Bar Basics

Updated September 2026

Most bar questions have an exact answer, and most sources give a vague one. This section is the exact answers.

The four numbers worth memorising

A US shot is 1.5 fl oz. It is not federally mandated — no law defines a shot — but 1.5 oz is the accepted standard and what most jiggers measure. Utah is the outlier, defining a serving at 1.5 oz by statute.

A US standard drink is 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol. That works out to 1.5 oz of 80-proof spirit, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 12 oz of 5% beer. All three contain the same alcohol, which is the entire point of the measure.

A 750 mL bottle at 40% ABV is about 17 standard drinks. Useful for planning anything.

Proof is exactly twice ABV in the United States. 40% ABV is 80 proof. Nothing more complicated than that.

Start here

How many ml is a shot — the US, UK and metric answers, which differ.

How many shots in a litre — and in a fifth, a handle, and a pint.

Cocktail recipes — our full recipe index.

Decanter shapes and uses — what a decanter does and does not do for a spirit.

Best virgin drinks — non-alcoholic options that are not just juice.

What percent alcohol is moonshine — and why the number varies so much.

What does the XXX on a moonshine jug mean — a genuinely good piece of history.

What is a respectable drink to order at a bar — practical, and more useful than it sounds.

On the drinking questions

A large share of what people search here concerns intoxication — how many drinks, how long, how to sober up.

We answer those questions factually because vague answers are worse than none. But the honest position is that individual response to alcohol varies enormously with body mass, sex, food, medication, tolerance and sleep, and no article can tell you your own limit. Nothing on this site is medical advice, and there is no method that speeds up how fast your body processes alcohol — not coffee, not cold showers, not food after the fact. Time is the only mechanism.

If alcohol is causing problems in your life, a doctor is a better resource than any website.

Everything in Bar Basics

Buying guides

Brands & bottles

Comparisons

Questions answered

Recipes & cocktails

Prices & value

Also explore: Bourbon Guide · Whiskey Guide · Tequila Guide · Rum Guide · Gin Guide · Vodka Guide · Wine Guide · Beer Guide · Brandy & Cognac · Liqueurs Guide