Hey! Have you ever wondered why some people’s coffee tastes bitter and astringent, while others’ is smooth and delicious, with a balanced flavor? Well, mastering the coffee ratio (coffee-to-water ratio) is one of the key secrets to that deliciousness!
In this article, I’ll start from the objective theory of coffee extraction, combine it with my own practical brewing experience, and hand-hold you through how to use an electronic scale for precise measurements. Step by step, you’ll discover the perfect pour-over golden ratio for you. Trust me, once you get the ratio right, you too can easily brew coffee that fills you with hope, leading to joyful, relaxing coffee moments!
1️⃣ Why is the Coffee Ratio So Important? (It Relates to Extraction Yield & Flavor)
Imagine coffee extraction as a treasure hunt. Hot water will sequentially bring out the “treasures” from the coffee grounds: acidity appears first, followed by delightful sweetness, and finally bitterness.
If the ratio of coffee grounds to water isn’t right, this treasure hunt might fail! An appropriate coffee ratio allows various flavor compounds in the coffee to be evenly released, making the coffee extraction yield fall within the optimal 18%-22% range, and keeping the strength at an ideal 1.2%-1.4% for the best taste.
- If the ratio is unbalanced, leading to under-extraction, your coffee will taste too acidic and watery.
- Conversely, if over-extraction occurs, the coffee will become bitter and astringent.
According to international coffee professional organizations (like the SCA) and many food media, the “golden ratio” for coffee is often recommended to be 1:15 to 1:18. Among these, 1:16 (for example, 20g of coffee beans to 320g of water) is highly recommended by many professional baristas and coffee enthusiasts as the starting point for the most balanced taste. This was also my baseline when I first learned the pour-over golden ratio! This golden brew ratio is a great starting point for beginners.
2️⃣ Recommended Ratios for Different Coffee Flavors & Brewing Methods: A Reference Chart
Different coffee brewing methods, due to varying water-to-coffee ground contact methods and times, suit different coffee ratios. This table summarizes my coffee ratio recommendations, based on professional knowledge and my own practical tests!
| Brewing Method | Recommended Ratio Range | Coffee Taste Characteristics |
| Pour-over / Pour-over | 1:15 ~ 1:17 | Clean, medium strength |
| Drip Filter or Automatic Coffee Maker | 1:16 ~ 1:18 | Clear, smooth |
| French Press / Immersion | 1:12 ~ 1:15 | Rich, full-bodied, stronger sweetness |
| Cold Brew Coffee | 1:8 ~ 1:10 (concentrate) | Intense iced flavor, refreshing finish |
| Espresso | 1:1 ~ 1:4 (adjustable by shot length) | Intense taste, excellent crema |
匯出到試算表
These ratio recommendations are based on international standards and most coffee guides. Of course, this is just the beginning! You can fine-tune based on your coffee bean roast level and your personal preferred coffee flavor to find your most suitable “golden ratio“! Remember, this pour over ratio and ratios for other brewing methods are all open for exploration!
3️⃣ How to Measure with an Electronic Scale? Follow My Steps to Brew Your Golden Ratio!
Measuring the coffee ratio isn’t difficult at all! Just follow my steps, and you too can easily use an electronic scale for precise measurements to brew perfectly proportioned coffee!
You’ll need to prepare:
- Your desired coffee beans (e.g., 20g)
- An electronic scale (preferably a coffee scale with a timer function)
- Your pour-over kettle, coffee dripper, and other pour-over equipment
Measuring and Brewing Steps:
- Calculate Water Amount: Based on your desired coffee ratio, calculate how much water you need.
- Ratio = Coffee Grounds Weight ÷ Water Weight
- For example: If you choose a 1:16 ratio and 20g of coffee grounds, then the water amount is 20g times16=320g of water.
- Weigh Coffee Beans: Place the coffee beans on the electronic scale and precisely weigh out the desired amount (e.g., 20g).
- Start Brewing (Bloom):
- Place the coffee dripper on the electronic scale and tare it to zero.
- Pour a small amount of hot water (usually 2-3 times the weight of the coffee grounds, e.g., 40-60g of water) for the bloom. You’ll see the coffee grounds slowly swell up like bread; this means the coffee grounds are evenly absorbing water, ready to release their coffee aroma.
- Steady Pour: After observing the coffee grounds evenly expanding, continue pouring water at a steady rate until the electronic scale shows your calculated total water amount (e.g., 320g).
- Control Brewing Time: At the same time, pay attention to the coffee brewing time. For example, pour-over coffee typically recommends a total extraction time of 2 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes.
📌 My experience is: After I started using a coffee ratio, the flavor consistency of my brewed coffee significantly improved! It no longer fluctuated between good and bad! Furthermore, I could replicate similar coffee flavor results much faster with different coffee beans. This has given me much more confidence in pour-over coffee!
4️⃣ Should I Change the Ratio for High-Altitude Beans? My Practical Advice!
Did you know? Coffee beans grown at high altitudes, due to their unique growing environment, often have a higher density and slower coffee flavor development. Therefore, their acidity and flavor characteristics tend to be more prominent.
Some coffee guides suggest that for these types of high-altitude coffee beans (especially light roast beans), you can slightly adjust the coffee ratio to make it “stronger” (e.g., 1:14 or 1:15). Doing so can increase the coffee extraction strength, making the coffee flavor more concentrated and preventing it from tasting weak or thin due to an overly diluted ratio.
In fact, I’ve tried it myself! If high-altitude beans are roasted lightly or have complex coffee flavors, moderately increasing the ratio can indeed make the coffee flavor more concentrated, allowing you to taste its unique characteristics more clearly! This coffee ratio fine-tuning truly tests your palate.
5️⃣ My Own Practical Experience Sharing: Ratio Really Makes a Huge Difference in Flavor!
The first time I got a bag of light roast Ethiopian coffee beans, I brewed it with a pour-over ratio of 1:18. The coffee flavor was on the lighter side, and while the acidity was noticeable, it was a bit “too prominent,” like plain fruit juice, though the aroma was captivating.
Later, I adjusted the coffee ratio to 1:16, and wow! The coffee’s taste immediately became much rounder, and the sweetness was more distinct! Then I daringly tried 1:15. At this point, the fruity sweetness was even more pronounced, but that acidity was gently softened, and the aftertaste became incredibly smooth. It was then I realized that with the same coffee bean, different ratios can lead to drastically different coffee flavors – it’s absolutely amazing! This pour over ratio adjustment significantly enriched my coffee experience.
I also tried using a strong 1:12 ratio for cold brew coffee (of course, I drank it iced!). The coffee flavor was rich but not bitter, and incredibly smooth! This continuous experimentation process allows me to find the right coffee ratio baseline much faster every time I get new coffee beans, saving me a lot of detours and making my coffee journey full of joy!
6️⃣ Q&A: Will More Coffee Grounds Make It Stronger? Isn’t Less Water Better?
These are questions I used to ask myself too, and I’m sure you might have similar confusions!
- Q: Will adding more coffee grounds or using less water make the coffee stronger?
- A: A “stronger” ratio will indeed increase coffee strength. However, if it’s overdone (like an extreme 1:7 ratio), it can lead to uneven coffee extraction, incomplete coffee flavor, and the coffee might end up bitter and “paitan” (Taiwanese Hokkien, meaning an unpleasantly bitter taste). So, “strong” doesn’t necessarily mean “well-extracted“! The balance of this coffee ratio is crucial.
- Q: Is less water always better?
- A: No, it’s not. Too little water means low coffee extraction efficiency. Not enough flavor compounds are extracted from the coffee grounds, and the coffee can easily taste too acidic or lack layers of flavor. If the coffee ratio is too diluted (e.g., 1:20), the coffee will appear watery, lack sweetness, and won’t be as enjoyable.
✅ Summary: How to Find Your Coffee Golden Ratio**?**
Mastering the coffee ratio is your secret weapon for brewing coffee!
- I recommend setting your starting coffee ratio at 1:16. This is also the most commonly used baseline for pour-over and pour-over golden ratio recommendations.
- If you prefer a richer coffee flavor, you can try slightly decreasing the ratio to 1:15. If you prefer it lighter or are using light roast beans, you can experiment with 1:17 to 1:18.
- For French Press (immersion) coffee brewing methods, use a pour over ratio of 1:12 to 1:15 for a fuller coffee mouthfeel.
- For high-altitude beans or light roast beans, if you want a more concentrated coffee flavor, you can try brewing with a stronger ratio (e.g., 1:15).
- Most importantly: Use an electronic scale for precise measurements and record your coffee ratio and coffee flavor notes each time! Through continuous adjustment and logging, you’ll most effectively find the golden ratio that suits you best and allows you to truly enjoy your coffee.
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🔗 Further Reading | Internal Link Recommendation
If you’re still wondering how to pair coffee ratio with different grind sizes and brewing methods, feel free to check out my other article: