The Golden Ratio of Coffee: How to Get the Best Cup Every Time

published on: 2022-05-13

Measuring the ratio of coffee to beans is the best and perhaps the easiest way to get your coffee exactly how you want it - just perfect taste and strength.

People refer to this ideal ratio between coffee and water as the “golden ratio.”

But what exactly is the golden ratio coffee to water?

There’s no universal perfect ratio of coffee to water, but a few most popular ones that coffee enthusiasts swear by are 1:15 all the way to 1:18.

In practice this means that for every one gram of coffee, you’d use 15-18 grams of water - or about 0.53 to 0.64 ounces per cup.

But as stated above, there’s no one ideal ratio as there are a few variables such as the grind size, coffee bean origin, and coffee brewing method.

The golden ratio is more of a guideline than a rule to help you get the best cup of coffee possible.

In case you know what method you’re using to make coffee, you can check these guides on the coffee to water ratio for a Moka pot, Aeropress and French press respectively.

How to use coffee golden ratio

Let’s say you want to prepare a mug of coffee (8oz or about 240ml). For this size you’d need anywhere between 12.16 grams to 14.08 grams of coffee beans.

If you want to be more precise, a good coffee to water ratio for an eight-ounce cup is usually around 13 grams - or about half an ounce.

You can calculate the ratio by dividing 8oz of water by 0.5oz beans leading to 1:16 ratio.

Here’s simple table for typical brew amounts and the respective amounts of coffee and water needed to use a golden ratio:

You get the point.

In reverse, in case you have 1oz coffee grounds you’d need 16oz or about 480ml of water to hit the golden ratio coffee to water.

Remember, these are only estimates as coffee brewing is more of an art than a science.

The best way to find your perfect coffee to water ratio is by experimenting with different ratios and seeing what you like best.

FAQ about golden ratio to make coffee

Answers to a few common question regarding coffee golden ratio.

Q: What is a 1/16 coffee ratio?

A: A coffee to water ratio of 1/16 is one of the golden ratios of coffee brewing. This ratio typically leads to a pleasing and delicious cup of coffee.

Q: What does golden coffee ratio coffee taste like?

A: coffee brewed using the golden ratio coffee to water typically tastes great. This is because the coffee grounds are properly saturated and the coffee is not too strong or too weak.

Filed under: coffee water ratiobrewing