Stop Guessing Your Measurements The most common mistake home brewers make is "eyeballing" their coffee. Specialty coffee is chemistry. If you use too much water, it’s weak and bitter. Too little, and it’s sour and overpowering.
The Magic Number: 1:16 For almost any pour-over method (V60, Chemex, Kalita), the industry standard is a 1:16 ratio.
For every 1 gram of coffee, use 16 grams of water.
A Simple Recipe for One Mug:
Weigh out 20g of fresh beans.
Grind them to a medium-coarse consistency (like sea salt).
Boil water and let it sit for 30 seconds (aim for 93°C/200°F).
Pour 320g of water (20g x 16 = 320g) slowly over the grounds.
Why It Works This ratio allows the water to extract the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Once you master this base recipe, you can tweak it to 1:15 for a stronger cup or 1:17 for a lighter, tea-like body. Grab a scale, and your morning routine will never be the same.
