Standard: 1:15 to 1:17, meaning 60 g of coffee per liter of water (SCA Golden Ratio). For one cup (250 ml), that's 15–16 g of coffee. Stronger: 1:14, milder: 1:18. A scale makes all the difference.

What is the ideal coffee-to-water ratio for filter coffee?

Standard: 1:15 to 1:17, meaning 60 g of coffee per liter of water (SCA Golden Ratio). For one cup (250 ml), that’s 15–16 g of coffee. Stronger: 1:14, milder: 1:18. A scale makes all the difference.

Why that is

The brew ratio determines the strength of the coffee — not to be confused with extraction. Strength describes the concentration of dissolved coffee solids in the cup, while extraction describes the percentage of soluble compounds extracted from the coffee grounds.

The SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) recommends 55–65 g of coffee per liter of water as the “Golden Ratio.” This corresponds to a ratio of about 1:15 to 1:18. Within this range, the coffee tastes balanced to most people — neither too thin nor too strong.

For beginners: 60 g per liter (1:16.7). This is a safe starting point. For a single cup: 15 g of coffee to 250 ml of water. For a carafe (500 ml): 30 g of coffee.

Stronger: 1:14 to 1:15 (70 g per liter). More body, more intense flavor. Works well with dark roasts or if you drink your coffee with milk.

Milder: 1:17 to 1:18 (55 g per liter). Lighter, clearer, more tea-like. Light, fruity single origins can show off their complexity better in this range.

The ratio alone doesn’t dictate the flavor, though. A 1:16 ratio with a grind size that is too fine will taste bitter (over-extracted), while a grind size that is too coarse will taste sour (under-extracted). The ratio and grind size must work together.

Important: Spoons are unsuitable for dosing. Depending on the roast level, bean shape, and grind size, a spoon can hold very different amounts of coffee. A “heaped tablespoon” can weigh 7 or 12 g. A kitchen scale with 0.1 g precision (starting at €10) puts an end to the guesswork — and is the easiest step toward consistently good coffee.

In practice at Green Wall Coffee

At Sophienstraße 27, we work with 15 g to 250 ml — a 1:16.7 ratio. For particularly intense or dark beans, I go to 14 g (slightly milder); for light Ethiopians, sometimes 16 g (slightly stronger to draw out the sweetness). My tip: Start with 60 g/liter and adjust to taste. More coffee = stronger, less = milder. It sounds simple, but it’s the most common lever to pull after adjusting the grind size.

Related questions

• How to brew Hario V60 correctly?
• What grind size do I need for filter coffee?
• What distinguishes pour-over from a regular drip coffee maker?

You can find more depth on this topic in the article V60 Pour-Over Guide. Or come visit us at Sophienstraße 27 — Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.