How Much Coffee for 500ml, 750ml, and 1L of Water?
When someone asks "how much coffee for a liter," they want one number. There isn't one — so here's a table I actually use, weighed in grams for both coffee and water at three ratios I keep coming back to. Treat it as a launch point, not a rule.
| Water | 1:15 | 1:16 | 1:17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 ml | 33.3 g | 31.3 g | 29.4 g |
| 750 ml | 50.0 g | 46.9 g | 44.1 g |
| 1000 ml (1L) | 66.7 g | 62.5 g | 58.8 g |
Why weigh water
Water density is close to 1 g/ml, so weighing water in grams matches the ml amount while keeping one unit. A kitchen scale removes guesswork.
Adjust later
If the cup tastes too strong, move toward 1:17; too weak, toward 1:15. Change one variable at a time — see changing one variable.
Don't treat these as law
The 1:15–1:17 band is just the common home range you'll see cited across brewing guides — it's where I start too. It's a starting point, not a fixed standard. If your cup's thin, nudge toward 1:15; too strong, ease toward 1:17.