Alcohol is not a nutrient in the usual sense, but it does supply energy: 7 calories per gram, nearly as much as fat. Those calories are easy to overlook because they come in a glass, and the amount of alcohol in a drink depends on both its size and its strength. A pint of 4% lager, a large glass of 13% wine and a short measure of 40% spirits contain very different amounts. This calculator works out the pure alcohol, the calories it contributes, and the equivalent number of US standard drinks, UK units and Australian standard drinks.
It counts the alcohol only. Sugars and starches in beer, wine and mixers add more, so the full calorie count of a drink is usually higher.
How to use the alcohol calories calculator
- Enter the volume of one drink. Use the unit menu for fluid ounces, litres, cups or gallons; 1 L = 1,000 mL.
- Enter the strength (ABV) from the label, as a percentage.
- Enter how many drinks you want to total.
- Read the grams of alcohol, the calories and the standard drinks.
Alcohol formulas
Pure alcohol (g) = mL × 0.789
Calories from alcohol = grams × 7
US standard drinks = grams ÷ 14 · UK units = mL ethanol ÷ 10 · Australian standard drinks = grams ÷ 10
The density of ethanol, 0.789 g/mL, and the US definition of a standard drink (14 g) are from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The energy value of 7 kcal per gram is the Atwater factor for ethanol (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 77, 2003). A UK unit is 10 mL or 8 g of pure alcohol (NHS), and an Australian standard drink is 10 g (National Health and Medical Research Council).
Worked example
A 12 fl oz bottle of 5% beer.
- Volume = 12 × 29.57 = 354.9 mL; alcohol = 354.9 × 0.05 = 17.7 mL
- Mass = 17.7 × 0.789 = 14.0 g of pure alcohol, which is 1.0 US standard drink
- Calories from alcohol = 14.0 × 7 = 98 kcal; UK units = 1.8
Two 5 oz glasses of 12% wine contain 28 g of alcohol and 196 kcal from the alcohol, and three 1.5 oz shots of 40% spirits contain 42 g and 292 kcal.
Common drinks compared
| Drink | Alcohol by volume | Pure alcohol | Calories from alcohol | US standard drinks | UK units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular beer, 12 fl oz | 5% | 14.0 g | 98 kcal | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| Table wine, 5 fl oz | 12% | 14.0 g | 98 kcal | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| Distilled spirits, 1.5 fl oz | 40% | 13.9 g | 97 kcal | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| Pint of lager (UK, 568 mL) at 4% | 4% | 17.9 g | 125 kcal | 1.3 | 2.3 |
| Large glass of wine (250 mL) at 13% | 13% | 25.6 g | 179 kcal | 1.8 | 3.2 |
| Craft beer, 16 fl oz at 7% | 7% | 26.1 g | 183 kcal | 1.9 | 3.3 |
| Cocktail with 2 shots of spirits (3 fl oz at 40%) | 40% | 28.1 g | 197 kcal | 2.0 | 3.6 |
Alcohol and health guidance
- US Dietary Guidelines 2020–2025: if adults choose to drink, limit to 2 drinks or less a day for men and 1 or less for women. Drinking less is better for health than drinking more.
- NIAAA low-risk limits: no more than 4 drinks on any day and 14 a week for men, 3 a day and 7 a week for women.
- UK Chief Medical Officers (2016): no more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days.
- Some people should not drink: during pregnancy, if driving, with certain medicines or medical conditions, and anyone in recovery from alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol in your calorie budget
Alcohol calories count toward your daily total but give no nutrients, and alcohol can increase appetite and lower inhibitions around food. If you are managing weight, check the effect with the Calorie Calculator, TDEE Calculator and Calorie Deficit Calculator. The Calorie Density Calculator helps compare foods by energy per gram, and the Macro Calculator shows how to split calories into nutrients.
This page is for information only and is not medical advice. Speak to a doctor about your own health, alcohol use, diet or exercise plans.
Sources
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. What Is A Standard Drink? and Rethinking Drinking.
- US Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025.
- UK Chief Medical Officers. Alcohol guidelines review: summary of the proposed new guidelines, 2016. NHS: Alcohol units.
- FAO. Food energy — methods of analysis and conversion factors. FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 77, 2003.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in alcohol?
Pure alcohol (ethanol) supplies 7 calories per gram, between carbohydrate and protein (4) and fat (9). A standard US drink, which contains 14 g of pure alcohol, therefore supplies about 98 calories from the alcohol alone, before any sugar, starch or mixers.
What is a standard drink?
In the United States a standard drink contains 14 grams (0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol, the amount in 12 fl oz of 5% beer, 5 fl oz of 12% wine or 1.5 fl oz of 40% spirits (NIAAA). In the UK a unit is 10 mL or 8 g of pure alcohol; in Australia a standard drink is 10 g.
Does the calculator include calories from sugar and carbs?
No. It counts only the energy from alcohol. Beer, wine, liqueurs and mixed drinks also contain carbohydrate, which can double the total in some drinks. Check the label or a nutrition database for the full figure.
How much alcohol is considered low risk?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 advise that adults who drink should limit intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less for women. The UK Chief Medical Officers advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week. Not drinking is the safest option for pregnant women, people under 21 in the US and anyone who cannot control their drinking.
Why does the calculator use 0.789?
That is the density of ethanol in g/mL at room temperature. Multiplying volume by ABV gives millilitres of ethanol, and multiplying by 0.789 converts it to grams.