Espresso yield calculator
Dose, ratio and target yield in grams.
Coffee questions, answered in one line
Twenty-four questions people actually search for, each with a direct answer and a link to the calculator that does the maths.
Why does my espresso taste sour?
Under-extraction. Either the grind is too coarse, the water is too cool, or the shot finished too fast. Grind finer first — it is the single change that fixes sourness most often.Full guide →
What is a good espresso ratio?
1:2 — 18 g of coffee in, 36 g of espresso out, in 25–30 seconds. That is the modern default. Traditional Italian espresso runs tighter at 1:1.5; light roasts often want 1:2.5 or 1:3.Yield calculator →
How many grams is a double shot?
18 g of ground coffee in, about 36 g of espresso out. A single is 9–10 g in and 18–20 g out. Basket sizes vary — a 20 g basket wants 20 g, not 18 g.Basket chart →
Why is my shot both sour and bitter?
Channelling. Water is punching through one part of the puck (over-extracting it, bitter) while bypassing the rest (under-extracting it, sour). Fix distribution and tamp, not the grinder.Diagnose it →
How long should an espresso shot take?
25–30 seconds from first drop to the end of the shot at a 1:2 ratio. Time is a proxy: the real target is the yield on the scale. If the yield is right and the time is off, the grind is wrong.Brew time calculator →
What is the best coffee to water ratio?
1:16 for a start — 18 g of coffee to 288 g of water. 1:15 is stronger, 1:17 and 1:18 are lighter. Pick the ratio for the strength you want, then adjust the grind for the taste.Golden ratio calculator →
How much coffee for one cup?
15–18 g for a 250 ml mug at 1:16. If you use a smaller 200 ml cup, 12–13 g. Weigh the beans before grinding; weighing the brewed coffee tells you nothing useful.Coffee to water calculator →
Why does my pour over taste weak and sour?
Weak and sour together means under-extraction, not a weak ratio. Grind finer before adding more coffee — adding coffee only makes a strong sour cup.Grind size chart →
What grind size for pour over?
Medium-fine, like table salt. V60 wants the finer end, Chemex the coarser end because of its thick filter. If the brew stalls past 4 minutes, go coarser.Grind size chart →
How long should a V60 take?
2:30 to 3:30 for 15 g at 1:15. Faster than 2:15 means the grind is too coarse or the pour was too fast; slower than 4:00 means too fine or the bed is clogged with fines.V60 calculator →
What ratio for a French press?
1:15 — 30 g of coffee to 450 g of water, coarse grind, 4 minute steep, then press slowly for 30 seconds. The coarse grind is what keeps it from turning muddy.French press calculator →
What ratio for an AeroPress?
1:13 for a standard cup — 15 g to 195 g of water, about 1:30 total. Competition recipes use 1:6 to 1:8 and dilute after pressing for more body.AeroPress calculator →
How do I make cold brew concentrate?
1:8 for concentrate, 1:15 for ready-to-drink. Coarse grind, 12–18 hours in the fridge, then dilute the concentrate 1:1 with water or milk.Cold brew calculator →
How much coffee for a moka pot?
The basket decides the dose — fill it level and level it off, do not tamp. A 3-cup Bialetti holds about 15 g. Water goes in the base up to just below the safety valve.Moka calculator →
What water hardness for coffee?
50–150 ppm as CaCO3, ideally around 70–80 ppm. Below 50 ppm the coffee tastes flat and hollow; above 150 ppm you get scale in the machine and dull flavours.Hardness calculator →
What temperature should coffee water be?
92–96 °C for filter, 90–94 °C for espresso, 80–85 °C for dark roasts you want to keep from going bitter. Light roasts tolerate and benefit from the hotter end.Brew time calculator →
Is tap water bad for espresso machines?
Hard tap water is. Above 150 ppm you build scale in the boiler, which is expensive to fix. Filtered or bottled water at 70–100 ppm is the cheap insurance.Hardness calculator →
How much milk for a latte?
About 150–180 ml for a 240 ml latte, stretched to 60–65 °C. The milk roughly doubles in volume when steamed, so start with 120–140 ml in the pitcher.Milk calculator →
Why does my milk foam not stretch?
Usually too little air at the start, or the steam tip is too deep. Bury the tip just below the surface at the start to introduce air, then lower it to fold the foam in.Milk calculator →
Which grinder setting for espresso?
Fine, like powdered sugar, but the exact number on the dial means nothing between grinders. Start where the grinder suggests for espresso and adjust until 18 g in gives 36 g out in 25–30 seconds.Grind size chart →
Should I weigh beans before or after grinding?
Before. The grinder retains 0.1–0.5 g, so weighing after grinding leaves you short on dose without knowing it. Weigh beans in, then grind.Yield calculator →
Does grind size change extraction or strength?
Extraction. Grind controls how much of the coffee dissolves. Ratio controls how concentrated it ends up. Changing grind changes taste balance; changing ratio changes strength.Full guide →
How to use this page
Each answer is deliberately short, because a long answer to a short question is a bad answer. If the one-line fix is not enough, the link at the end of each answer goes to the calculator or the long-form guide that covers it properly.
Two rules that resolve most coffee problems, in order:
- Ratio sets strength, grind sets extraction. Weak and sour at the same time is not a ratio problem, it is a grind problem.
- Change one variable per shot. Changing dose and grind together teaches you nothing, because you cannot tell which one did what.
The numbers worth memorising
| Thing | Number |
|---|---|
| Espresso ratio | 1:2 (18 g in, 36 g out) |
| Espresso time | 25–30 s |
| Filter ratio | 1:16 (18 g to 288 g) |
| French press ratio | 1:15, coarse grind, 4 min |
| Water temperature, filter | 92–96 °C |
| Water hardness | 50–150 ppm, ideal ~75 ppm |
| Milk, steamed | 60–65 °C, no further |
Golden ratio calculator
1:14 to 1:18 side by side.
Brew time calculator
Target time for seven methods.
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