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. See our
caffeine calculator for 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.