Espresso Dose, Yield, and Ratio Logging

Define the three numbers

• Dose: the dry coffee weight in the basket, in grams.
• Yield: the brewed coffee weight in the cup, in grams.
• Ratio: yield divided by dose, written as 1:2, 1:2.5, and so on.
• Time: from the start of the pump (or first drop, if you specify) to the end of the shot.

A ratio is not a recipe by itself. 1:2 at 25 seconds and 1:2 at 40 seconds are different extractions. That is why time belongs in the same record.

A repeatable measuring workflow

1. Put the empty cup on the scale and tare. Use a scale that reads to 0.1 g and responds quickly. A slow scale makes it hard to stop at the target yield.
2. Weigh the dose. Grind into the basket or a cup and weigh to the target. If you use a dosing cup, account for retention.
3. Prepare the puck as usual. Keep distribution and tamp consistent, otherwise the numbers describe a different process each time.
4. Place the cup on the scale under the portafilter and tare again. Some people place the scale on the drip tray; others use a smaller scale that fits. Choose one method and keep it.
5. Start the timer when you start the pump. Write down whether your timer starts at pump on or first drop, and never mix the two in one log.
6. Stop at the target yield, not at a target time. Yield is the more reproducible endpoint. Time is the result you observe.
7. Record dose, yield, time, and ratio before you taste. Taste biases memory; the numbers do not.

If your machine has a volumetric stop, treat it as a convenience, not a measurement. Volumetric buttons drift with dose, grind, and basket. Weigh the output when you are dialing.

What a ratio tells you

Ratio is a starting point for a coffee, not a universal rule. Lower ratios (less water per gram of coffee) tend to produce shorter, denser, more concentrated shots. Higher ratios produce more extraction and a lighter body. The right ratio depends on the coffee, the basket, and what you want in the cup.

Use ratio to describe the recipe in a way that survives a dose change. If you move from 18 g to 20 g, a 1:2 ratio means 40 g out, and your log stays readable.

Keep the basket in the record

Basket size and shape affect what dose is practical. A dose that is too small for the basket leaves a shallow bed; one that is too large can contact the screen. Record the basket you used, especially if you own more than one. Without it, a "perfect" recipe on one basket may fail on another.

Sample log

The log's value comes from the "change" column. A table of numbers with no record of what you did is just history.

Common logging mistakes

• Taring with the cup already full. Always tare the empty cup.
• Weighing yield after stirring or adding anything. Weigh the espresso alone.
• Changing dose and grind together. Then you cannot tell which one mattered.
• Recording time without saying when it started.
• Rounding everything. 17.8 g and 18.2 g matter when you are diagnosing.
• Using volume instead of weight. Crema volume is not a reliable measure of yield.

Building a recipe library

Once you have a few coffees dialed, copy the winning row into a separate recipe list. Include the coffee name, roast date, basket, dose, yield, time, and a one-line taste note. When you buy that coffee again, you have a starting point rather than a blank page. Expect to adjust for roast date and lot variation; a recipe is a head start, not a guarantee.

Bottom line

Weigh the dose, weigh the yield, compute the ratio, and record the time with a stated start point. Keep the basket and the coffee in the same row. Then change one thing per shot and let the log, not memory, tell you what worked.