Coffee-to-water ratio: grams for your mug, pot or dripper

The ratio is the simplest way to make a repeatable pot of coffee. “Two scoops per mug” is ambiguous because scoops, beans and mugs differ. Weigh dry coffee, then weigh the water you add. A 1:16.7 recipe means one gram of coffee for about 16.7 grams of water. Multiply either side to fit your actual cup. The table below starts at 60g/L, a useful everyday strength that matches Hario UK's 15g/250ml V60 example. It is not a single perfect answer for every method or bean.

The quick ratio chart

These are water input figures. Coffee grounds retain some of that water, and paper or a brewer may retain a little more. If you need exactly two filled 300ml mugs, allow for loss rather than expecting 600g poured in to become 600g served. The manufacturer “cup” markings on a machine or cafetière usually do not represent a large mug.

How to calculate any amount

At 60g per litre, divide the water grams by about 16.7. For 400g water, 400 ÷ 16.7 is about 24g coffee. If the dose is fixed at 20g, multiply by 16.7 for about 334g water. Kitchen scales that read whole grams are precise enough. Weigh water directly as you pour into a dripper or vessel rather than trusting a kettle's printed marks.

Another common starting point is 55g/L, roughly 1:18.2. The Specialty Coffee Association uses 55g/L as an initial test ratio for certified home brewers before adjusting for grind and contact time. That is a testing starting point, not a command that every household must prefer it. At 1L, the difference between 55g and 60g is only 5g of coffee; taste both before arguing over a universal ideal.

Ratio by brewing method

For a V60 pour-over, 15g/250g is a convenient first cup. You then tune grind and pour to avoid a thin or harsh result. For a cafetière, 36g/600g makes two medium mugs and gives room for the grounds to steep. An automatic filter machine can use the same 60g/L starting dose, but consult its basket capacity and minimum batch size. Do not fill above the maker's stated maximum.

AeroPress recipes vary much more, including short concentrates subsequently diluted with water. You cannot compare the chamber ratio with a full served mug without accounting for dilution. Espresso is also a different measurement: baristas often compare dry coffee dose with beverage yield, not the water put into a machine's tank. This article's table is not an espresso recipe.

If the coffee is weak, sour or bitter

First check whether you measured correctly. Weak can mean too much water for the dose, or poor extraction caused by a grind that is too coarse or a brew that finishes too soon. Add a little coffee if you want a stronger drink, but if it is simultaneously sour and watery, tune extraction too. Bitter or drying flavours can come from over-extraction or the coffee itself; simply removing coffee may make it thin without solving the cause.

Change one variable at a time and write down the result. Keep the dose and water fixed while altering the grind size, or hold the grind fixed while trying 1:16 instead of 1:16.7. If you alter dose, grind, temperature and time together, you will not know what helped. Water quality and roast also matter, but a repeatable ratio makes the next diagnosis possible.

Measuring without specialist equipment

A basic digital kitchen scale is enough if it reads grams and is stable under your brewer. A timer on a phone is fine. If you have no scale today, use the same level scoop and a measured jug consistently, then weigh that scoop once when you can. Consistency is the immediate goal.

Frequently asked questions

Is 1:15 stronger than 1:18?

Yes, as a recipe it uses more coffee for the same water, though extraction and actual cup strength also depend on grind and method. A lower second number means a stronger input ratio.

Is 250ml water equal to 250g?

Close enough for normal home coffee brewing. Use grams on a scale so you can stop pouring at the target without relying on a jug's markings.

Why did my 1L cafetière not fill four 250ml mugs?

Some water stays in the grounds and at the bottom of the vessel. The litre is the input capacity, not guaranteed poured yield.

Can I use this ratio for espresso?

No. Espresso recipes usually track coffee dose and beverage mass in the cup. Use a dedicated espresso guide rather than filling the tank by this table.