Why Calculate Ratios in Pour-Over Coffee: The Difference Between Powder-to-Water and Powder-to-Liquid Ratios

Introduction

Before we begin the article, let's consider a question: "If we use 15g of coffee grounds to brew coffee at a 1:15 ratio, should we pour a total of 225g of water, or should we have 225g of coffee liquid in the pot after brewing is complete?"

The answer is: you should pour a total of 225g of water, not have 225g of coffee liquid in the pot after extraction. Regarding this question, those who use stand-alone pour-over drippers often get confused. The reason is that the stand holds the filter cup, so the scale measures the weight of coffee liquid dripping into the pot. People often forget that coffee grounds absorb some water during the blooming process, so pouring 225g of water won't necessarily extract 225g of coffee liquid.

What is "Coffee-to-Water Ratio"?

The "coffee-to-water ratio" refers to the ratio of coffee grounds to total water poured. As mentioned above, when brewing 15g of coffee grounds at a 1:15 ratio, we need to pour 225g of water.

FrontStreet Coffee suggests that beginners in pour-over coffee should place the filter cup and sharing pot directly on the electronic scale and use the "coffee-to-water ratio" for brewing. Accurate water pouring can reduce many unstable factors. If the same coffee-to-water ratio produces different flavors when brewing the same coffee beans, you need to consider whether the grind size and brewing water temperature are suitable for this coffee bean.

What is "Coffee-to-Liquid Ratio"?

The "coffee-to-liquid ratio" refers to the ratio of coffee grounds to coffee liquid. As mentioned above, during the brewing blooming process, some water is absorbed, so the final extracted coffee liquid will be less than the total water poured. Different coffee beans have different water absorption rates based on their bean quality and grind size, generally 1.5-2 times the weight of the coffee grounds. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee suggests that the first bloom pour amount for pour-over should be twice the weight of the coffee grounds.

For example, 15g of coffee grounds requires 30g of water. At this time, the coffee grounds might absorb 22.5g-30g of water, and the coffee liquid dripping into the pot will be at most 7.5g. After absorbing water in the first stage, the subsequent 195g of water will completely pass through the coffee grounds layer, so the final extracted coffee liquid weight will be 195g-202.5g.

15g of coffee grounds extracting 195g-202.5g of coffee liquid, calculated using the "coffee-to-liquid ratio," gives a ratio of 1:13-1:13.5.

Some enthusiasts like to use measuring cups for brewing, continuously pouring water without using an electronic scale, and removing the filter cup to stop the coffee liquid from continuing to drip into the pot when a certain amount is reached in the pot. In this case, you need to calculate the ratio of coffee grounds to coffee liquid, since there's no quantitative water pouring, so the calculation of coffee grounds to total water poured cannot be established.

What is the Purpose of Calculating Coffee-to-Water/Coffee-to-Liquid Ratios?

FrontStreet Coffee believes that whether it's the "coffee-to-water ratio" or the "coffee-to-liquid ratio," they are just one direction for adjusting the flavor expression of coffee. The flavor expression of coffee is not only affected by the ratio but also influenced by grind size, water temperature, and brewing techniques.

Calculating coffee-to-water/coffee-to-liquid ratios helps brewers better understand that with such grind size and water temperature, pouring a quantitative amount of water/extracting a quantitative amount of coffee liquid can better present the flavor of this coffee bean, while also ensuring the stability of quality and concentration in each brew.

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Important Notice :

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