Calories in Alcohol: Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cocktails

Short answer: alcohol has 7 calories per gram, plus the sugar in the mixers. A 30 ml (1 fl oz) shot of spirits is ~70 calories, a glass of wine ~120, a gin and tonic ~110, a white Russian ~250. If you want to keep calories under control, keep it to 1–2 servings a week and give up cocktails.

This part continues how to count calories.

Why alcohol has so many calories

Alcohol is in fact a fourth macronutrient, with 7 calories per gram. Drinks with alcohol usually have calories both from the alcohol and from carbs. Alcohol isn’t desirable, but you don’t have to avoid it completely.

Calories per gram

Calories in beer, wine and spirits

Here’s a rough estimate, from the lowest calories to the highest:

Drink	Calories
Straight spirits (whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, cognac)	~70 per 30 ml (1 fl oz) shot. A standard US shot of 1.5 fl oz (44 ml) is ~100.
Dry sparkling wine	~90 per 150 ml (5 fl oz) glass
Beer	~120 per 330 ml (11 fl oz) bottle. A 12 fl oz (355 ml) can of regular beer is ~150.
Wine	~120 per 150 ml (5 fl oz) glass
Sweet and dessert wines	~160–250 per 150 ml (5 fl oz) glass
Classic cocktails	~150–300 each
Sweet cocktails of every kind, including alcohol-free ones	A lot, because of the syrups and the sugar-bomb ingredients

Calories in cocktails, counted

Gin and tonic

Gin, 30 ml (1 fl oz)

70

Tonic, 100 ml (3.4 fl oz)

40

Total 110 calories
Whiskey, neat

A standard serving, 60 ml (2 fl oz)

140

Total 140 calories
Aperol spritz

Prosecco, 75 ml (2.5 fl oz)

45

Aperol, 50 ml (1.7 fl oz)

80

Tonic, 25 ml (0.8 fl oz)

10

Total 135 calories
Negroni

Gin, 25 ml (0.8 fl oz)

60

Campari, 25 ml (0.8 fl oz)

90

Vermouth, 25 ml (0.8 fl oz)

50

Total 200 calories
White Russian

Vodka, 60 ml (2 fl oz)

130

Kahlúa, 30 ml (1 fl oz)

90

Light cream (18% fat), 15 ml (0.5 fl oz)

29

Total 250 calories

If your goal is to keep calories under control, it’s better to cut alcohol down to 1–2 servings a week, and give up cocktails.