How much alcohol is in a cocktail?
There is no single figure. NIAAA's container chart lists a mixed drink or cocktail as "1 or more" standard drinks and says recipes often exceed one standard drink's worth of alcohol. One standard drink is 14 grams of pure alcohol.
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Alcohol Content and Calories Chart (PDF)
ABV, proof, calories, carbs and grams of alcohol per serving for beer, wine, spirits and liqueurs. Every line shows its source and the date we read it. Print it or keep it on your phone.
- Typical beer, wine and spirits strengths from the NIAAA
- USDA values for typical drinks and the makers' own figures for Kahlua, Baileys, Cointreau, Patron, Tito's and more
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We use your email only for this download.What decides the strength
Each spirit shot adds alcohol, and mixers add volume without alcohol. NIAAA treats 1.5 fl oz of 80-proof (40%) spirits as one standard drink, so a cocktail with two shots is about two drinks, and more if the pour is larger.
Estimating a cocktail’s ABV
Our calculation: divide the alcohol by the total volume. Example: 3 fl oz of 40% spirits makes 1.2 fl oz of alcohol; in a 7 fl oz drink that is about 17% ABV, before ice melts.
Liqueurs, wine and fortified wine count too. NIAAA lists liqueurs at about 24% and fortified wine at about 17%.
What to do
Count the shots, not the glasses, and measure pours. Our standard drink calculator helps. Ask a doctor if you are unsure how alcohol fits with your health or medicines.
People also ask
How many standard drinks are in a cocktail?
NIAAA says one or more, and that recipes often exceed one.
What is the ABV of a cocktail?
It varies by recipe. Divide the pure alcohol by the total volume of the drink to estimate it.
How strong are liqueurs?
NIAAA lists cordials and liqueurs at about 24% ABV.
Sources
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