Alcohol Calorie Content Calculator
Calculate the calories in an alcoholic drink from its volume and ABV, including the pure-alcohol calories and a total across several drinks.
How it works
Alcohol grams = volume(ml) × ABV% × 0.789 · Calories = grams × 7 kcal · Standard drinks = grams ÷ 14
Ethanol carries about 7 kcal per gram — nearly as much as fat and more than sugar — and those calories are the unavoidable core of any alcoholic drink. Grams of alcohol come from the volume times the ABV times ethanol’s density of 0.789 g/ml. This figure counts only the alcohol; sweet cocktails, beer and dessert wines add further calories from residual sugar and carbohydrate that a label or recipe would list separately. A US standard drink is 14 g of pure alcohol.
Worked example
A 355 ml (12 oz) beer at 5% ABV contains 355 × 0.05 × 0.789 ≈ 14 g of alcohol. At 7 kcal per gram that is about 98 kcal from the alcohol, which is also almost exactly one standard drink.
Frequently asked questions
Does this include the calories from mixers and sugar?
No. It counts only the calories from the alcohol itself. Beers, wines and mixed drinks also carry carbohydrate calories from sugar and residual grains, so the drink’s total is usually higher.
Why is alcohol so calorie-dense?
Ethanol yields about 7 kcal per gram, close to fat’s 9 and well above the 4 of carbohydrate or protein. Those calories are also metabolised preferentially, which can slow fat burning.
What counts as a standard drink?
In the US, a standard drink is 14 g of pure alcohol — about a 12 oz 5% beer, a 5 oz glass of wine, or a 1.5 oz shot of spirits. Other countries define it differently.
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Educational estimate using standard published formulas — not medical, dietary or nutritional advice. Individual needs vary with health status, medication and activity; consult a qualified clinician or dietitian before making changes.