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How to Calculate a Drink’s ABV
You may understand the term “ABV,” but do you know how to make your own calculations? We’ll take you through the process, step by step, and provide some options for lower ABV cocktails.
May 18, 2023
Recently, there’s been more of a movement toward mindful drinking. For a variety of reasons, people may want to pay closer attention to the amount of alcohol they’re consuming and sip responsibly. Knowledge is power, and knowing the alcohol by volume (ABV) in your drink can help you make decisions about what and how much you drink.
The Meaning of ABV
You may have seen the acronym before, but what is ABV? ABV stands for Alcohol by Volume, and it’s the standard measure of the amount of alcohol present in a drink. It is calculated as a percentage of the total volume of the drink. For example, if you’re wondering what a drink with 5% ABV means, it’s that 5% of the total volume of the drink is made up of alcohol.
What Are Some Standard ABVs of Common Drinks?
The most common ABVs for spirits typically range from 40 - 50%, with some exceptions such as certain liqueurs that may have lower alcohol content. The US Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau department requires that vodka is bottled at no less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof), and that’s the ABV of GREY GOOSE® Vodka and our flavored vodkas.
GREY GOOSE® Essences, which is vodka infused with real fruit and botanical essences, has a lower ABV of 30%. The new GREY GOOSE® Classic Martini Cocktail, which contains vodka, vermouth and orange bitters, has an ABV of 35%.
Wine ABVs can vary widely depending on the type of wine and its fermentation process, but they typically range from 10 - 15%. Beer ABVs can also vary depending on the style, with some light beers having an ABV as low as 2 - 3%, while others, such as imperial stouts, can reach higher percentages upwards of 10%.
This is why 1.5 oz of a spirit, 5 oz of wine and 12 oz of beer are all considered one standard drink in the US. Although the actual size of these drinks vary widely, they contain around the same amount of alcohol.
How to Calculate the ABV of Your Drink
Even if it’s been a while since you were in math class, calculating the ABV of your drink is a rather straightforward process that can be done using a simple formula.
Step 1: Determine the volume of alcohol in the drink.
Step 2: Determine the total volume of the drink.
Step 3: Divide the volume of alcohol by the total volume of the drink.
Step 4: Multiply the result by 100 to get the ABV percentage.
For example, let’s say you want to add one standard shot of a spirit to a tall glass of soda water. That would mean:
Step 1: Start with a standard shot of 1.5 oz of alcohol. Multiply 1.5 oz by the alcohol's known ABV percentage. In the case of Grey Goose Vodka, that means multiplying by 40% (or 0.4) to find the volume of the alcohol in the shot, which would be 0.6 oz.
Step 2: If you added 8.5 oz of soda water to the 1.5 oz of alcohol, that would mean a total of 10 oz of liquid.
Step 3: 0.6 oz divided by 10 oz equals 0.06.
Step 4: Multiply that by 100 and you get 6. So that means this theoretical drink has an ABV of 6%.
Don’t want to do the math yourself? You can find several free ABV calculators online.
Lower ABV Options
If you’re searching for some lower ABV options, there’s no shortage of possibilities. Check out some of our lower ABV cocktail ideas to enjoy a delicious, light-tasting drink. You can experiment with our different recipes — then practice making your own ABV calculations at the end.