Espresso ratio & shot calculator
Weigh your dose, weigh your shot, time it. We'll tell you your brew ratio, whether it's a ristretto, normale or lungo, and which way to adjust the grind.
01Your shot
Weigh the espresso in the cup, not the volume: crema makes volume unreliable.
02Your beans
Write down the brews you love
Brew logs with dose, ratio, grind and a flavor wheel in our 2027 Coffee Journal.
See inside →Keep brewing
Coffee ratio calculator · Cold brew calculator · Home café savings calculator · Caffeine calculator
All 6 tools →What is an espresso brew ratio?
Espresso recipes are written as dose in, yield out: the weight of dry coffee in the basket and the weight of liquid espresso in the cup. Divide the yield by the dose and you get the brew ratio. An 18 g dose that gives 36 g of espresso is a 1:2 ratio, the most common modern starting point. Weighing the shot matters, because crema is mostly gas and makes volume measurements misleading.
Ristretto, normale and lungo
| Style | Typical ratio | 18 g dose → | Tastes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ristretto | 1:1 – 1:1.5 | 18–27 g | Thick, intense, sweeter, less bitter |
| Normale | 1:1.5 – 1:2.5 | 27–45 g | Balanced, syrupy, the classic |
| Lungo | 1:2.5 – 1:3+ | 45–54 g+ | Lighter body, more clarity, can turn bitter |
These are guidelines, not laws. Many light-roast shots taste best around 1:2.5, while darker roasts often shine closer to 1:1.5 to 1:2.
How long should an espresso shot take?
A common target is 25 to 30 seconds, counted from when you start the pump. Anything from about 20 to 35 seconds can taste great, and time is a clue rather than a goal. Grind size is your main lever: finer slows the shot down, coarser speeds it up.
How to dial in espresso, step by step
- Fix your dose. Use the dose your basket is designed for (often 14 to 20 g for a double basket) and keep it the same while you dial in.
- Pick a target ratio. Start at 1:2. Stop the shot when the scale hits your target yield.
- Adjust the grind for time. Aim for roughly 25 to 30 seconds. Change the grind in small steps.
- Taste, then tweak the ratio. Sour or sharp? Grind finer or pull a longer ratio. Bitter or dry? Grind coarser or pull a shorter ratio.
Change one thing at a time and write it down. A brew log (like the ones in our 2027 Coffee Journal) turns lucky shots into repeatable ones.
Single vs double shots, and the drinks they make
Most home machines come with single and double baskets. Doubles (about 14 to 20 g) are easier to dial in and are what most café drinks use today. Here's how common drinks are built on a double shot, roughly:
| Drink | Built as | Total size |
|---|---|---|
| Macchiato | Espresso + a dot of milk foam | 2–3 oz |
| Cortado | Espresso + about equal steamed milk | 4–5 oz |
| Flat white | Espresso + thin, silky microfoam | 5–6 oz |
| Cappuccino | Espresso + steamed milk + thick foam | 5–8 oz |
| Latte | Espresso + lots of steamed milk + thin foam | 8–16 oz |
| Americano | Espresso + hot water | 6–12 oz |
Café sizes vary a lot, so treat these as a guide. Milk-heavy drinks are more forgiving of a slightly sour or bitter shot than a straight espresso is.
Brew temperature and beans
Most machines brew around 90 to 94°C (194 to 201°F). Lighter roasts usually like the hotter end, darker roasts the cooler end. Fresh beans matter more for espresso than any other method: most people find beans taste best from about a week to a month after roasting. Very fresh beans can be gassy and gushy; stale beans run fast and taste flat.
How long will a bag of beans last?
Enter your bag size and shots per day and the calculator shows shots per bag and how many days that is. It's handy for planning orders so you never run out on a Monday morning. Combine it with our home café savings calculator to see what each shot really costs.
No espresso machine? You can still make great milk drinks: see how to make a latte without an espresso machine.
Related guides
Questions people ask
What is a good espresso ratio?
1:2 is the most common starting point, for example 18 g of coffee in and 36 g of espresso out. Ristretto is around 1:1 to 1:1.5 and lungo around 1:2.5 to 1:3.
How long should a double shot take?
Usually about 25 to 30 seconds, though anywhere from roughly 20 to 35 seconds can taste good. Adjust grind size to speed it up or slow it down.
Why is my espresso sour?
Sour espresso is usually under-extracted. Try a finer grind, a slightly longer ratio (more yield) or a hotter brew temperature.
Why is my espresso bitter?
Bitterness usually means over-extraction. Try a coarser grind or a shorter ratio, and check your beans aren't a very dark roast pulled too long.
How many grams of coffee for a double shot?
Most double baskets are designed for about 14 to 20 g. Use the dose your basket is rated for, and weigh it every time.
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