Choose your brewer and serving size. The calculator gives you a repeatable dose in grams first, with tablespoons shown only as a practical estimate.
A balanced 1:16 recipe uses 1 gram of ground coffee for every 16 grams of brew water. A 250 ml metric cup therefore starts near 15.6 g; an 8 US fl oz cup starts near 14.8 g. Coffee-maker cup markings are often smaller, so select the actual volume instead of trusting the word “cup”.
An 8 US fl oz cup is about 236.6 ml, a metric cup is 250 ml, and many coffee makers use a 5 fl oz cup. A Bodum-style press cup can be 125 ml. The selected volume is the only reliable basis for scaling a recipe.
Start at 1:16 for a balanced press coffee. The documented SCAA cupping-style press protocol uses 36 g coffee to 660 g water, about 1:18.3, while a bolder cup can start near 1:15. Use coarse coffee and never force a plunger that meets unusual resistance.
For espresso, a 1:2 ratio means 18 g of dry coffee produces about 36 g of beverage in the cup. It does not mean adding 36 g to the machine reservoir. Time, grind and basket size still need to be dialled in.
| Cup volume | Balanced · 1:16 | SCA benchmark · 55 g/L |
|---|---|---|
| 125 ml | 7.8 g | 6.9 g |
| 148 ml | 9.3 g | 8.1 g |
| 177 ml | 11.1 g | 9.7 g |
| 236.6 ml | 14.8 g | 13 g |
| 250 ml | 15.6 g | 13.8 g |
The estimate uses 5 g per level tablespoon of medium-ground coffee. Roast, grind size and how tightly the spoon is filled change the real mass, so a scale is more repeatable. Water means brew water added, not the final beverage volume after grounds retain water.
For a 6 fl oz serving at a 1:16 ratio, start near 11 g, or roughly 2.2 level tablespoons using the 5 g estimate. Select your real cup size because machine markings vary.
It depends on cup volume and strength. At 1:16, 250 ml needs about 15.6 g, while 236.6 ml needs about 14.8 g.
The SCA Certified Home Brewer test starts at 55 g per litre, approximately 1:18.2. It is a documented benchmark, not the only ratio that can taste good.