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Brew ratios

Drip coffee maker ratio for 12 oz of water

22 g of coffee, or about 4.4 tablespoons. Here is the full recipe.

Brew ratiosUpdated October 2026Numbers calculated for this page
For 12 oz (355 ml) of water, use about 22 g of coffee, roughly 4.4 level tablespoons of ground coffee. That is a 1:16 ratio, our default for drip coffee maker.
22 gcoffee
4.4 tbsplevel, ground
355 mlwater
~10.5 ozin the cup

Stronger or milder

RatioCoffeeTablespoonsTaste
1:1524 g4.7 tbspstronger
1:1622 g4.4 tbspour default
1:1721 g4.2 tbspmilder
1:1820 g3.9 tbspmilder

Ratios are coffee to water by weight. A scale makes this easy and repeatable; tablespoons are approximate because grounds vary in density (about 5 g per level tablespoon).

How to brew it

  • Grind: medium.
  • Water temperature: set by the machine.
  • Brew time: set by the machine.
  • Use fresh, filtered water and a clean machine. If your coffee tastes weak, add coffee before you change anything else.

Fixing the taste

If it tastes…Try this
Sour, thin, weakGrind a little finer or brew longer; or use more coffee (lower ratio number).
Bitter, harsh, dryGrind a little coarser or brew shorter; or use less coffee (higher ratio number).
Fine but flatUse fresher beans, roasted within the last month, ground right before brewing.
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Other drip coffee maker sizes

Other methods at 12 oz

Questions people ask

How many grams of coffee for 12 oz of water?

About 22 g at a 1:16 ratio, between 20 g (milder) and 24 g (stronger).

How many tablespoons of coffee for 12 oz in a drip coffee maker?

About 4.4 level tablespoons of ground coffee.

What is the best drip coffee maker ratio?

Start at 1:16 and adjust between 1:15 and 1:18 to taste.

Numbers on this page are estimates calculated from the assumptions shown. Coffees, beans and drinks vary; caffeine figures are typical values, not medical advice.

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