What is the golden ratio for coffee?
The SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) recommends 1:15 to 1:18 (coffee:water by weight) for most filter methods — the so-called "golden ratio." For a 250 ml cup that's 14–17 g of coffee. Start at 1:16 and adjust to taste: lower ratios (1:13) give stronger, more concentrated brew; higher ratios (1:18) give a lighter, more delicate cup.
How much coffee do I use for pour over?
For pour over (V60, Kalita Wave, Hario Switch) use 1:15 to 1:17. For a 250 ml cup that's 15–17 g of coffee. Most specialty roasters recommend 1:16 as the default starting point. Water temperature: 93–96°C. Grind: medium-fine. Brew time: 3–4 minutes including a 30 second bloom.
Browse our natural process pour overs.
How much coffee for French press?
French press typically uses 1:12 to 1:17 depending on preference. A medium strength 1:15 ratio with 300 ml of water requires 20 g of coffee. Use a coarse grind and steep for 4 minutes. The immersion brew method extracts differently than filter — the lack of paper filter lets more oils through, giving a fuller body.
Try a washed process coffee for a cleaner cup.
What ratio does AeroPress use?
AeroPress is very flexible — ratios range from 1:10 (espresso-style concentrate) to 1:17 (filter-style). The World AeroPress Championship standard recipe uses about 11 g coffee to 200 ml water (1:18) in a 1–2 minute press. Experiment with pressure, temperature, and ratio to find your sweet spot.
What is the espresso brew ratio?
Espresso uses a much tighter ratio than filter coffee: 1:1.5 to 1:3 by weight (dose:yield). A standard double shot uses 18–20 g of coffee and yields 36–40 g of espresso in 25–30 seconds. Specialty espresso often targets 1:2 to 1:2.5. Yield ratio has a dramatic effect on flavor — shorter yields taste more intense, longer yields are sweeter and lighter.
Why weigh coffee instead of using scoops or tablespoons?
Coffee density varies by 20–30% depending on roast level and bean size — a tablespoon of light roast can weigh significantly more than a tablespoon of dark roast. Weighing in grams gives consistent, repeatable results. Most specialty baristas consider a digital scale (±0.1 g) essential for dialing in brew recipes. No scale yet? Our
Coffee Scoop to Grams Converter turns scoops and tablespoons into grams, and the
caffeine calculator adds dose context.
How much coffee for cold brew?
Cold brew concentrate uses 1:5 to 1:8 (coffee:water). Ready-to-drink cold brew uses 1:10 to 1:12. For 400 ml of ready-to-drink cold brew at 1:10, use 40 g of extra-coarse ground coffee. Steep at room temperature for 12–18 hours or refrigerated for 18–24 hours. Strain through a fine mesh or paper filter.
Natural process coffees shine in cold brew.