Coffee ratio

How much coffee for 12 cups

For 12 five-ounce cups (1774 ml), use about 104–111 g of coffee.

Water (12 × 5 oz)
1774 ml
60 fl oz
Coffee at 1:17
104 g
3.7 oz
Stronger, 1:16
111 g
3.9 oz
SCA, 1:18
99 g
55 g per litre

Use your own numbers: open the coffee ratio calculator →

Coffee for 12 cups

Cup sizeWater1:161:171:18 (SCA)
5 fl oz1774 ml111 g104 g99 g
6 fl oz2129 ml133 g125 g118 g

A coffee-maker “cup” is usually about 5 fl oz (148 ml) — check your machine’s manual. The SCA Golden Cup standard is 55 g per litre ±10% (SCA). Because the grounds hold back roughly twice their weight in water, you will pour out a little less than you put in.

Other pot sizes

4 cups · 6 cups · 8 cups · 10 cups

Last reviewed: 2026-10-04 · Disclaimer

FAQ

Coffee — questions

Most drip machines count a cup as about 5 fl oz, so 12 cups is 1774 ml of water. At 1:17 that takes about 104 g of coffee; at 1:16, 111 g.

12 six-ounce cups is 2129 ml of water, which takes about 125 g of coffee at 1:17.

The SCA Golden Cup standard is 55 g of coffee per litre of water ±10% — about 1:18. Many people prefer a little stronger, 1:15–1:17.