What's the typical weight of alcohol in a shot?

How much alcohol is in a “shot” (and what that means for weight)

A “shot” is usually a measured volume of liquor—most commonly 1.5 US fl oz (about 44 mL) in the US. To convert that to the weight of alcohol, you use the liquor’s alcohol content (proof) because that determines what fraction is ethanol.

Typical shot size: 1.5 oz (44 mL)

If the drink is a standard 80-proof liquor (40% alcohol by volume), the ethanol volume is:
- 44 mL × 0.40 = 17.6 mL ethanol

Ethanol’s density is about 0.789 g/mL, so the mass of ethanol is:
- 17.6 mL × 0.789 g/mL ≈ 13.9 g

So, a typical 1.5 oz (44 mL) shot of 80-proof liquor contains about 14 grams of alcohol (ethanol).

What if the shot is a different proof or size?

Because alcohol “weight” scales with both volume and proof, changes in either factor change the result:

- 100-proof (50% ABV), same 1.5 oz: about 17.4 g ethanol
- 1 oz (29.6 mL), 80-proof: about 9.4 g ethanol
- 2 oz (59 mL), 80-proof: about 18.7 g ethanol

Quick rule of thumb

For US pours, 1.5 oz of 80-proof liquor ≈ 14 grams of ethanol, which is commonly used as a reference when comparing “standard drinks.”