Why the 1:2 Ratio Is Perfect for Espresso

Balancing precision, flavour, and feel—one shot at a time.

 

There’s a quiet kind of beauty in pulling a perfect espresso.

The tiny window of time.

The golden stream.

The aroma that hits you just before the crema settles. And somewhere in that magic lies a number we live and breathe by at Fox:

1:2.

It’s the espresso ratio that underpins our daily roasts, our cuppings, our quality control, and—if you ask us—your best possible shot.

So what is it?

Why does it matter?

And why does the 1:2 brew ratio get us so fired up that we wrote a whole blog about it?

Let’s break it down.

What Is a 1:2 Espresso Ratio?

The term “brew ratio” refers to how much ground coffee you use compared to how much liquid espresso you yield.

A 1:2 ratio means you use 1 part dry coffee to make 2 parts liquid espresso by weight.
So:

• 20g in → 40g out

• 18g in → 36g out

• 22g in → 44g out

It’s simple maths. But the results? Complex, balanced, and delicious.

At Fox, this is the ratio we build all of our espresso development around—whether we’re tasting a new single origin or dialing in our house blends like Hunter, Crafted, or Dusk.

 

Why 1:2 Just Works

So, why has 1:2 become the modern benchmark for espresso recipes?

Because it tastes right.

1. Balance of Strength and Extraction

Espresso is all about extraction.

Pull too short, and you get an underdeveloped shot—sour, salty, and thin.

Pull too long, and you risk bitterness and astringency creeping in.

A 1:2 ratio strikes a sweet spot where:

• The shot is strong enough to taste like espresso should—bold and rich.

• But not so strong that it’s overpowering or unevenly extracted.

At Fox, we often describe it as "sweetness meeting structure." The 1:2 ratio gives us the best of both: clear flavour and creamy body.

2. Consistency You Can Trust

Once you lock in your ratio, you’ve got a reliable foundation. Everything else—grind size, time, temp—can be adjusted around that ratio to dial in flavour.

This is exactly what we do on the cupping table and behind the bar every morning. We pull 1:2 shots across all our blends to taste for:

• Clarity

• Body

• Balance

• Sweetness

If the coffee doesn’t shine at 1:2, we go back to the roast profile or green selection. That’s how foundational this ratio is to what we do.

What About Ristretto and Lungo?

Great question. Let’s unpack it.

• Ristretto (1:1 or 1:1.5): This shorter shot can be syrupy and intense, but often at the cost of balance. You get the upfront acids and sugars, but miss the mid and tail end of the coffee’s range. Some coffees work here—but most don’t show their best.

• Lungo (1:3 and beyond): More volume, less body. You’ll extract more of the bitter compounds and stretch the coffee’s flavour thin. Useful for certain origins or milk drinks, but often lacks punch as a straight espresso.

The 1:2 ratio is like Goldilocks’ espresso—not too short, not too long. Just right.

How to Nail the 1:2 Ratio at Home

If you’re brewing espresso at home with a semi-auto machine and a decent grinder, here’s your step-by-step:

1. Dose: Start with 18–20g of coffee in your portafilter. Use scales—it matters.

2. Yield: Aim for 36–40g out. Again, weigh your shot. Not all 30mls are equal.

3. Time: Your extraction should land between 25–32 seconds. If it runs fast or slow, adjust your grind finer or coarser.

4. Taste: Always. Taste. Adjust. Repeat.

At Fox, we roast our espresso blends to shine at these specs.

That means you’re not fighting the roast—you’re letting it do its job.

Crafted is velvety toffee and chocolatey. 

Hunter? Spice and dark chocolate.

Dusk? Big and bold .

Do All Coffees Work at 1:2?

Mostly—yes. That’s why we love it.

But if you’re working with a wild single origin—say a high-elevation anaerobic natural—you might find 1:2.2 or even 1:2.5 brings out more clarity or sweetness.

Still, we start at 1:2.

It’s the control point.

The launchpad.

The benchmark that gives us a stable place to explore from.

 

In the Cup: What You’ll Taste at 1:2

Here’s what a 1:2 ratio reveals when your coffee and extraction are dialed:

• Sweetness: Think toffee, brown sugar, caramel.

• Acidity: Balanced, bright, and structured.

• Bitterness: Present but integrated—no harshness.

• Texture: Syrupy but not sludge. Clean finish.

And that’s the Fox difference—we roast and cup every batch to lean in to that flavour curve.

When we say no bitterness, we mean it. 

Because if we’re not stoked to drink it?

We’re not releasing it.

Final Shot

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule in coffee.

But the 1:2 espresso ratio? It’s as close as it gets.

It’s the north star for flavour, balance, and consistency—and it’s the ratio we use daily to bring the best out of every bean we roast.

If you’ve never brewed with ratios before, give it a go.

Grab your scale, load up your Fox beans, and pull a shot at 1:2.

You’ll taste the reason we’re so obsessed.

→ Need the perfect espresso roast to test it out? Try our Crafted Blend or Dusk and start dialing.