How Many Ounces In A Shot Of Espresso? The Coffee Lovers Answer!

Last updated on July 28th, 2024 at 14:33

A question thrown out there by many coffee lovers and coffee enthusiasts is how many ounces in a shot of espresso?

Rather than drag such a simple answer out, I’ll give you the quick and simple answer before diving into a more detailed answer throughout this article.

From a coffee purist’s point of view a shot of espresso is one fluid ounce, a double shot is 2 fluid ounces and a triple shot of espresso is 3 fluid ounces.

A single fluid ounce is precisely 30 milliliters while an ounce by weight is 28 grams. It is important to distinguish the difference as we measure an espresso shot volume by the amount of water that is used to brew the shot and not the actual weight of the shot.

Keep reading as we dig down deeper and properly detail the topic of how many ounces are in a shot of espresso and get properly detailed and talk about various espresso drinks and how much coffee grounds are used to pull that shot!

How Many Ounces In A Shot Of Espresso A More Detailed Answer?

While a proper shot of espresso will be a single ounce or 30 ml, it is not uncommon for coffee shops to alter this and use 1.5 ounces as a standard measurement for a single shot while using more coffee grounds to pull their shot in order to maintain their coffee to water ratio.

This, depending on the establishment, will make a double shot 3 ounces and a triple shot of espresso 4.5 ounces.

These are, unfortunately, outwith what is the traditional and exact single ounce measurement set by industry standards.

Read: Espresso coffee cups.

How Much Coffee Is Used To Make A Shot Of Espresso?

The amount of coffee by weight to be used to make a single shot of espresso is 7 grams of ground coffee to adhere to the perfect coffee to water ratio to make the perfect coffee.

When a coffee shop is using a 1.5 ounce measurement as a standard measurement, 10.5 grams of ground coffee is used for a single espresso shot.

A double shot will have 14 grams of coffee in a double shot in a standard 60 ml two ounce shot and 21 grams in a non-standard 90 ml 3 ounce double shot to maintain that coffee to water ratio.

The ground coffee used must be fresh in order to produce the rich thick crema on top. The standard grind size is 250 microns, which is a very fine powder.

The correct amount of pressure to be used is 9 bars (130 grams) of water pressure to produce a perfect shot of espresso. The water pressure is an important aspect of brewing an espresso as without it, you will not get that thick, rich and tasty crema on top and may result in under or over extracted cups of coffee.

The pressure is measured as the resistance given by the coffee grounds in your portafilter.

The perfect flow rate or brew time is 25 seconds with a variance of plus or minus 5 seconds. Follow these rules for weight of coffee used, brew time, fresh coffee beans and pressure, and you will get the full flavor from your coffee beans into your shot of espresso.

Read: Double wall espresso cups

How Much Is One Shot Of Espresso In Tablespoons?

One shot of espresso is approximately 2 tablespoons, 30 ml if you are adhering to the traditional standard volume of a shot of espresso.

Many coffee shops use a non-standard 45 ml (1.5 ounces), which is 3 tablespoons per shot of espresso.

1 Shot Of Espresso Caffeine Content

1 shot of espresso has on average 63 mg to 65 mg of caffeine, a double shot has 126 mg to 130 mg of caffeine on average. This is of course only an average. Different coffee beans will produce different amounts and the more coffee grounds that you use, the stronger and greater your caffeine kick will be.

A notable difference is the amount of caffeine that is in a single shot of espresso at Starbucks.

How Much Caffeine In One Shot Of Espresso Starbucks

Consumer Reports website quotes a Starbucks shot of espresso as having 75 milligrams of caffeine in a single shot of espresso. This is only a touch more than a regular espresso from your local coffee shop.

A double shot of Starbucks espresso has a rather punchy 150 mg of caffeine.

How Many Ounces In A Double Shot Of Espresso?

A double shot of espresso has 2 fluid ounces, 60 ml of espresso. This as stated can vary from coffee shop to coffee shop with some using a 1.5 ounces per shot making 3 ounces per double shot of espresso.

How Many Shots Of Espresso In A Latte?

A tall latte from Starbucks is made with a single shot of espresso and a Latte Grande is made with 2 shots of espresso.

The usual chain of thought is that a Venti Latte has a triple shot…I’m sorry to break it, but it does not. It has only 2 shots of espresso. The same amount of coffee as a Grande.

Basically,

you do only get more flavored syrup and milk for the extra money that you pay and no extra coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions About How Many Ounces In A Shot Of Espresso?

How Many Ounces Is A Proper Espresso Shot?

How many ounces in a single, double or triple shot of espresso will depend entirely on the espresso drinks that you want, be it a lungo, a ristretto or a traditional espresso shot.

The following table lays out how many ounces in each espresso drink and the brewing time.

How Many Ounces Is A Starbucks Espresso Shot?

Generally speaking, a single espresso shot is 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) and a double is two fluid ounces (60 ml) and a triple shot of espresso is 3 Fl Oz.

Is An Espresso 2 oz?

A single shot of espresso is by standard convention a single fluid ounce, which is 30 ml. A double shot of espresso is twice as much, 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) and triple shot 3 times as much and so on.

How Much Does 2 Shots Of Espresso Have?

2 shots of espresso have 2 fluid ounces, which is 60 ml of espresso coffee. It usually takes 14 grams of finely ground, powder like coffee to produce a top quality double shot of espresso.

How Many Oz Is A Double Shot?

A double shot of espresso is usually 2 fluid ounces (60 ml). However, there is no set standard that coffee shops must adhere to and some have their own measurement which can range from 3 to 4 ounces.

What remains the same is the coffee to water ratio, which is 1:2. Thus, the larger sizes use more coffee in order to compensate for the larger drink size.

What Is Considered 1 Shot Of Espresso?

1 shot of espresso is in the vast majority of coffee shops 30 ml (1 Oz) and a double shot is two ounces unless stated. An espresso is defined by the small drink size, very short brew time and the coffee to water ratio of 1:2. 

Is 30ml A Single Or Double Shot?

A single shot of espresso is 1 Oz (30 ml) while a double shot is twice as much. 

Is 60ml A Double Shot?

Yes, a double shot of espresso is 60 ml (2 Oz). 

Frappé-Ing It All Up – How Many Ounces In A Shot Of Espresso?

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location