Alcohol Calorie Calculator
Calories in any drink come from its alcohol (about 7 per gram) plus its carbs (4 per gram): a 12 oz beer at 5% is about 148 calories, a 425 ml schooner at 4.9% about 175 (734 kJ). Pick a drink, size, and ABV for calories, kJ, and standard drinks in the US, Australia, and Canada.
Enter a volume and ABV to see the math.
Night-out total
Add each round above and the night adds itself up here. Nothing is saved: refresh and it is gone.
For reference only: Australia's NHMRC guideline is no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day for healthy adults. Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health notes that more than 2 standard drinks per occasion raises the risk of harms.
How the calculator works
Every number above comes from three steps, the same for any drink:
- Grams of alcohol = volume in ml x ABV x 0.789. The 0.789 is the density of ethanol in grams per ml: Health Canada defines its standard drink as 17.05 ml or 13.45 g of pure alcohol, which is exactly 0.789 g per ml.
- Calories from alcohol = grams x 7. The FAO energy conversion factor for ethanol is 7.0 kcal per gram (6.9 unrounded), and NIH MedlinePlus also gives about 7 calories per gram.
- Calories from carbs = carb grams x 4, the general Atwater factor. Default carbs per drink come from USDA FoodData Central per 100 g, treating 100 ml as about 100 g.
Then kilojoules = calories x 4.184 (Australian labels list kJ), and standard drinks = grams of alcohol divided by 14 (US, NIAAA), 10 (Australia, NHMRC), or 13.45 (Canada, Health Canada).
Worked example: a schooner of full strength beer
425 ml x 4.9% x 0.789 = 16.4 g alcohol, x 7 = 115 calories. USDA regular beer has 3.55 g carbs per 100 g, so 425 ml carries about 15.1 g carbs, x 4 = 60 calories. Total: about 175 calories, or 734 kJ, and 1.6 Australian standard drinks.
Does the formula match official figures?
Closely. The ABV method gives about 148 calories for a 12 oz regular beer and about 98 for a 1.5 oz shot of 40% spirits, versus 153 and 97 in USDA FoodData Central. Canada's definition checks out too: a 341 ml bottle of 5% beer works out to 13.45 g of alcohol, exactly one Canadian standard drink. Real drinks vary with their recipe, so a label value always beats any estimate, this one included.
Calories per 100 ml, by drink type
Handy for Australian labels and anything sold by the ml. Calculated with the formula above at the listed ABV.
| Drink (ABV) | Calories per 100 ml | kJ per 100 ml | Alcohol per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirits (40%) | 221 | 924 | 31.6 g |
| White or red wine (13%) | 82 | 344 | 10.3 g |
| Rose (12%) | 81 | 341 | 9.5 g |
| Sparkling wine (12%) | 76 | 316 | 9.5 g |
| Cider (5%) | 51 | 215 | 3.9 g |
| Regular beer (5%) | 42 | 175 | 3.9 g |
| Full strength beer, AU (4.9%) | 41 | 173 | 3.9 g |
| Mid strength beer, AU (3.5%) | 34 | 140 | 2.8 g |
| Hard seltzer (5%) | 30 | 125 | 3.9 g |
| Light beer, US style (3.9%) | 28 | 118 | 3.1 g |
| Light beer, AU (2.7%) | 21 | 90 | 2.1 g |
USDA lists white wine at 82 calories per 100 g, the same as the formula gives at 13%. The Australian beer rows use USDA's carb values for US regular and light beer, so treat them as a guide and check the kJ on your can.
Common serves in the US, Australia, and Canada
| Serve | Calories | kJ | US / AU / CA standard drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| US beer, 12 fl oz at 5% | 148 | 621 | 1.0 / 1.4 / 1.0 |
| US pint, 16 fl oz at 5% | 198 | 828 | 1.3 / 1.9 / 1.4 |
| US wine, 5 fl oz at 13% | 122 | 509 | 1.1 / 1.5 / 1.1 |
| US shot, 1.5 fl oz at 40% | 98 | 410 | 1.0 / 1.4 / 1.0 |
| AU pot or middy, 285 ml at 4.9% | 118 | 492 | 0.8 / 1.1 / 0.8 |
| AU can or stubby, 375 ml at 4.9% | 155 | 647 | 1.0 / 1.4 / 1.1 |
| AU schooner, 425 ml at 4.9% | 175 | 734 | 1.2 / 1.6 / 1.2 |
| AU pint, 570 ml at 4.9% | 235 | 984 | 1.6 / 2.2 / 1.6 |
| AU wine, 150 ml at 13% | 123 | 516 | 1.1 / 1.5 / 1.1 |
| AU nip, 30 ml at 40% | 66 | 277 | 0.7 / 0.9 / 0.7 |
| Canadian bottle, 341 ml at 5% | 143 | 597 | 1.0 / 1.3 / 1.0 |
| Canadian wine, 142 ml at 12% | 109 | 456 | 1.0 / 1.3 / 1.0 |
| Canadian shot, 43 ml at 40% | 95 | 397 | 1.0 / 1.4 / 1.0 |
NHMRC rounds its own examples to whole drinks (it lists a 285 ml full strength beer as 1 standard drink); the exact math gives 1.1. A pint is not a pint everywhere: 570 ml in Australia, 473 ml in the US, so at 5% the same "pint" differs by about 40 calories.
Want the ranking of the lightest orders, mixers included? See Lowest-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks, Ranked. For a tracking system that survives a night out, read How to Track Alcohol Calories, and if you are curious what a break would do, Quitting Alcohol for Weight Loss runs the numbers. To see where drinks fit in your day, check your target with the Daily Calorie Needs calculator.
A quick note on drinking guidelines
Calories are only one part of the picture, and choosing not to drink is a completely valid order. The official guidance, in plain terms:
- Australia (NHMRC): healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. The less you drink, the lower your risk.
- Canada (Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health): 1 to 2 standard drinks a week is low risk, risk rises at 3 to 6, and rises further at 7 or more. More than 2 per occasion raises the risk of harms. For your health, less alcohol is better.
- US (CDC, Dietary Guidelines): if you drink, 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 or less for women; drinking less is better for health than drinking more.
People who are pregnant, under the legal drinking age, or taking medicines that interact with alcohol should not drink; talk to your doctor if you are unsure. If you are working on weight loss and have a history of disordered eating, please do it with a doctor or registered dietitian. If you want support with drinking: in Australia, the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline is 1800 250 015; in the US, the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator helps you find care; in Canada, Health Canada lists help services by province and territory.
Sources
- Standard drinks, US: NIAAA, What Is a Standard Drink? (about 14 g of pure alcohol) (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Standard drinks and guideline, Australia: NHMRC, Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol (10 g per standard drink; no more than 10 a week and 4 on any one day) (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Standard drink, Canada: Health Canada, standard drink definition (17.05 ml or 13.45 g of pure alcohol) (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- CDC, Moderate Alcohol Use (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Energy factors: FAO, Food energy: methods of analysis and conversion factors, Chapter 3 (ethanol 7.0 kcal/g, 6.9 unrounded; carbohydrate 4.0 kcal/g) and NIH MedlinePlus, alcohol at about 7 calories per gram (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Carbs per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central: beer, regular (FDC 168746), beer, light (FDC 168749), wine, table, white (FDC 174837), wine, table, red (FDC 173190), distilled spirits 80 proof (FDC 174815), wine, rose (FDC 2710690), wine, sparkling (FDC 2710687), hard cider (FDC 2710621), hard seltzer (FDC 2710622), club soda (FDC 174842), tonic water (FDC 171869), cola (FDC 174852), diet cola (FDC 174850), ginger ale (FDC 174846), orange juice (FDC 169098), via fdc.nal.usda.gov (checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Support: Australian Government, National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline; NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator (checked Oct 25, 2026)
FAQ
How do you calculate alcohol calories by ABV?
Multiply the volume in ml by the ABV and by 0.789 (ethanol's density) to get grams of alcohol, then multiply by 7. Add the drink's carbs x 4. A 12 oz beer at 5% has 14.0 g of alcohol (98 calories) plus about 12.6 g of carbs (50 calories), about 148 in total.
How many calories are in a beer by ABV?
Each 1% ABV in a 12 oz beer adds about 20 calories from alcohol, before carbs. A 12 oz regular beer at 5% is about 148 calories by this formula (USDA lists 153), and a US-style light beer at 3.9% about 100.
How many calories are in a schooner of beer?
A 425 ml schooner of full strength beer at 4.9% is about 175 calories, or 734 kJ, and 1.6 Australian standard drinks. A mid strength schooner at 3.5% is about 143 calories (596 kJ).
How many calories are in wine per 100 ml?
About 82 calories (344 kJ) per 100 ml for white or red wine at 13%, which matches USDA's 82 calories per 100 g for white wine. Sparkling wine at 12% is about 76 calories per 100 ml.
How many kJ are in a glass of wine?
A 150 ml glass of 13% wine is about 516 kJ (123 calories) and 1.5 Australian standard drinks. A full 750 ml bottle is about 2,580 kJ (616 calories).
What is a standard drink in Australia, the US, and Canada?
Australia: 10 g of pure alcohol (NHMRC). US: about 14 g (NIAAA). Canada: 13.45 g, or 17.05 ml (Health Canada). The same drink counts as more standard drinks in Australia because the unit is smaller.
Why do stronger drinks have more calories?
Alcohol carries about 7 calories per gram, close to fat's 9 and almost double the 4 in carbs or protein. More ABV means more grams of alcohol in the same glass, so calories climb with strength.
Does the calculator count mixers and sugar?
Yes. The carbs field adds 4 calories per gram, auto-filled from USDA for each drink type. For cocktails, enter the spirit pour as the volume and the preset adds the mixer: 6 fl oz of regular cola adds about 18.5 g of carbs, roughly 74 calories.
Is a pint the same size in Australia and the US?
No. An Australian pint is 570 ml and a US pint is 473 ml. At 5% that is about 238 versus 198 calories, so check which pint your glass is.
How accurate is calculating calories from ABV?
It lands within a few calories of USDA figures for plain beer, wine, and spirits. Residual sugar varies by brand and style, so if the label lists kJ, calories, or carbs, use those numbers.
How many standard drinks is too many?
Australia's NHMRC guideline for healthy adults is no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. Canada's guidance says risk rises with each drink and that more than 2 per occasion raises the risk of harms. Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.
What is the easiest way to track alcohol calories?
Say or type the round. In Nouri, "two schooners and a vodka soda" becomes calories and macros with the reasoning for each drink, and "Hey Siri, track food in Nouri" works straight from the lock screen, so you can track it without opening the app.