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12 Roast & extraction

Brew Ratio

The ratio of dry coffee to water (or finished beverage): e.g. 1:16 for a typical pour-over, 1:2 for a normale espresso.

  • Also called: ratio
  • Availability: Common

Brew ratio is the simplest single number behind any well-made coffee. For pour-over, the SCA Golden Ratio is roughly 1:16 to 1:18 coffee-to-water by mass. For espresso, ratios are quoted as dose-to-yield: 1:2 for a normale, 1:1 for a ristretto, 1:3 for a lungo. Changing only the ratio (without changing grind, time, or temperature) can move a coffee from sour and underdeveloped to balanced to bitter.

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