The Ideal Water Ratios For Drip, Pour Over, And French Press Coffee

The most important part of making java at home is getting the ratio of water to coffee grounds just right. After all, coffee is essentially made with just two ingredients, so mastering their proportions is really the most crucial part. Get it wrong, and you might end up with a weak and watery brew or a thick sludge that is way too intense for even those who like their coffees punchy.

So, we asked ex-barista and owner of Home Coffee Expert Matt Woodburn-Simmonds the question: How much water should you use to get that perfectly balanced brew? According to him, the ideal ratio for both pour overs and drip coffee makers, like the Chemex, is 1:16 — that is, 1 gram of coffee grounds for every 16 grams of water. For a French press (which is not to be confused with an AeroPress), that ratio is 1:15.

That said, Woodburn-Simmonds explains that these ratios are not set in stone. Rather, they are starting points for a balanced cup of Joe that you can then tweak to your liking. You can always reduce the amount of water for a stronger brew or up its quantity for a more mellow drink. For instance, Woodburn-Simmonds personally prefers his French press brews to pack a bit of a punch, which is why he uses less water. "I like 1:13 ratio for French press," he says, though he humorously admitted: "I often drink coffee so strong it would kill some people."

There's a reason Woodburn-Simmonds measures coffee grounds and even the water in grams: It's so that both ingredients can be weighed on a measuring scale rather than portioned out by volume using spoons or cups. This is because some coffee beans (light roasted ones, for instance) tend to be denser than others. Weighing them on a scale ensures that you get more precise and accurate ratios despite the varying density.

There's also the grind size of the beans to consider. A scoop of densely packed finely ground coffee will always weigh more than coarse granules, so going by measuring spoons rather than weight can throw your proportions off wildly. If you want the most out of your pour overs, drips, and French presses — or any homemade java, for that matter — it's worth investing in a weighing scale to nail the ratio of coffee to water.

Another thing to bear in mind is that though there is room for experimentation with the proportions, it's best not to stray too far from the ideal ratios. If you add excess water and not enough grounds, you risk over-extracting the brew and tarnishing it with a bitter, acidic flavor. Hold back on the water too much, and you might just as easily under-extract the coffee grounds, leaving you with a homemade brew that tastes sour and lacks complexity. So, always stay close to the recommended ratio when brewing your Joe.