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Coffee to Water Ratio Calculator

The Perfect Coffee to Water Ratio for Brewing Coffee

The Perfect Ratio or also known as the Golden Ratio is the standard ratio between coffe to water used when brewing coffee. Adjusting the Coffee to water ratio when brewing a cup will impact flavor, strength, and aroma, and bitterness. There may not be a perfect ratio, but what does everyone else say?

National Coffee Association of U.S.A., Inc.

The golden ratio described is between one to two tablespoons of ground coffee to every six ounces of water (0.75 cups). They defend this range by determining it is based on user preferences. To get two mugs of coffee following their ratio, that would be 5-1/3 tbsp of ground coffee and 6 cups of water or 10-2/3 tbsp of ground coffee and 6 cups of water. That's quite a large range.

Food Critics

Alex Delany, a writer for bon appetit, declares a coffee to water ratio is 1:16 parts coffee to water and to measure by weight, but admits that by volume is fine too. Following his ratio, just 6 tbsp of coffee grounds and 6 cups of water would get us two mugs of coffee. That is an easy and definite recipe to follow.

Starbucks & Dunkin

Starbucks and Dunkin are two are the largest coffee chains.

America runs on Dunkin, or so they say. Dunkin's blog post How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee describes the use of 1.5 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water. For ice coffee, they suggest 3 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water. Now, for 2 mugs of hot coffee, use 8 tbsp of coffee grounds and 6 cups of water.

From Starbuck's Stories Blog, they call for two tablespoons of ground coffee for each six ounces of water (0.75 cups). This equates to 10-2/3 tbsp of ground coffee and 6 cups of water to brew two mugs of hot coffee. Being so much coffee for so little water explains why so many people find Starbucks to be full of flavor, or bitter, or pure caffine. They are using lots of coffee grounds to make that pot of coffee.

Other Factors of Brewing Coffee

The other factors that may impact the taste and quality of coffee are:

• Method: Automatic Drip coffee maker versus hot water pour-over.
• Water Quality: Water hardness and coffee maker cleanliness.
• Coffee Freshness: Coffee grounds do go stale. Beans last longer, but will require more work.
• Brew Rate: Rate that the water flow onto and through the grounds will impact bitterness and flavor.
• How Fine the Grounds are: The finer the grounds, the more caffine can be released.

Now, try one of these ratios. Brew some coffee and enjoy the Recent Reads of WorkCalculator.com.

For quick reference:

• A porcelain coffee mug holds 2 cups of coffee.
• A tea cup holds 1 cup of tea.
• 1 cup equals 8 fl oz.
• 1 tbsp equals 3 tsp.

If making morning coffee for two, the standard amound is 4 cups of water and 6 tbsp of coffee beans for regular strength coffee.

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