Coffee brew ratios — grams, grinds and the SCA Golden Cup
The Specialty Coffee Association defines the 'Golden Cup' as 55–60 g of coffee per 1 L of water, brewing to 18–22% extraction and 1.15–1.35% total dissolved solids. Every popular ratio — 1:15 pour-over, 1:2 espresso, 1:8 cold brew — sits inside that same math.
Brewing coffee is dissolution: hot water pulls soluble organics out of ground beans. Two numbers matter — extraction yield (% of the bean mass dissolved) and strength (% of the resulting brew that is dissolved solids). SCA's Golden Cup targets 20% extraction, 1.25% TDS. Every ratio-and-time recipe is a way to land inside that target box. Under-extracted coffee is sour and salty; over-extracted is bitter and dry. The ratio sets your starting point; the grind, temperature, and time steer you around inside it.
The exact numbers
Brew ratio = coffee mass : water mass (both in grams; 1 mL water = 1 g) > SCA Golden Cup: 55–60 g coffee / 1 L water = 1:16.6 to 1:18.2 > Extraction yield = (coffee mass dissolved) / (dry coffee mass) — target 18–22% > TDS = dissolved solids / brew mass — target 1.15–1.35% (drip), 8–12% (espresso) > Retained water: brewed grounds hold ~2× their weight in water — subtract from expected yield
Ratio ladder — every brew method
| Method | Ratio (coffee : water) | Grind | Time | TDS | |---|---|---|---|---| | Turkish / ibrik | 1:10 | Powder | 3–5 min | 3.0–4.0% | | Espresso (Italian) | 1:2 | Fine | 25–30 s | 8–12% | | Espresso (modern light roast) | 1:2.5 to 1:3 | Fine | 30–40 s | 6–9% | | Moka pot | 1:7 | Fine-medium | 4–5 min | 3.0–5.0% | | AeroPress inverted | 1:12 to 1:15 | Medium-fine | 1:30 | 1.4–1.8% | | Pour-over V60 | 1:15 to 1:17 | Medium | 2:30–3:30 | 1.2–1.4% | | Chemex | 1:16 to 1:17 | Medium-coarse | 4:00–5:00 | 1.2–1.4% | | French press | 1:15 | Coarse | 4:00 | 1.3–1.5% | | Batch brew (drip) | 1:16 to 1:18 | Medium | 5–6 min | 1.15–1.35% | | Cold brew concentrate | 1:5 to 1:8 | Coarse | 12–18 h | 2.5–4.0% | | Cold brew ready-to-drink | 1:12 to 1:15 | Coarse | 12–18 h | 1.3–1.6% |
Worked example — V60 for two people
Target: 500 g final brew at 1:16 ratio.
Coffee: 500 / 16 = 31.25 g → round to 31 g. > Water: 31 × 16 = 496 g. Add 15% for grounds absorption: pour ~570 g water through to end up with ~500 g in the cup. > Bloom: 60 g water for 45 s (2× coffee mass; degasses CO₂ that would otherwise cause channelling). > Main pour: 570 − 60 = 510 g over 3 pours, finish drawdown at 3:30 total. > Water temp: 93–96°C (99% of solubles extract in this range; above 96°C introduces astringent tannins per Illy Ch. 8).
Espresso ratio names
| Name | Ratio (dry coffee : liquid espresso) | Yield from 18 g | |---|---|---| | Ristretto | 1:1 to 1:1.5 | 18–27 g | | Normale | 1:2 (classic Italian) | 36 g | | Lungo | 1:3 to 1:4 | 54–72 g | | Modern light-roast espresso | 1:2.5 to 1:3 | 45–54 g | | Turbo shot (Barista Hustle) | 1:3 in 12–18 s | 54 g |
Espresso is measured by *out weight*, not volume. Crema evaporates; a 30 mL 'shot' can weigh 18–24 g depending on grind and dose. Modern espresso machines use scales built into the drip tray (La Marzocco KB90, Sanremo YOU) so baristas stop by weight, not sight.
Water mineral content matters
SCA water spec (2015): 150 ppm total hardness (as CaCO₃), 40 ppm bicarbonate alkalinity, pH 6.5–7.5. Soft water (<50 ppm) under-extracts and tastes flat. Hard water (>250 ppm) over-extracts bitter compounds and scales the boiler. Reverse osmosis + remineralization is the standard for competition; at home, filtered tap in the 100–200 ppm range works. TWW, Third Wave Water, and Lotus Water sachets remineralize distilled to spec.
Grind by method (Baratza Encore reference)
| Method | Encore setting | Sieve retention | |---|---|---| | Espresso | 5–12 | 200–400 µm | | Moka | 12–15 | 300–500 µm | | AeroPress | 12–18 | 400–600 µm | | Pour-over | 18–22 | 500–800 µm | | Drip | 22–28 | 700–900 µm | | French press | 30–40 | 900–1200 µm | | Cold brew | 40 (max) | 1200 µm+ |
Extraction math — do the numbers add up?
Brew 60 g coffee → 1000 g water → measure 950 g brew (50 g retained). TDS refractometer reads 1.30%. Dissolved solids = 950 × 0.013 = 12.35 g. Extraction yield = 12.35 / 60 = 20.6%. Inside the Golden Cup window. If TDS reads 1.05% (12.35 / 60 = 17.5% yield) → under-extracted, grind finer or brew longer. If 1.55% (24.5% yield) → over-extracted, grind coarser.
The five-second recap
Weigh coffee AND water in grams. Pour-over 1:16. Espresso 1:2. Cold brew concentrate 1:8. Adjust grind to hit 18–22% extraction. Ratio is the starting point; grind is the steering wheel.
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FAQ
Why grams instead of scoops?+
Roasted coffee density varies from 0.30 g/mL (light roast, whole bean) to 0.45 g/mL (dark roast, ground). One 'tablespoon' can vary ±40% by mass. Every specialty guide uses grams because it removes that variable.
Is 1 mL of water really 1 g?+
At 4°C, exactly. At 93°C brew temperature, water density drops to 0.963 g/mL — negligible for home brewing. Filtered water and RO with minerals are within 0.1% of pure water.
What TDS meter should I use?+
For coffee, an optical refractometer (Atago PAL-COFFEE, VST LAB Coffee III) — reads 0–20% Brix and includes coffee-specific correction. Electrical conductivity TDS pens sold for pool water read wrong for coffee (organic solubles vs ionic).
Does bean weight change with roast level?+
Yes — beans lose 12–18% water and organic mass during roasting. Light roast is denser (more mass per bean); dark roast is lighter. Recipes specify roasted-bean weight, not green-bean.
Cold brew ratio for a Toddy?+
Toddy uses 1:5 (340 g coffee, 1.7 L water) for 12–18 h at room temperature, filtered through the pad. Dilute the concentrate 1:1 to 1:3 with water/milk to serve.
This article was written by The Turbo Unit Converter engineering desk (Applied food chemistry & sensory science) and last reviewed on 2026-07-13 against NIST SP 811 and the BIPM SI Brochure. Read our full editorial policy.