Coffee Ratio Calculator
How many grams of coffee for 500 ml of water — and is French press different from pour-over? Pick a brew method (or set any 1:N ratio), tell it how much water or coffee you have, and get the other side in grams, tablespoons, and cups.
Brew method
Coffee needed
31.3 g
500 ml ÷ 16
≈ Tablespoons (ground)
5.9 tbsp
at ~5.3 g per tbsp
Yields roughly 1.8 cups of finished coffee (438 ml) — the grounds hold back about 2 ml of water per gram of coffee.
A level tablespoon holds about 5.3 g of ground coffee, but grind size and roast change that by ±1 g — a kitchen scale is the single biggest upgrade to brewing consistency. Espresso (1:2) and cold-brew concentrate (1:5) are meant to be small and strong; dilute concentrate roughly 1:1 with water or milk to drink.
How Brew Ratios Work
A ratio of 1:16 means 16 grams of water for every gram of coffee, so 500 ml of water (water is 1 g/ml) needs 500 ÷ 16 = 31.3 g of coffee — about 5.9 tablespoons at ~5.3 g per level tablespoon of grounds. Going the other way, 30 g of coffee at French press's 1:15 wants 30 × 15 = 450 ml of water. Immersion methods (French press, cold brew) run slightly stronger ratios than percolation because extraction stops earlier; espresso's 1:2 is a different beverage entirely.
Ratios by brew method
Drip / pour-over 1:16 31.3 g per 500 ml French press 1:15 33.3 g per 500 ml AeroPress 1:13 38.5 g per 500 ml Espresso 1:2 18 g → ~36 g shot Cold brew concentrate 1:5 100 g per 500 ml 1 cup = 237 ml · 1 tbsp ground coffee ≈ 5.3 g
Coffee per Pot (Drip Coffee Maker)
A drip coffee maker's "cup" is only 5 fl oz (~148 ml), not the 8 oz measuring cup — which is why a "12-cup" pot holds about 60 oz, not 96. This chart shows the ground coffee for a full pot at a 1:16 ratio. Adjust up for stronger, down for milder.
| Cups (5 oz) | Water | Ground Coffee (1:16) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 20 oz · 591 ml | 37 g (~7 tbsp) |
| 6 | 30 oz · 887 ml | 55 g (~10 tbsp) |
| 8 | 40 oz · 1.18 L | 74 g (~14 tbsp) |
| 10 | 50 oz · 1.48 L | 92 g (~17 tbsp) |
| 12 | 60 oz · 1.77 L | 111 g (~21 tbsp) |
Instant Coffee
Instant coffee isn't brewed, so it doesn't use a brew ratio. Use about 1.5–2 g (1 to 2 teaspoons) of granules per 200–240 ml cup and adjust to taste — far less than ground beans need, because every granule dissolves instead of being extracted and discarded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the golden ratio for coffee?
The Specialty Coffee Association's 'golden cup' standard works out to roughly 1:18 (55 g of coffee per liter of water), but most home brewers land between 1:15 and 1:17 — this calculator defaults to 1:16 for drip and pour-over. At 1:16, 500 ml of water takes 31.3 g of coffee. Stronger isn't more extracted, just more concentrated; adjust the ratio to taste in 1-point steps.
How many tablespoons of coffee per cup of water?
A 237 ml (8 oz) cup at a 1:16 ratio needs about 14.8 g of coffee — roughly 2.8 level tablespoons at ~5.3 g of grounds per tablespoon. That's noticeably more than the '1 tablespoon per cup' habit, which brews closer to 1:45 and tastes thin. Tablespoon weight varies with grind size and roast, which is why a scale wins.
What ratio should I use for a French press?
1:15 is the common French press starting point — slightly stronger than drip because immersion brewing extracts a little less efficiently than pour-over percolation. For a 1-liter press that's about 67 g of coffee; for 450 ml of water, 30 g. Coarse grind, four minutes, then press and pour immediately so it doesn't keep extracting.
What's the right ratio for cold brew concentrate?
Cold brew concentrate is typically brewed around 1:5 — 100 g of coffee per 500 ml of water — steeped 12–18 hours, then diluted roughly 1:1 with water or milk before drinking. That double step lands the finished cup near regular-coffee strength. If you brew at drinking strength directly (1:15-ish), skip the dilution.
How much instant coffee do I use per cup of water?
Instant coffee isn't brewed, so it doesn't follow a brew ratio — use about 1.5–2 g (1 to 2 teaspoons) of granules per 200–240 ml cup, then adjust to taste. That's far less coffee than ground beans need, because every granule dissolves instead of being extracted and discarded.
How much coffee do I need for 6 cups of water?
Watch the cup size: a drip coffee maker's 'cup' is 5 fl oz (about 148 ml), not the 8 oz measuring cup. Six coffee-maker cups is about 30 oz (887 ml), which takes roughly 55 g of ground coffee (about 10 tablespoons) at a 1:16 ratio. For a full 12-cup pot, use about 111 g (~21 tablespoons).