Updated April 2026.
US vodka must be at least 40% ABV / 80 proof and, under TTB’s standard of identity, is a neutral spirit “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” (27 CFR 5.142). A 1.5-ounce pour is one NIAAA standard drink. Most supermarket vodka — Tito’s, Smirnoff, Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One, Kirkland — is bottled at that 40% floor in the United States. Flavored vodka is a different class; read that proof.
This is a 2026 identity and size guide. We will not reprint a 2021 brand-price spreadsheet. Street tags move. Compare Tito’s, Ketel One vs Tito’s, and Kirkland vodka.
What the label has to tell you
| Fact | Rule or typical US bottle |
|---|---|
| Minimum ABV | 40% (27 CFR 5.142) |
| Proof | Twice ABV if stated; optional, same field of vision as % ABV |
| Common fills | 50 mL, 200, 375, 750 mL, 1 L, 1.75 L |
| 750 mL at 40% | ~17 standard drinks / ~17 × 1.5 oz pours |
| 1.75 L at 40% | ~39.5 pours / ~39 standard drinks |
| Calories (unflavored 80-proof) | ~97 kcal / 1.5 oz (USDA) |
Base agricultural product (corn, wheat, rye, grapes, potatoes) can appear in marketing. TTB still requires the class “vodka” and the percent alcohol. “Handmade,” “five times distilled,” and “imported from France” are not a second ABV. Grey Goose is French wheat vodka; Tito’s is Texas corn vodka; they are both 40% on the standard US bottle. See vodka proof.
Four shots of 80-proof vodka are four standard drinks. NIAAA binge pattern (5 drinks in about two hours for men; 4 for women) is a health line, not a target. Mixer sugar is extra. Math: shots of vodka and shots in 750 mL.
Sources
- TTB 27 CFR 5.142: vodka ≥40% ABV; neutral character.
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025).
- USDA 80-proof spirits calories.
- Brand 40% floor: Tito’s official FAQ “40% alcohol by volume namely 80 proof.” Other brands: read the label.