Pour-Over Coffee-to-Water Ratio Parameters: Standard Brewing Ratio Recommendations

Understanding Coffee Brewing Ratios

We all know that ratio is an important parameter in coffee brewing, serving as a crucial means to control extraction rate and concentration. This naturally draws significant attention. In the backend comments, FrontStreet Coffee frequently sees enthusiasts consulting about very detailed questions regarding ratios, so let's discuss FrontStreet Coffee's perspective on ratios.

Seeking the Golden Ratio from the Golden Cup Extraction Chart

When learning about the ratio parameter, you'll inevitably encounter a specific chart—the "Golden Cup Extraction" chart. In the center of this chart, there's a region where extraction rate is 18-22% and concentration is 1.15-1.45%, where coffee achieves optimal taste. The diagonal lines represent the coffee's coffee-to-water ratios.

From this chart, we can see that ratios hitting this optimal zone range approximately between 1:14-1:20, with 1:17 being the easiest to achieve the target zone. If we were to recommend coffee-to-water ratios based on this chart, it should be 1:17. However, obviously in current pour-over coffee brewing practices, 1:17 is quite uncommon. Many enthusiasts notice the discrepancy between this chart and commonly used ratios in practice, leading to numerous questions.

This is because while we all know this chart, few understand how it was created. This Golden Cup Extraction chart was derived by Dr. Lockhart's team through extensive "crude experiments" between 1952-1975. During that period, pour-over coffee wasn't popular in America. If you examine the coffee-to-water ratio variations in that chart carefully, you'll notice that changes in ratio were achieved by altering the coffee amount while maintaining water volume at 1L. Therefore, the brewing equipment used in experiments was likely a large-capacity drip-style device popular at the time.

Moreover, we know that factors affecting coffee extraction rate and concentration aren't limited to ratio alone—parameters like grind size and time also have impact. The grind size used in experiments was approximately coarse sugar granules, water temperature around 96°C, and extraction time between 4-8 minutes. These parameters differ significantly from those used in pour-over coffee.

The demarcation of this Golden Cup zone was based on sampling feedback from nearly ten thousand street trials, later refined by professional research institutions. Additionally, coffee quality at that time differed significantly from today's standards. The value of this chart's legacy lies in helping people understand the relationship between ratio, extraction rate, and concentration. The Golden Cup zone within should only be used as reference.

Is There a Difference When Pouring 5ml More or Less Water?

Some enthusiasts are very curious about the differences when brewing 15g of coffee with 220ml, 225ml, or 230ml of water. This brings us to the question of thresholds. For example, if 1:15 is considered the standard ratio, we can't achieve perfect precision to exactly 225ml every time when brewing coffee—±2ml variations are only human.

However, when the difference reaches 5ml, we can taste the distinction. FrontStreet Coffee simultaneously brewed these three water volumes for customers to taste, with a total of five participants, all of whom could accurately distinguish the sequence of water amounts in the three coffees. Among them, four customers found all three cups acceptable, while one customer found the 220ml version too concentrated but found the latter two acceptable.

Of course, this experiment was informal, with small sample size and lacking rigor. However, it does demonstrate that at a 1:15 ratio, a 5ml difference in water volume is distinguishable. Although taste variations occur, they remain within an acceptable range.

Does a Golden Ratio Exist for Pour-Over Coffee?

In reality, coffee brewing ratios aren't so strict—it's not that 1:15 always produces delicious coffee while 1:16 is necessarily bad. When brewing coffee, you must find a brewing ratio with a relatively wide threshold range. For example, when brewing light roast coffee beans to highlight their flavors, FrontStreet Coffee suggests setting this threshold between 1:15-1:16. Although there are very noticeable differences between coffee brewed at 1:15 versus 1:16 ratios—with 1:15 presenting richer, fuller body and 1:16 offering more layered flavor complexity—both ratios within this range can easily produce delicious coffee.

For dark roast coffee, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using ratios between 1:13-1:15. For instance, some of FrontStreet Coffee's regular customers prefer rich, strong coffee, so FrontStreet Coffee uses a 1:13 ratio for brewing. The high-concentration coffee liquid helps contain bitterness rather than dispersing it, while the higher concentration also adds to the full-bodied texture.

If other parameters are properly balanced, ratios like 1:17 or 1:20 can also produce delicious coffee. FrontStreet Coffee has tasted a light roast coffee brewed at 1:20 ratio that emitted delicate floral aromas, with very low acidity and abundant berry sweetness, without feeling weak or thin in texture.

Ratio is one component integrated within the overall parameter framework. For example, grind size affects the ratio threshold—when coffee is ground finer, water more easily extracts flavor compounds, while also affecting flow rate. It's possible that 1:15 produces excellent results while 1:16 yields undesirable flavors. However, by grinding slightly coarser, both 1:15 and 1:16 might perform exceptionally well. Therefore, when discussing ideal coffee-to-water ratios, they cannot be examined in isolation—they must be integrated with other parameters in complementary combination to achieve the ideal ratio.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473