Alcohol Calories Calculator
Estimate the calories, grams of alcohol and standard drinks in a beer, wine or spirit.
How it works
grams alcohol = volume(mL) × ABV% ÷ 100 × 0.789 · calories = alcohol × 7 + carbs × 4 · standard drinks = alcohol ÷ 14 g
Pure alcohol has a density of 0.789 g/mL and provides about 7 calories per gram — nearly as much as fat and more than carbohydrate or protein. Total drink calories add any residual carbohydrate (notable in beer and sweeter wines). One US standard drink contains 14 grams of pure alcohol, regardless of the drink.
Worked example
A 12-oz beer at 5% ABV: 12 × 29.57 = 355 mL × 0.05 × 0.789 ≈ 14 g of alcohol → 14 × 7 ≈ 98 kcal, plus about 12 g carbs (~48 kcal) ≈ 146 kcal total, and 14 ÷ 14 = 1.0 standard drink.
Sources: NIAAA — What Is A Standard Drink?
Frequently asked questions
Why is alcohol so calorie-dense?
Alcohol supplies about 7 calories per gram, close to fat’s 9 and well above carbohydrate and protein at 4. Those calories are also metabolized preferentially, which is part of why drinking can slow fat burning.
What is a standard drink?
In the US, any drink with 14 g of pure alcohol — roughly a 12-oz 5% beer, a 5-oz 12% glass of wine, or a 1.5-oz shot of 40% spirits. They differ in volume but carry the same alcohol.
Are spirits lower in calories than beer?
A neat 1.5-oz shot of spirits has almost no carbohydrate, so its calories come only from alcohol (~97 kcal). Mixers and sugary cocktails, however, can push a spirit drink well past a beer.
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Educational estimate, not medical or dietary advice.