Pour Over Coffee Ratio Matters More than Strength

Most people think coffee to water ratio only affects how strong their pour over tastes.

But the truth goes deeper: your coffee-to-water ratio also influences how well your coffee extracts — and that changes everything about the final cup.

If you’ve ever brewed a coffee that tasted weak but bitter, or strong yet oddly flat, your ratio could be the missing piece.

This article breaks down the science behind pour over coffee ratios, explains how extraction works, and offers practical tools to help you dial in your ideal brew.

And yes — we’ll get to the “Golden Cup” standard soon.

But first, let’s explore why ratio matters more than most people realize.

Why the Coffee to Water Ratio Matters in Pour Over Brewing

Ratio Affects More Than Strength

A common beginner’s question is: How much ground coffee should I use per cup? That sounds like a simple question about strength — but the answer goes deeper.

The coffee-to-water ratio doesn’t just change how strong your brew tastes. It also affects how much of the coffee’s soluble material is actually extracted into your cup — and that’s a major part of what makes coffee taste good or bad.

In coffee science, we often refer to this in two ways:

• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) — how strong your coffee is.
• Extraction Yield (EY) — how much you’ve pulled out of the coffee grounds.

Then comes the balance challenge:
Too little water, you risk under-extract: coffee tastes sour, sharp, or grassy.
Too much water, you risk over-extracting: the cup can become bitter, hollow, or harsh.

Finding the right balance between water and coffee helps you control both strength and flavor. That’s why ratio matters more than people think.

Common Misconceptions About Ratio

Myth: A higher coffee-to-water ratio (e.g. 1:20) always makes weaker coffee.
Reality: Higher ratios usually make coffee taste lighter, but that doesn’t mean they’re always “weaker.” Since more water must pass through the grounds, brew time typically increases — potentially leading to over-extraction and unwanted bitterness if not properly managed. Caffeine content may also increase.

Myth: A lower coffee-to-water ratio (e.g. 1:12) guarantees a stronger flavor.
Reality: Lower ratios usually make coffee taste stronger, but they also increase the risk of under-extraction. With less water passing through the coffee bed, there may not be enough liquid to fully dissolve the desirable compounds — leading to sourness, sharp acidity, or a hollow finish. If the grind is also too coarse or the brew time too short, the problem gets worse.

💡 Note: Ratio alone doesn’t determine flavor — it depends on how all the variables interact.

That’s why factors like ratio, grind size, brew time, and pouring technique should always be seen as parts of the same map — not isolated elements. Change one road, and the entire route shifts.

👉 For a deeper look at how the variables interact in pour over brewing, see our full guide: How to Make a Flavorful Cup at Home.

Common Pour Over Coffee Ratios and How They Work

Why 1:15 to 1:17 Is the Go-To Range

Many pour over recipes fall within a 1:15 to 1:17 coffee-to-water ratio range — a practical sweet spot that balances strength (TDS) and extraction yield (EY).

This commonly used range offers enough flexibility to accommodate different roast levels, grind sizes, and pour over techniques, making it an ideal place to start dialing in your brew.

💡 But it’s not a fixed rule — every coffee behaves differently, and the “right” ratio depends on your brew and your taste preferences.

These Ratios Are Guidelines, Not Rules

Coffee specialist Scott Rao puts it well in his article:

“Rather than always relying on standard, popular ratios (e.g. 2:1 for espresso, 17:1 for filter), I recommend baristas consider a few factors when deciding on a ratio for a brewing method.”
— Scott Rao, How to Choose a Dose and Brewing Ratio (2020)

Your taste and your beans should lead the way.

💡 Think of these ratios as a starting map — not the destination. Don’t be afraid to adjust based on what you taste in the cup.

What Is the Golden Cup Standard?

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) defines the “Golden Cup” as a brewed coffee that meets a set of measurable and sensory-based quality standards. These include specific benchmarks for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Extraction Yield (EY), along with guidelines for water quality, temperature, brewing consistency, and sensory evaluation — all aimed at promoting clarity, balance, and repeatable excellence in the final cup.

Among these, two measurable targets are most directly influenced by your coffee-to-water ratio:

• TDS (Total Dissolved Solids): 1.15%–1.55%
• EY (Extraction Yield): 18%–22%

These metrics help assess whether a cup achieves both adequate strength and balanced extraction. While they don’t capture every nuance of flavor, they offer a practical framework for improving your brewing consistency and quality.

What Is TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)?

TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids — it measures how concentrated your brewed coffee is. A TDS of 1.25% means that 1.25% of your drink is made up of dissolved coffee solids, while the remaining 98.75% is water.

Higher TDS = stronger, more concentrated brew
Lower TDS = lighter, thinner-tasting cup

What Is Extraction Yield (EY%)?

Extraction Yield (EY%) tells you how much of the coffee’s soluble material was actually extracted into your brew. In other words, it measures how efficiently you pulled flavors out of the grounds.

💡 Think of it as: how much of the “stuff” inside the coffee bean made it into your cup.

Most professionals consider 18% to 22% a balanced range.

If the yield is too low, your coffee may taste sour, grassy, or underdeveloped — because many of the flavorful compounds never made it into the cup.

If the yield is too high, it may turn bitter, dry, or hollow, as less pleasant compounds begin to dominate.

You don’t need to measure EY% yourself — just understand the principle. If your cup tastes off, adjusting your grind, ratio, or brew time can help bring extraction back into balance.

How Ratio Helps You Reach the Golden Cup Zone

Your coffee-to-water ratio is one of the most influential variables when it comes to hitting your target strength (TDS) and Extraction Yield (EY).

Even with perfect grind size and optimal water temperature, an imbalanced ratio can throw your extraction off course — leading to underdeveloped or overly bitter cups.

💡 Ratio isn’t the destination — but it’s where a good brew usually begins.

Why You Should Measure by Weight — Not Spoons

Always use a digital coffee scale and measure both your coffee and water in grams (g).

Volume-based methods — like tablespoons or scoops — are unreliable because they vary depending on grind size, roast level, and bean density.

For example, 1 tablespoon of ground coffee might weigh around 5 grams, but that number can shift significantly from one brew to the next.

💡 Measuring by weight ensures you’re working with a consistent coffee-to-water ratio — which is essential for repeatable flavor and proper extraction.

How Water Volume Affects Strength and Extraction

More Water = Lower TDS, But Not Always Weak

Yes, adding more water will dilute your brew and lower the TDS — that’s expected. But a lower TDS doesn’t always mean a weaker-tasting cup.

More water also means longer contact time, especially in pour over brewing, where the water takes more time to pass through the coffee bed. That extended contact allows more solubles to dissolve — including caffeine — which can increase extraction yield (EY%) and sometimes lead to over-extraction if not properly managed.

If your grind size or pour rate isn’t properly adjusted, this can lead to over-extraction, resulting in bitterness or a dry finish.

💡 The key is finding the right balance between water volume, grind size, and brew time.

Less Water = Higher TDS, Risk of Under-Extraction

Brewing with less water increases strength — the TDS rises because more solubles are packed into a smaller volume of liquid. But less water also means shorter brew time and reduced contact with the grounds.

This can prevent some desirable flavors from fully extracting, especially if your grind is coarse or your pour is too fast.

In some cases, when water becomes saturated too quickly, it becomes less efficient at pulling out flavor. That limits extraction, even when more is still available in the ground.

Key Variables Beyond Ratio for Pour Over Coffee

There are many other variables in pour over brewing — like water chemistry or dripper type — here we just list some most practical factors that can easily be adjusted for everyday brewers.

Grind Size

Grind size is one of the most critical variables in pour over brewing — it directly affects how fast or slow the water flows through the coffee bed, and how evenly your coffee extracts.

• Too coarse → faster flow → risk of under-extraction, often resulting in a weak, sour, or watery cup
• Too fine → slower flow → risk of over-extraction, leading to bitterness or astringency

Want to learn more about how to match grind size with your brewing method, adjust by taste, and avoid common pitfalls like uneven flow or over-extraction?
👉 Read our full guide: How to Dial In the Perfect Grind Size for Pour Over Coffee

Grind Consistency

It’s not just about how coarse or fine — grind uniformity matters just as much. Uneven grinds (with too many fines or boulders) cause water to extract some parts too quickly, and others not enough, leading to a muddled or imbalanced cup.

💡 Grind uniformity is key to clean, predictable results — especially in pour over brewing.

Some hand coffee grinders, like the 1Zpresso ZP6 Special or the K-Ultra, are designed to produce highly consistent grind particles. This level of grind consistency helps avoid over- or under-extracted zones within the same brew, resulting in better clarity, more balance, and a consistently high-quality cup.

Notably, Carlos Medina — the 2023 World Brewers Cup Champion (WBrC) — used the 1Zpresso ZP6 Special in his winning routine:

Water Temperature

The commonly used range for pour over is 195°F to 205°F (90°C to 96°C) — hot enough to dissolve flavorful compounds, but not so hot that it extracts harsh or bitter elements.

• Light roasts: being denser, often benefit from higher temperatures.
• Dark roasts: which are more porous, generally do better at slightly lower temps to avoid over-extraction.

💡 But it’s not one-size-fits-all. The key is balance — and adjusting based on how your cup actually tastes.

Pouring Style & Bloom Time

In pour over coffee brewing, technique matters. A consistent pour, proper bloom, and avoiding channeling help ensure even extraction.

Uneven pouring leads to uneven flavor — no matter how good your grind and ratio are.

The result? A cup that tastes strong, but still feels underdeveloped — often sharp, sour, or lacking sweetness.

💡 Remember: ratio and time always work together.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Ratio

Guessing Without a Scale

Brewing by eye or using spoons leads to inconsistent results. Even small differences in coffee or water weight can throw off your extraction.

💡 Always measure both coffee and water in grams (g) with a digital coffee scale.

Using the Same Ratio for All Beans

Not all beans brew the same. Each roast level, origin, and processing method reacts differently to water.

Light roasts are denser and less porous. They often require more extraction time — and sometimes a slightly higher ratio — to fully develop their acidity and complexity. Higher ratios don’t just dilute — they also slow down the brew and extend contact time, which can benefit denser beans.

💡 Adjust your ratio and method based on the bean — not habit.

Conclusion: Brew with Science, Adjust with Taste

Getting your pour over ratio right is about more than just strength — it’s about unlocking the full flavor potential of your coffee. By understanding how ratio, brew time, grind size, and other variables interact, you can move beyond guesswork and start brewing with intention.

But don’t let the numbers intimidate you. Great coffee is a balance of science and intuition. Use the tools — like a digital coffee scale, a good coffee grinder, and an understanding of extraction — to guide your process. Then let your taste buds make the final call.

Start with proven frameworks, like the 1:15 to 1:17 ratio range or the Golden Cup standard.
Experiment, log your brews, and adjust as you go.

Most importantly: trust your palate.
Because the best ratio is the one that gives you the cup you love — balanced, flavorful, and made with purpose.

References

• Specialty Coffee Association – SCA Coffee Standards 310-2021
  
• Jeremy Torz and Steven Macatonia –《咖啡咖啡处处开》, 2016, ISBN: 9787539997612.