Dose Cafe Basics: How Many Grams of Coffee Go in an Espresso?

A typical espresso dose is about 7 to 10 grams of ground coffee for a single shot, 16 to 18 grams for a double and 20 to 22 grams for a triple, depending on the size of your portafilter basket. Most home baristas today start with an 18 g double and aim for roughly twice that weight in liquid espresso. These dose cafe basics, matching the dose to the basket and choosing a dose-to-yield ratio, are the foundation of every good shot.

This guide explains what “dose” means, how to pick the right one for your basket, how ratios work, and how to adjust dose for taste. If your shots are running too fast or too slow, that is a grind and timing question, which our guide to dialing in espresso shots covers separately.

What Is an Espresso Dose?

In espresso, the dose is the weight of dry ground coffee in the portafilter basket, measured in grams. Two other numbers complete the recipe:

• Dose: grams of ground coffee going in, for example 18 g.
• Yield: grams of liquid espresso coming out, for example 36 g.
• Ratio: yield divided by dose, written as 1:2 in this example.

Cafés weigh the dose because it is the most stable part of the recipe. Measuring by scoop or by eye is unreliable: a scoop of dark roast weighs less than the same scoop of light roast, because darker beans lose more mass and are less dense. A scale that reads to 0.1 g makes a real difference. See do you need a coffee scale for why.

Espresso Dose by Basket Size

The single most important rule: match your dose to your basket. Each basket is designed for a dose range. Too little coffee and the puck is loose and watery; too much and the coffee touches the shower screen and extracts unevenly.

Many baskets carry their rated dose stamped on them, such as 18 g. A good rule of thumb is to stay within about 1 gram of that number. Single baskets are notoriously tricky because of their tapered shape, which is why many home baristas pull a double and simply split it or drink it all.

Using a home machine with a pressurized basket? Those are designed to be forgiving with dose and grind. Learn the difference in pressurized vs non-pressurized baskets.

The headspace check

To see whether your dose fits, tamp a dose, lock in the portafilter, then remove it without brewing. If the puck shows a clear imprint of the shower screen screw, the dose is too high for that basket. Lower it by half a gram to one gram and check again.

Dose-to-Yield Ratios Explained

Once your dose is fixed, the ratio decides the style of shot. There is no single official standard, but these ranges are widely used:

A 1:2 ratio, such as 18 g in and 36 g out, is the most common starting point. From there, many baristas use a lower ratio for dark roasts and milk drinks and a higher ratio for light roasts. For a full rundown of shot names, see what is a shot of espresso.

How to Adjust Dose to Taste

Treat dose as a slow dial, not your main tuning knob. Set it to suit your basket and your drink, then use grind size for day-to-day tuning. When you do change dose, change it in small steps of 0.5 to 1 g, and keep the ratio the same so you taste only the dose change.

When to increase the dose

• You want more body and intensity, especially for milk drinks.
• Your lattes taste weak or milky.
• You are using a larger basket, such as moving from a double to a triple.

When to decrease the dose

• Shots taste heavy or muddled and you want more clarity.
• You are brewing a light roast and want it to taste brighter.
• The puck is hitting the shower screen in the headspace check.

Dose by roast and drink

• Dark roasts: often taste best at normal or slightly lower doses with a shorter ratio, around 1:1.5 to 1:2, to keep bitterness in check.
• Medium roasts: 18 g at 1:2 is a reliable starting recipe.
• Light roasts: many baristas use a slightly lower dose or a longer ratio, 1:2.5 or more, for sweetness and clarity.
• Decaf: start with the same dose as regular coffee, then adjust to taste. See is decaf espresso good for tips.

A Simple Dosing Workflow

1. Place your portafilter (or a dosing cup) on the scale and tare it.
2. Weigh whole beans to your target dose, for example 18.0 g. Weighing beans before grinding, as in single-dose grinding, makes the dose precise.
3. Grind into the basket or a dosing cup. A dosing cup helps contain mess and clumps.
4. Check the weight of the grounds. Some coffee can stay in the grinder, so adjust if needed.
5. Distribute evenly, tamp level, and brew to your target yield on the scale.
6. Write the dose, yield and time down so you can repeat your best shot.

Espresso Dose FAQ

How many grams of coffee are in a double shot of espresso?

Most modern double shots use 16 to 18 grams of ground coffee, with 18 g being a very common home and café recipe. Older traditional doubles used closer to 14 grams.

How many grams are in a single shot of espresso?

A single shot typically uses 7 to 10 grams of coffee and yields about 14 to 20 grams of liquid at a 1:2 ratio.

Should I measure espresso yield by weight or volume?

By weight. Crema makes volume misleading, because a fresh shot can look much bigger than it is. Weighing the yield on a scale gives you a consistent, repeatable result.

Can I put more coffee in my basket for a stronger shot?

Only up to a point. Overfilling the basket leaves too little headspace, which can cause uneven extraction. For a stronger drink, use a larger basket, a shorter ratio or an extra shot instead.

Get Your Dose Right, Then Enjoy the Shot

Dose is the foundation: match it to your basket, weigh it every time, pick a ratio for your style and adjust in small steps. For espresso that rewards a careful dose, try the Feel Espresso 6 Bean Blend, a dark roast house espresso, or the brighter African Espresso. For evening shots, our Decaf Espresso is water-process and dark roasted. Every order is roasted 1 to 5 days before delivery.