Nutrition & Cooking

Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator

Find the coffee dose for your brew.

By TheCalcTools Updated Formula checked and tested

Your numbers

Your results

Coffee (g)
Coffee (g)
—
Level tablespoons (approx.)
—
Water (cups)
—

Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator by TheCalcTools

How the Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator works

Enter the amount of water you want to brew with and choose a ratio.

Coffee weight is the water weight divided by the ratio.

A tablespoon of ground coffee is about 5 g.

The formula

coffee (g) = water (g) ÷ ratio1 ml of water ≈ 1 g

Worked example

Using the default values shown in the calculator:

Water (ml)500
Brew ratio (water per 1 g coffee)1:16 (balanced)
  1. 500 ml of water at a 1:16 ratio.
  2. Coffee = 500 ÷ 16 = 31.2 g.
  3. That is about 6.2 level tablespoons.

Result:

Coffee (g)31.2
Level tablespoons (approx.)6.2
Water (cups)2.11

Frequently asked questions

What ratio does the Specialty Coffee Association suggest?

The SCA’s golden cup standard is about 55 g of coffee per litre of water, roughly 1:18.

Does grind size matter?

Yes. Finer grinds extract faster. If the cup is bitter, grind coarser or shorten the brew; if sour, go finer or brew longer.

Sources and further reading

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This calculator gives general estimates for information and education. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Talk to a qualified health professional about your own situation. See our disclaimer.