When it comes to liquor bottles, there are various sizes to choose from, ranging from a petite 50 ml bottle to a sizable 1-gallon jug.
The bottle size you select will impact the quantity of liquor you’ll get and the cost involved.
To further understand this matter, we’ll discuss the different sizes of alcohol bottles. Read on.
Table of Contents
ToggleA Complete Guide On Different Sizes of Alcohol Bottle

There are different sizes of liquor bottles, so not all liquors are contained in the same bottle with the same size and shape.
In most cases, the sizes of liquor bottles depend on the type of alcohol and the intended use.
The whiskey bottles and gin bottles usually contain 750 ml, which differs from the common liquor bottle sizes of beer, typically 375-473 ml, and vodka, a half liter to 1 liter.
Other spirits like tequila, rum, and brandy use the standard 750ml bottle, while wine may use up to 4.5-liter bottles.
Quick Reference Chart On Varying Sizes Of Alcohol Liquor Bottles
Bottle Sizes | Shots | Ounces (OZ) | Milliliters (ML) |
Nip or “airplane” bottle | 1.5oz (one shot) | 1.7oz | 50ml |
Pint | 10.5 shots | 16oz | 473ml |
Half pint | 6 shots | 6.8oz | 200ml |
Quarter pint | 3 shots | 3.4oz | 100ml |
Fifth | 17 shots | 24.36oz | 750ml |
Gallon | 85 shots | 128oz | 3750ml |
Half gallon | 39 shots | 59.18oz | 1750ml |
Balthazar | 270.5 shots | 405.77oz | 1200ml |
Nebuchadnezzar | 338 shots | 507.21 oz | 15000ml |
Magnum | 33 shots | 34.15oz | 1500ml |
Jeroboam/Double Magnum | 65.7 shots | 101.4oz | 3000ml |
Rehoboam | 102 shots | 152.2oz | 4500ml |
Methuselah | 135 shots | 202.8oz | 6000ml |
Salmanazar | 202 shots | 304.32oz | 9000ml |
What You Should Know About Liquor Bottle Sizes
Nip or “Airplane” Bottle

A nip is almost identical to a shot in size, measuring 44.36-50 ml. It is commonly used for hard liquor single-servings.
Pint
A 375-473 ml bottle is called a “pint.” This liquor bottle size makes 8-10.5 shot ounces and 16 fluid ounces of liquor.
Beer liquor bottles come in this size, unlike vodka bottles.
Half Pint
A half-pint bottle is twice the size of an ordinary quarter-pint, 6.8 fluid ounces or 200 ml. Although this is uncommon, some hard liquor bottles and brands like Hennessy Cognac use these half-pint liquor bottles.
Quarter Pint
Measuring 3.4 fluid ounces of liquor, a quarter-pint bottle equals 100ml. Although technically, this isn’t a quarter-pint, it has since become the industry standard and was formerly utilized for hard liquor.
Fifth

In the US, “fifth” refers to the commercial standard bottle sizes of liquor or the standard size. One “fifth” is a 750 ml bottle of liquor or equivalent to 17 shots.
“Drinking is fun! It makes me feel horrible and sexy!”
― Warren Ellis, British Comic Book Writer
This is the most common size for liquors like whiskey and brandy.
Handle
Handle-sized liquor bottles refer to a 1.75-liter bottle, one of the standard bottle sizes of liquor in the US. This bottle, about half a gallon, has around 60 ounces of liquor.
Gallon
A gallon is twice as big as a half-gallon and is ideal for large liquor shipments or gatherings.
Sparkling wine can also be found in this liquor bottle, which measures about 3.75 liters and holds around 128 ounces or 85-ounce shots.
Half Gallon
A half-gallon or 59.18oz is also the same as a handle. It holds various types of liquor, such as whiskey, rum, vodka, and wines, and is commonly used for large parties or mixing cocktail recipes.
It makes 39-ounce shots.
Balthazar

The Balthazar is equivalent to 12 liters of alcoholic beverages or 16 standard wine bottles. In most cases, this liquor bottle size is for special occasions or decorative purposes.
Nebuchadnezzar
The Nebuchadnezzar is a popular champagne bottle measuring 15 liters – equivalent to 20 bottles. This is a large bottle size, actually. So how many ounces of liquor it contains?
It can make many shots, around 338 shots or 507.21 fluid ounces of liquor. This is perfect for special occasions.
Magnum
A magnum liquor bottle measures about 34.15 fluid ounces. So, how many ml it contains? Based on the metric system, it has 1.5 L of liquor.
Champagne [1] and wine bottles are usually housed in magnum bottles.
Jeroboam/Double Magnum

Jeroboam or double-magnum bottle is a large liquor bottle that measures over 101.4 fluid ounces and is typically used for large events.
These bottle sizes usually housed spirits like wine, suitable for large gatherings or shipments. How many shots does it provide? That would be around 67.5 shots.
Rehoboam
One of the largest sizes of liquor bottles is the rehoboam. So how many ounces it has? It’s around 152.2 fluid ounces and is equivalent to six standard liquor bottle sizes.
Also, how many shots to expect? It’s around 102 shots. This liquor bottle is commonly used for special occasions and is a popular choice for Champagne and wines.
Methuselah
The Methuselah is a decorative liquor bottle that measures 6 liters, equivalent to 8 standard liquor bottle sizes of wine.
It holds around 202.8 ounces of liquor or 135 (standard shot).
Salmanazar

The Samlanazar is a big bottle that can hold Champagne or sparkling wine [2], measuring 9 liters. This is equivalent to 12 common bottle sizes of wine.
Various Alcohols & Their Standard Sizes
Here are the different liquor bottle sizes based on their standard sizes:
Alcohol | Standard Sizes |
Vodka | 500ml (a half liter) to one liter |
Bourbon | 750ml |
Gin | 700-750ml |
Beer | 473ml |
Rum | 750ml |
Tequila | 750ml |
Brandy | 750ml |
Wine | 750ml – 4.5L |
Whiskey | 750ml |
FAQs
What is smaller than a fifth of liquor?
The smaller bottle of liquor than a fifth is a pint. Fifth is the common bottle size of liquors, next to 1 liter.
The pints are smaller than the standard liquor bottle sizes (750ml), around 473ml, typically used for beers.
What is the largest size bottle of alcohol available for purchase?
The largest alcohol bottle size available for purchase is the rehoboam, with about 152.2oz.
It can provide around 102 (single-serving size) of liquor.
What are the different sizes of alcohol bottles available?
Alcohol bottles come in various sizes, ranging from small individual servings to large party-sized containers. Common sizes include mini bottles (50ml), half-pints (200ml), pints (375ml), fifths (750ml), liters (1000ml), and handles (1.75 liters).
What is a mini bottle, and what occasions are they suitable for?
Mini bottles, typically 50ml in size, are often referred to as “nips” or “airplane bottles.” They are convenient for single servings and are commonly used for traveling, sampling different spirits, or as party favors.
What is a half-pint bottle, and when might someone purchase one?
A half-pint bottle contains approximately 200ml of alcohol. They are convenient for individuals who want a smaller quantity of liquor for personal consumption or for mixing cocktails at home.
What is a pint bottle, and how does it compare to other sizes?
A pint bottle typically holds 375ml of alcohol, making it larger than a half-pint but smaller than a fifth. Pint bottles are commonly used for spirits like vodka, rum, or whiskey and are suitable for moderate consumption or sharing among a few people.
What is a fifth bottle, and why is it called that?
A fifth bottle, also known as a “750ml” bottle, is so named because it contains one-fifth of a gallon, which is equivalent to approximately 25.36 fluid ounces or about 750 milliliters. It’s a standard size for most liquor bottles and is commonly found in stores.
What is the significance of a liter-sized bottle of alcohol?
A liter bottle contains 1000ml of alcohol, making it slightly larger than a fifth. Liters are popular among consumers who want a larger quantity of their favorite spirits without committing to a handle-sized bottle.
What is a handle bottle, and why might someone opt for this size?
A handle bottle, also known as a “1.75-liter” bottle, is the largest commonly available size for most spirits. It contains approximately 59.17 fluid ounces or 1.75 liters of alcohol. Handles are popular for parties, gatherings, or individuals who consume alcohol frequently and in larger quantities.
Key Takeaways
Various types of beverages, such as beer, wine, and mixed drinks, require precise measurements.
However, it can be very frustrating when determining the different sizes of liquor bottles using the metric system.
Since different liquor bottles come in varying metrics, it’s crucial to understand the common liquor bottle sizes to determine what you need in a specific situation.
As mentioned earlier, the legal threshold is 750 ml, which is the standard size.
But you can opt for bigger bottles like Salmanazar, Balthazar, and Nebuchadnezzar.
If you’re an average drinker or just fond of mixing cocktails, smaller bottles like a nip, quarter-pint, half-pint, and pint are enough.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/champagne-alcoholic-beverage
- https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/dec/05/ten-local-sparkling-wines-to-try-during-australias-champagne-shortage