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Why does the ratio of espresso powder to liquid have to be 1:2? Does 18 grams of powder have to be extracted to produce 36ml of coffee?

Published: 2026-04-06 Author:

Last Updated: 2026/04/06, Qianjie believes that when you have been exposed to espresso for some time, you will not be unfamiliar with the powder-to-liquid ratio of "1:2", because it is often known as the "golden ratio" of Italian concentration. When extracting espresso, it is the most commonly used ratio. The powder-to-liquid ratio refers to the amount of coffee powder used

Qianjie believes that when you have been exposed to espresso for some time, you will not be unfamiliar with the powder-to-liquid ratio of "1:2", because it is often known as the "golden ratio" of Italian concentration. When extracting espresso, it is the most commonly used ratio.

The powder-to-liquid ratio refers to the ratio between the amount of coffee powder used and the obtained coffee liquor. For example, a powder-to-liquid ratio of 1:2 means that for every 1 gram of coffee powder used, 2 milliliters of coffee liquor need to be extracted. For example, assuming that the amount of powder we use is 18g. If we extract coffee liquor according to a powder-to-liquid ratio of 1:2, 36ml of coffee liquor will need to be extracted. Since major bloggers often call this ratio the "golden ratio" of espresso when sharing it (we can understand it as a good meaning), many friends are curious: Why must we use 1:2? Isn't it possible to use ratios such as 1:4, 1:5, and 1:6?

Does espresso coffee have to be extracted with 18g of powder to produce 36ml of coffee liquor? Dang! Yes! But! To! No matter which ratio is used, or 18g of powder is used to extract 50, 60, 70ml or more of coffee liquor, it is okay! It's not that espresso made at 1:2 is necessarily the best to drink. As long as the parameters are right, no matter what ratio is used and how much liquid weight is extracted, you can get a good cup of espresso. However, there is no reason why the ratio of 1:2 is praised as the "golden ratio", because this ratio can extract espresso that is more in line with our needs. Everyone can recall, what does the ratio of powder to liquid determine?

That's right! is the concentration of coffee. Front Street is often shared, and the concentration of coffee is mainly affected by the amount of water. With all other parameters unchanged, the more water you use when extracting coffee, the more coffee liquor you get, but the lower the concentration, and vice versa. Below are two cups of coffee extracted from Qianjie using the same amount of powder. The coffee beans used are the high-quality concoctions from Qianjie Italian bean lists. The extraction time is 30 seconds. The difference between the two lies in the ratio used. The ratio of one cup of coffee is 1:2, that is, 18g of powder extracts 36ml of coffee liquor; while the ratio of the other cup is 1:4, that is, 18g of powder extracts 72ml of coffee liquor.

Through measurement by a concentration meter, we can get that their concentrations are 10.83% and 5.36% respectively, which is about twice the difference. The flavors are all fragrant nuts and chocolates. The only difference is that one cup has a higher concentration, so the taste will be stronger and concentrated. The other cup has a lower concentration, so the layers are clearer and the flavor will be more recognizable. It can be said that each has its own characteristics.

Why is 1:2 known as the golden ratio? It's very simple, because the coffee extracted with it will have a high enough concentration. In daily life, not many people taste espresso directly, and most people prefer to use espresso as a base for the production of other fancy coffees. For example, add milk and mix it into latte, capablo, or pour concentrate on milk to make Dirty, etc.

The vast majority of fancy coffees require a certain concentration for concentrate, especially those with milk. Only when the concentrated concentration is high enough can the lattes, cappuccino, Australian white and other coffees we make have a high enough mellow degree to drink. But if the concentration of concentration is too low, the coffee will have a relatively obvious "water feel". Although the taste will pass, the taste will not be so outstanding. (For American countries, any ratio can be used.) Therefore,"1:2" has become the most commonly used powder-to-liquid ratio when extracting and concentrating. The coffee extracted with this ratio not only has a complete flavor performance, but also has a high enough concentration, even if a large amount of milk is added, it can have an excellent performance.

But what you need to know is that we do not need to fix the ratio at 1:2 when actually extracting. The range above and below 1:2 is desirable, such as 1: 1.5 and 1: 2.5, there is no problem. This ratio of 1:2 is only an indicator. What it tells us is that within this range, a cup of espresso with a high enough concentration can be extracted to make delicious fancy coffee.

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FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou China, selling freshly roasted beans from its own farm in Yunnan as well as dozens of carefully selected single-origin beans from around the world for both pour-over and espresso. The products deliver consistently excellent quality and great value, with shipping within 24 hours. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers, and the beans are now available online at the Tmall 。