Espresso Brew Ratio (1:2 In to Out by Weight)

1

ground coffee (dose) — Typically 18–20 g for a standard double; weigh on a digital scale to 0.1 g precision

2

liquid espresso (yield) — Typically 36–40 g of liquid in the cup; weigh the cup before and after

Dose ground coffee into a clean, dry portafilter basket (18–20 g for a standard double). Distribute evenly and tamp at ~15–20 kg pressure. Lock the portafilter, tare a scale under the cup, and begin extraction. Stop when the scale reads exactly 2× the dry dose in grams. At 9 bar and ~93 °C water, this typically takes 25–30 seconds. Adjust grind fineness if time is short (grind finer) or long (grind coarser) to stay within the 25–30 second window at the 1:2 yield.

• Weigh both dose and yield on a scale accurate to 0.1 g — volume measurements in millilitres are imprecise because crema density varies.
• Extraction time (25–30 s) is a diagnostic tool, not the primary target; ratio and taste are primary.
• A bitter shot at 1:2 usually signals over-extraction (grind too fine, water too hot) — coarsen the grind before extending yield.
• A sour, thin shot at 1:2 signals under-extraction — fine the grind, or check that water temperature is at 90–94 °C.
• Basket size matters: a 20 g VST basket is designed to work at 1:2; using 18 g in a 20 g basket changes the puck dynamics.
• Resting freshly roasted beans 7–14 days post-roast dramatically stabilizes extraction at a fixed ratio — stale or too-fresh beans require ratio adjustments.

• Ristretto (1:1 to 1:1.5)

  Shorter yield; sweeter, more syrupy, less extraction — see Ristretto Ratio entry

• Lungo (1:3 to 1:4)

  Longer yield; thinner body, higher caffeine extraction, risk of bitterness — see Lungo Ratio entry

• Turbo espresso

  High-yield 1:3 or 1:4 shot pulled in under 20 seconds via coarser grind and high flow rate; championed by Hoffmann and others to avoid over-extraction bitterness at longer yields

• Single shot (1:2)

  Same ratio but with half the dose (~9 g), yielding ~18 g; increasingly rare in specialty cafes

• Third-wave filter pull (1:2.5)

  Some light-roast specialists push to 1:2.5 for higher extraction and clarity; requires dialed-in grind

• Ristretto Ratio (1:1.5)

  Shorter yield from the same dose; sweeter and more concentrated

• Lungo Ratio (1:3 to 1:4)

  Longer yield; lower TDS, higher extraction percentage

• Pour-Over Ratio (1:15 to 1:17)

  Filter coffee uses far more water per gram of coffee; different extraction physics

1. 1.Scott Rao, The Professional Barista's Handbook (Scott Rao, 2008)
2. 2.Specialty Coffee Association, Water Quality Handbook and Brewing Standards (SCA, 2017)
3. 3.James Hoffmann, The World Atlas of Coffee (Mitchell Beazley, 2014)

Confidence: high