Cocktail shots have been a part of bar culture for many years. Making a cocktail shot is referred to as making a shot cocktail or just a cocktail shot. These are very popular among young adults, especially those who are new to drinking.
Drinking games typically include a cocktail shot as part of the game. Some drinking games require the consumption of a cocktail shot as the game itself. Depending on the game, you may need to drink the shot quickly or in a specific order.
How much liquor is in a cocktail shot? This depends on the type of drink you pour into the glass or cup you use as a vessel for the liquor. Some shots can be very little liquor, while others can be very strong!
Surprisingly, one of the hardest parts about making a cocktail shot is measuring how much liquors goes into it.
1 oz shot
A 1 oz shot is typically a standard for alcoholic drinks. Most bars will serve their drinks in said ounces, so you can always ask for a 1 oz shot to be sure you get your money’s worth!
Most alcoholic drinks are between 2-3 ounces per serving, so depending on the bar tender, you may get 2 shots in an ounce of liquor. It all depends on how much liquid they pour!
Interestingly, a shot of liquor is equivalent to 1 oz of pure alcohol. So if you ask for a 1 oz shot, you will get exactly 1 oz of pure alcohol. How cool is that? You can check this information on the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism‘s website.
1 oz shots are also known as rail shots because of the size of the glass. The rail refers to the rounded edge of the glass where the liquor is poured. Rail shots can be any size, but one ounce is common.
1.5 oz shot
One of the most common shot sizes is 1.5 oz. This is the standard amount of liquor that fills a shot glass. Most drinks are measured by the ounce, so this is a pretty universal standard.
The 1.5 oz shot is a good baseline for how much ml in a shot. However, some shots may be bigger or smaller depending on the drink. For example, a whiskey or bourbon shot will likely be slightly bigger due to the thicker texture of the alcohol.
How Much Alcohol Is In A Shot?
Now that you know how much ml in a shot, let’s talk about how much alcohol is in a shot! Alcohol content varies per drink, but we will talk about general alcohol content per drink type.
Beer: Beer averages around 4% ABV (alcohol by volume). This means that for every 100 mL of beer, there is 4% ABV. For every 100 mL of beer, there is 0.4 grams of alcohol.
2 oz shot
2 oz shots are the standard for a vodka shot. This is the most common size you will get at a bar, and most bartenders know that it is a full 2 oz of liquid.
Most bars use jig bottles to measure liquids poured. These bottles usually hold 2 oz and have a measure line for that amount. Bar staff can easily check this to make sure they are giving you a full shot!
1 oz shots are somewhat common, but people may think that it is not a full shot. 0.5 oz shots are very rare and likely would not be appreciated. 0.75 oz shots are starting to get close to the volume of liquid in a cocktail, so those would not be appreciated either.
1oz shots are somewhat common for tequila, but once again, people may think that it is not a full shot. 0.
2.5 oz shot
The 2.5 oz shot is the standard for bar shots. This is the amount of liquid that will fill up a normal sized shot glass. Most liquors make a standard 2.5 oz shot, so if you know how much the liquor weighs, you can make any kind of shot!
People usually drink vodka shots, but some bars offer different liquors in their shots. Some even offer different flavors, like coconut or mango! This is fun if you are drinking with friends since you can all have different flavors and discuss which one is better.
Many people do not realize that a shot can be more than just alcohol. Liquor is the most common thing used to fill a shot glass, but there are other liquids that can be used as well.
3 oz shot
A 3 oz shot is the standard amount of liquor in a cocktail. You can think of this as one standard drink size. Some bars even have a minimum purchase for cocktails of three shots!
This is typically measured in pure alcohol, though some places may measure it in total liquid volume. Either way, one shot is pretty consistent across the bar world.
3 oz shots are the same as 1 1/2 oz doubles and a 1/2 ounce triple shot. A double is usually just as much liquor as a triple, but most bartenders pour more liquid into the double, so you get more alcohol.
1 1/2 oz doubles are also called women’s drinks because they are typically the size of a typical women’s drink such as vodka soda or gin and tonic. These sizes are not necessarily sexist, they are just standard proportions of liquor to beverage liquid volume.
1/2 ounce shots are called nips due to their small size. Two nips equals one shot, making them very convenient for drinking on the go.
3.5 oz shot
The next size shot is a 3.5 oz shot. This is typically considered a medium sized shot, although it can depend on the bar or establishment.
Most bars hold that a medium shot is between 2-3 ounces of liquor. Since this size shot is typically considered average, it can be hard to tell how much ml this contains!
The average alcoholic content of vodka, gin, and bourbon are 80 proof, 50 proof, and 80 proof respectively. This makes it easy to calculate the volume of each in a 3.5 oz shot.
How much ml is in a 3.5 oz shot of liquor? About 0.75 ml more than a 1 oz shot! This may not seem like much, but keep in mind that all these numbers add up after several drinks.
4 oz shot
A 4 oz shot is typically the standard amount of liquid in a shot. Many drinks are made by filling the cup half full, then filling the rest with liquor.
Typically, a 4 oz shot of alcohol contains approximately 1 oz of pure alcohol. This depends on the drink, but this is a good estimate.
Almost all cocktails are made using these shots, so you always get your value out of it! A martini is just vodka and dry vermouth, so it is just a shot of vodka with some liquid on top.
These shots typically contain between 0.8% and 1.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). The lower end of that range would be a non-alcoholic cocktail, and the higher end would be a cocktail with gin or vodka on its own.
4 oz shots are great for sharing! Or not…
4.5 oz shot
A 4.5 oz shot is the standard measurement for a vodka shot. This is the most common size shot that you will get at a bar. Most servers will pour around 1.5-2 oz of vodka per shot, depending on how strong you like your drinks.
Most bars have their own policies on how much to pour in a shot. Some bars may have slightly smaller shots due to this policy, so be aware!
Beer Glass Sizes
There are several different beer glass sizes that you may get served in at a bar or restaurant. How much you get depends on the size of the glass and how much beer is left after it is poured!
The average beer glass size for an average beer is usually what you should expect to get when you order it. Some places may give you more than that, but it is not wronged them.
