Amount of Coffee I have (g)
Amount of Water I want to use (ml/g)
1:15 (Strong/Full Bodied)
1:16 (Balanced/Standard)
1:17 (Golden Cup/Classic)
1:18 (Mild/Lighter)
1:12 (Aeropress/Moka Pot Style)
Custom Ratio
The Secret to Better Coffee: Mastering the Ratio
If you've ever wondered why your coffee tastes watery one day and bitter the next, the culprit is likely your coffee-to-water ratio. Professional baristas don't use "scoops" or "cups"—they use grams. Precision is the difference between a mediocre morning and a cafe-quality experience at home.
What is the "Golden Ratio"?
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) recommends a ratio of 1:17. This means for every 1 gram of coffee, you use 17 grams (or milliliters) of water. This ratio generally provides the best extraction, highlighting the unique flavor profiles of the bean without over-extracting bitterness.
Ratio
Strength Profile
Best For
1:12 – 1:13
Very Strong
Aeropress, Cold Brew Concentrate
1:15
Bold / Rich
French Press, Siphon
1:16 – 1:17
Balanced / Sweet
V60, Chemex, Auto-Drip
1:18
Tea-like / Delicate
Light Roasts, Pour-over
Realistic Brewing Examples
Standard Mug (340ml): To get a standard 12oz mug of coffee using a 1:17 ratio, you need exactly 20g of ground coffee.
Large French Press (850ml): For a full pot using a 1:15 ratio (better for immersion), you should use approximately 56.6g of coffee.
Aeropress (200ml): For a concentrated shot at 1:12, you would use 16.6g of coffee.
Why Grams instead of Milliliters?
In the world of coffee, 1 gram of water is exactly equal to 1 milliliter of water. Using a digital scale to weigh both your coffee grounds and your water allows for 100% repeatability. If you find a brew you love, you can recreate it perfectly every single morning by following the exact same ratio.
Tips for Success
Freshness: Always grind your beans right before brewing.
Water Quality: Since coffee is 98% water, use filtered water for the cleanest taste.
Temperature: Aim for 195°F to 205°F (90°C – 96°C). Water that is too hot causes bitterness, while too cold leads to sourness.
function toggleInputs() {
var mode = document.getElementById("calculationMode").value;
var label = document.getElementById("mainLabel");
var input = document.getElementById("inputValue");
if (mode === "coffeeFirst") {
label.innerText = "Coffee Weight (grams)";
input.placeholder = "e.g. 20";
} else {
label.innerText = "Target Water Volume (ml/g)";
input.placeholder = "e.g. 340";
}
document.getElementById("coffeeResult").style.display = "none";
}
function updateRatioInput() {
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if (preset === "custom") {
customGroup.style.display = "block";
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customGroup.style.display = "none";
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}
function calculateCoffee() {
var mode = document.getElementById("calculationMode").value;
var val = parseFloat(document.getElementById("inputValue").value);
var preset = document.getElementById("ratioPreset").value;
var ratio;
if (preset === "custom") {
ratio = parseFloat(document.getElementById("customRatioValue").value);
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if (isNaN(val) || val <= 0 || isNaN(ratio) || ratio <= 0) {
resultArea.style.display = "block";
resultText.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for weight and ratio.";
return;
}
if (mode === "coffeeFirst") {
var waterNeeded = val * ratio;
resultText.innerHTML = "To use " + val + "g of coffee at a 1:" + ratio + " ratio, you need:" + waterNeeded.toFixed(1) + " ml of water";
} else {
var coffeeNeeded = val / ratio;
resultText.innerHTML = "For " + val + "ml of water at a 1:" + ratio + " ratio, you need:" + coffeeNeeded.toFixed(1) + " g of coffee";
}
resultArea.style.display = "block";
}