How Many Ounces in a Cup of Coffee?
Coffee makers count a "cup" as 5–6 fl oz, not the 8 fl oz of a measuring cup.
The "cups" marked on a coffee maker carafe are smaller than a measuring cup: usually 5 or 6 fluid ounces. That is why a 12-cup coffee maker brews about 60 to 72 fl oz, only enough to fill six to nine typical mugs. Mugs themselves are usually 10 to 12 fl oz.
Common coffee serving sizes
| Serving | Fluid ounces | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso shot | about 1 fl oz | about 30 ml |
| Coffee maker "cup" | 5–6 fl oz | 150–180 ml |
| US measuring cup | 8 fl oz | 236.6 ml |
| Standard mug | 10–12 fl oz | 300–350 ml |
| Small café cup | 12 fl oz | 354.9 ml |
| Medium café cup | 16 fl oz | 473.2 ml |
| Large café cup | 20 fl oz | 591.5 ml |
Brewing ratios by cup size
A common starting ratio is 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 fluid ounces of water, the size of one coffee-maker "cup". For a 12-ounce mug that means about 4 tablespoons of grounds. By weight, many brewers aim for 1 gram of coffee per 15 to 17 grams of water, which works out to roughly 21 to 24 g of coffee for a 12-ounce mug.
Common questions
How many ounces is a mug?
Most mugs hold 10 to 12 fluid ounces when full, and large mugs reach 15 to 20 fl oz.
How much coffee does a 12-cup coffee maker make?
About 60 to 72 fluid ounces, or 7.5 to 9 measuring cups.