amount of water and the precise amount of coffee to use for your particular French press pot. You will need the pot, a method for measuring volume, such as a liquid measuring cup, and enough water to fill the pot.
Measure how much water the pot holds and match that up to one of the above charts to determine how much coffee to use. It’s that easy! If you ever get stuck in any coffee brewing conundrum, remember this secret that Big CoffeeTM doesn’t want you to know: one teaspoon of coffee for each ounce of water. You see, the Golden Ratio is two tablespoons of coffee to six ounces of water, and one tablespoon equals three teaspoons. That means 6 teaspoons to 6 ounces, or one teaspoon to one ounce!
I wrote an extensive article on this subject, The GOLDEN Coffee to Water Ratio for Perfect French Press Coffee. Check it out!
Coffee to Water Ratio for Drip Coffee Makers
The Golden Ratio, two tablespoons per cup, holds here. Decide how many cups you are going to make, and fill the reservoir to that level. Add two tablespoons (or one scoop) per cup to the filter basket. Remember to put a filter in there! And also remember to put the pot in place so the coffee has somewhere to go. You’d be surprised at how common it is to forget one of these.
The way these machines work, the coffee that comes into the pot at first is extra strong, so wait until the entire pot has brewed before drinking. Don’t let anyone shame you for your coffee brewing style!
A Note From Tim
My coffee habits vary depending on whatever strikes me. Currently, I am on a French Press vibe and have been for a couple of months. I think it might be because the citrus trees in the garden like the coffee grounds, and the press is a bit easier to do the application (when I’m in my “pour over season,” I just feed it to my worm compost). My press holds 500ml, and I use 33g of coffee. Based on the Golden Ratio, my coffee amount should be a little over 30 grams, but I like my coffee a little stronger than the Golden Ratio. The lemon and lime trees seem to like it, too!
Skip to the Metric Version
What “Ratio” Actually Means
What is the correct amount of water?
Get the Measurement right
What is the correct amount of coffee?
French Press Coffee to Water Ratio
Coffee to Water Ratio for Drip Coffee Makers
A Note From Tim
FAQs
FAQs about Coffee to Water Brewing Ratio
If you are Ludwig van Beethoven, the answer is 60. But for the rest of us, one must consider the volume of the cup. Let’s go with a standard, 6-oz cup: For me, it’s 72. For the Golden Ratio, it’s about 60 (I guess Beethoven knew a thing or two)! I wrote an article, How many coffee beans to make a cup.
Well, that’s a pretty subjective question, and to a large extent, it depends on how strong you like your brew. I like to think of it in terms of “beans per ounce of coffee” – what I modestly call The Bruno NumberTM. In my case, it’s 12. Your mileage may vary. What’s your Bruno Number?
That’s easy: The Golden Ratio is two tablespoons per 6-ounce cup, or 6 teaspoons per cup. If you are drinking from a mug or some other oversized vessel, you will need more coffee to get the strength you want. Measure the volume and check the above charts.
Good question! This is not as straightforward as it might seem; 4 US cups of water equals 32 fluid ounces. Looking at The ChartTM, we see that 32 ounces falls in between 4 and 6 cups, which indicates an amount between 8 and 12 tablespoons (or 4 and 6 scoops). You could estimate it would be about 11 tablespoons. In fact, it would be 10 2/3 tablespoons or 10 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons.
Short answer: The Golden Ratio is 2 tablespoons per 6-ounce cup. A bigger cup or mug means you will need more coffee! See The ChartTM for more exact numbers.
Assuming your scoop holds two tablespoons – most of them do – 5 scoops of coffee will give you a standard cup of coffee. If you like it stronger, add a little more!