Updated October 2026 · cup size by bean density
The right cup depends on the roast. In the Coffee Recipe Series the espresso cup size changes with the density of your roasted beans: 240 ml for the darkest roasts, down to 150 ml for the lightest, across all 121 recipes.
Light roasts belong in small cups; dark roasts in large ones. 240 ml for the darkest roasts, stepping down through 220, 190 and 170 ml to 150 ml for the lightest. Measure your beans and your recipe gives you the cup size.
Why cup size matters
Very light roasts need a low dose, a high ratio and some bypass water. A small 150 ml (5 oz) cup will taste better than having the coffee washed out in a large cup.
Very dark roasts taste ashy and burnt. A large volume of milk makes a more palatable drink, so a larger 240 ml (8 oz) cup will taste better.
Your coffee is likely to be roasted somewhere between these extremes, and the right cup sits somewhere between them too.
The chart
Cup size steps down in five bands as density rises, from 240 ml for the darkest roasts to 150 ml for the lightest.
Espresso cup size (ml) against roasted bean density (g/ml). Note that density runs from high on the left to low on the right.
Large latte cup · Recipes 1–36 · 0.330–0.365 g/ml, the darkest roasts
Latte cup · Recipes 37–74 · 0.366–0.403 g/ml
Cappuccino cup · Recipes 75–96 · 0.404–0.425 g/ml
Tulip cup · Recipes 97–116 · 0.426–0.445 g/ml
Flat white cup · Recipes 117–121 · 0.446–0.450 g/ml, the lightest roasts
Cups
Cup sizes vary between makers, so aim for the nearest size you have. Acme's classic range covers most of the scale:
Changing your cup size to suit your roast level is recommended. Your recipe gives the cup size alongside the yield, any bypass water and milk, so the drink is balanced for that roast.
Keep reading
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