Alcohol Calories Calculator
Estimate the calories in a drink from its alcohol content and carbs, with presets for beer, wine, and spirits.
Alcohol packs 7 calories per gram — almost as much as pure fat — and those are on top of any sugar or carbs in the drink. We work out the alcohol weight from the volume and ABV, add the carbs, and total it up. That's why a sweet cocktail can dwarf a dry spirit.
Values are estimates and vary by brand. Not a substitute for a nutrition label.
How it works
Pure alcohol carries 7 calories per gram — nearly as much as fat and almost double what carbs give you. This tool figures out the alcohol weight in your drink from its volume and ABV (using ethanol's density of 0.789 g/mL), multiplies by 7, then adds 4 calories for every gram of carbs.
Pick a preset to load a typical serving: a 12 oz beer at 5% with ~13 g carbs, a 5 oz glass of wine at 12%, or a 1.5 oz shot of 40% spirits. Change any field and it flips to custom so you can match your exact pour.
That standard 12 oz beer comes out around 150 calories, most of it split between the alcohol and the carbs. A dry spirit has almost no carbs, so nearly all its calories come from the alcohol itself.
Frequently asked questions
Why does alcohol have so many calories?
Alcohol is energy-dense — 7 calories per gram — and your body burns it before fat or carbs. That's on top of any sugar in the mixer, which is why sweet cocktails add up fast.
Are these numbers exact?
They're close estimates. Real values shift with the exact ABV, added sugars, and serving size, so a labeled product may differ. Use this to compare drinks, not for precise diet tracking.
Do mixers count?
Only if you include them. Add the carbs from juice, soda, or syrup in the carbs field, since those can easily double a cocktail's calories.