Pint (US) to Liter Converter

What Is a US Liquid Pint?

The US liquid pint is a unit of volume in the United States customary measurement system, defined as:

• Exactly 16 US fluid ounces
• Exactly 2 US cups
• Exactly one-half (1/2) of a US quart
• Exactly one-eighth (1/8) of a US gallon
• Exactly 28.875 cubic inches
• Exactly 473.176473 milliliters (by definition from 1959 international agreement)

The US liquid pint is the standard unit for serving beer in American bars, packaging milk and ice cream in grocery stores, and measuring moderate liquid quantities in recipes.

US Pint vs. Metric: Key Comparison

US Pint:

• 473.176 milliliters (about 473 mL)
• 0.473 liters (just under half a liter)
• Used primarily in United States
• Based on 1707 wine gallon (231 cubic inches)

Half Liter (500 mL):

• 500 milliliters (exactly)
• 1.057 US pints (about 6% larger)
• Global metric standard
• Used worldwide outside US/UK

Visual comparison:

• A US pint is about 27 mL smaller than half a liter (500 mL)
• 500 mL ≈ 17 fl oz (slightly more than a US pint)
• Many European "pint" beer glasses are actually 500 mL, not true pints

US Liquid Pint vs. US Dry Pint

The United States has two different pints:

US Liquid Pint:

• 473.176 mL
• Used for liquids (water, milk, beer, oil)
• 1/8 of US liquid gallon
• Standard for beverages and cooking

US Dry Pint:

• 550.610 mL (about 16% larger)
• Used historically for dry goods (berries, produce)
• 1/8 of US dry gallon
• Rarely used today

When it matters: If you buy a pint of strawberries or blueberries at a farmers market, the container might technically be a dry pint (550 mL), which is larger than a liquid pint. In practice, most commercial packaging uses liquid pint measurements or simply lists volume in fluid ounces.

Etymology: From "Painted Mark" to Standard Measure

The word "pint" derives from the Old French word "pinte," which likely comes from the Latin "picta" meaning "painted" or "marked." This etymology refers to the historical practice of painting marks on the inside or outside of drinking vessels and storage containers to indicate specific volumes—the painted line showed exactly where liquid should reach to constitute one pint.

This practical origin reflects the medieval need for standardized trade measurements. Tavern keepers, merchants, and households needed a reliable way to measure and sell liquids like ale, wine, milk, and oil without expensive or complex measuring equipment.

English Origins: The Wine Gallon System (1707)

The US liquid pint traces its origins to the English wine gallon system established in 1707 during the reign of Queen Anne. The Wine Gallon Act defined the gallon as 231 cubic inches, creating a standard for wine trade throughout the British Empire.

Within this system:

• 1 gallon = 231 cubic inches
• 1 quart = 1/4 gallon = 57.75 cubic inches
• 1 pint = 1/8 gallon = 28.875 cubic inches = 473.176 mL

This wine gallon system was used alongside the ale gallon (282 cubic inches, used for beer) and the corn gallon (268.8 cubic inches, used for grain), creating significant measurement confusion in colonial-era commerce.

American Independence and Measurement Continuity

When the United States gained independence in 1776, the young nation inherited British measurement systems. Unlike Britain, which would later reform its measurements, the United States retained the 1707 wine gallon standard and made it the foundation of American liquid measurement.

In 1832, the US Treasury Department officially standardized the US gallon at 231 cubic inches, making the US liquid pint exactly one-eighth of this gallon (28.875 cubic inches or 473.176 mL). This formalized what had been common practice in American trade and taverns since colonial times.

British Imperial Divergence (1824)

In 1824, Britain adopted the Imperial system under the Weights and Measures Act, creating a new, larger gallon based on 10 pounds of water at 62°F. This Imperial gallon measured 277.42 cubic inches, about 20% larger than the US gallon.

This change meant:

• Imperial pint = 1/8 Imperial gallon = 568.261 mL
• US liquid pint = 1/8 US gallon = 473.176 mL
• Difference: The Imperial pint is 20% larger than the US pint

This divergence created permanent confusion for trade, travel, and recipes between the United States and Britain. When British cookbooks call for "a pint of milk," they mean 568 mL—significantly more than the 473 mL in an American pint.

Metric Definition (1959)

The 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement between the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa refined measurement definitions in metric terms. The agreement established:

• 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters (exactly)
• 1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches = 3.785411784 liters (exactly)
• 1 US pint = 1/8 gallon = 473.176473 milliliters (exactly)

This metric definition ended ambiguity about the pint's exact size in international scientific and trade contexts, though the US continued to use customary pint measurements in everyday commerce.

Modern Usage: Beer, Milk, and Ice Cream Standard

Today, the US liquid pint remains deeply embedded in American consumer culture, particularly in three major industries:

Beer Industry: American bars and breweries serve beer in pint glasses (16 fl oz), which has become the default "standard" serving size. Craft breweries often emphasize "pint" servings as a mark of value.

Dairy Industry: Milk has been sold in pint containers (16 fl oz) since the early 20th century, alongside quart and half-gallon sizes. School milk programs often use half-pint (8 oz) cartons.

Ice Cream Industry: Ice cream has been packaged in pint containers since at least the 1940s, with Ben & Jerry's popularizing the "pint" as an individual or couple's serving size starting in 1978.

The pint's survival in the metric age reflects its practical size—large enough for a satisfying beverage or dessert serving, but small enough to be consumed in one sitting.

1. Beer and Alcoholic Beverage Service

The US pint is synonymous with beer service in American drinking culture:

Bar and restaurant service:

• Standard beer pour: 16 fl oz (1 pint) is the default serving size at most American bars
• Draft beer: Served in pint glasses (shaker pint, nonic, tulip pint styles)
• Craft breweries: Taproom pours typically offered in full pints or half-pints (8 oz)
• Beer flights vs pints: Flights offer 4-5 small samples; pints are full-size servings
• Pricing structure: Beer priced per pint, with happy hour "pint specials"

Glassware types:

• Shaker pint (American pint): Straight-sided 16 oz glass, industry standard
• Nonic pint: British-style with bulge near rim, holds 16 oz in US version
• Imperial pint glass: 20 oz glass, used in British pubs
• Tulip pint: Curved glass for Belgian/craft beers, 16 oz capacity

Consumer expectations: American drinkers expect a "pint" to mean 16 oz. Bars that serve less than a full pint (due to oversized glassware or short pours) face customer complaints and negative reviews.

2. Dairy Product Packaging

Milk and dairy products use the pint as a standard portion size:

Milk containers:

• Individual/small household size: 1 pint (16 oz) for 1-2 people
• School cafeteria: Half-pint (8 oz) single-serve cartons
• Specialty milks: Oat, almond, soy, lactose-free often sold in pint sizes for trial/small households
• Glass bottle milk: Premium/local dairies often use pint glass bottles
• Chocolate milk: Convenience store bottled chocolate milk typically 16 oz (pint)

Cream products:

• Heavy cream: Often sold in pint containers for cooking and whipping
• Half-and-half: Larger pint containers for household use (beyond coffee pods)
• Buttermilk: Pint and quart sizes for baking recipes

Historical context: The pint milk bottle was standard in home milk delivery (1900s-1960s), and school lunch programs standardized half-pint (8 oz) cartons in the mid-20th century.

3. Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Packaging

The pint is the signature size for premium ice cream:

Why pints dominate premium ice cream:

• Ben & Jerry's model: Pioneered premium pint packaging in 1978, making pints synonymous with high-quality ice cream
• Personal treat sizing: Large enough to share or enjoy over 2-3 occasions, small enough to justify premium pricing
• Flavor variety: Allows consumers to buy multiple flavors without committing to large containers
• Portion psychology: Marketed as "individual indulgence" despite being 3-4 official servings

Industry standard:

• 16 fl oz containers: Standard pint size across brands
• Wide-mouth design: Pint containers have wide openings for easy scooping
• Pint-sized packaging: Gelato, sorbet, non-dairy frozen desserts follow same format
• "Pint" language: Brands use "pint" in marketing ("grab a pint," "pint club")

4. Recipe Measurements and Cooking

Liquid ingredients:

• Stock/broth: Many recipes call for "1 pint chicken stock" (= 2 cups)
• Heavy cream: "1 pint heavy cream" for sauces, soups, desserts
• Milk: "1 pint milk" in bread, pancake, pudding recipes
• Cooking conversions: 1 pint = 2 cups = 16 fl oz = ~475 mL

Baking and preserving:

• Pint mason jars: Standard size for canning jams, jellies, pickles, salsa
• Fruit preparation: "2 pints strawberries" (note: may mean dry pint for whole berries)
• Measuring equipment: Some liquid measuring cups marked in pints (2-cup line)

Historical recipes: Older American cookbooks frequently use pints rather than cups, reflecting early 20th-century measurement conventions.

5. Beverage Retail Beyond Beer

Convenience store drinks:

• Cold brew coffee: Bottled cold brew often 16 oz (pint)
• Kombucha: Glass bottles commonly 16 oz
• Fresh juice: Premium fresh-squeezed juice in pint bottles
• Smoothies: Medium or regular smoothie size often 16 oz
• Energy drinks: Some brands offer 16 oz "tall boy" cans

Restaurant beverages:

• Soft drink sizing: "Medium" or "regular" often corresponds to ~16 oz (pint)
• Iced tea/lemonade: Standard restaurant glasses often pint-sized
• To-go cups: Many disposable cups come in 16 oz (pint) size

6. Food Storage and Meal Prep

Home food storage:

• Pint mason jars: Used for storing leftovers, dry goods, overnight oats, salads
• Portion control: Pint containers ideal for individual meal portions
• Freezer storage: Pint-sized containers for freezing soups, sauces, stocks
• Dry goods: Storing spices, grains, beans in pint jars for pantry organization

Meal prep industry:

• Individual portions: Meal prep companies often use pint-sized containers
• Soup/stew portions: Single-serving soup containers typically pint-sized
• Smoothie prep: Pre-portioned smoothie ingredients frozen in pint containers

7. Scientific and Laboratory Measurements

Less common but still used:

• US customary in labs: Some American labs still use pint measurements for non-critical applications
• Agricultural applications: Liquid fertilizers, pesticides sometimes measured in pints/quarts/gallons
• Automotive fluids: Motor oil sold in quarts, but pint measurements used in some maintenance contexts
• Historical data: Older scientific literature may reference pints, requiring conversion to metric

Modern trend: Scientific contexts increasingly use metric (milliliters, liters) exclusively, with pints reserved for consumer and commercial applications.

8. Farmers Markets and Fresh Produce Sales

Produce containers:

• Berry sales: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries sold in pint containers (often dry pints = 550 mL)
• Cherry tomatoes: Small tomatoes in pint containers
• Fresh herbs: Large herb bunches sometimes sold by the pint
• Prepared foods: Fresh salsas, dips, salads sold in pint containers

Dry vs liquid pint confusion: Technically, produce should be measured in dry pints (550 mL), but labeling is inconsistent. Some vendors use "pint" loosely to mean "small container" rather than precise measurement.