How many shots in a fifth?
A fifth — a 750 ml bottle, 25.4 fl oz — holds about 17 shots of 1.5 oz, NIAAA’s standard drink of spirits. A 1 L bottle holds about 22 and a 1.75 L handle about 39.
How to work it out
- 17 adults × 100% × 1 drinks (1 + 1 × 0 more hours) = 17 drinks
- 750 ml ÷ 1.5 oz = 16.9 drinks per bottle → 17 drinks ÷ 16.9 + 0% = 1, rounded up per spirit = 2 bottles
“A fifth” is the old name for a fifth of a gallon, and today’s 750 ml bottle is the metric size closest to it. It is the standard liquor bottle in the US, and the one most cocktail math is built on.
Adjust for your project
More options: Cocktail drinkers · Per hour · Mixer …
- Of each spirit
- 2 bottles
- Mixed drinks
- 17 drinks
- Drinks per bottle at this pour
- 16.9
- Mixers
- 0 gal
- Mixers in 2-liter bottles
- 0 bottles
- Use a jigger. A free pour is often far more than 1.5 oz, which empties bottles faster and makes stronger drinks than guests expect.
- With most guests on cocktails, consider a signature drink made by the batch — it is easier to pour consistently than a full bar.
Bottles by bottle size (guests and drinks as above)
| Bottle | Bottles of liquor | Of each spirit | Drinks per bottle at this pour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 750 ml | 2 bottles | 2 bottles | 16.9 |
| 1 L | 1 bottle | 1 bottle | 22.5 |
| 1.75 L | 1 bottle | 1 bottle | 39.4 |
Shots per bottle
| Bottle | Fluid ounces | 1.5 oz shots | 1 oz shots | 2 oz pours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 ml | 6.8 | 4.5 | 6.8 | 3.4 |
| 375 ml (a “pint”) | 12.7 | 8.5 | 12.7 | 6.3 |
| 750 ml (a “fifth”) | 25.4 | 16.9 | 25.4 | 12.7 |
| 1 L | 33.8 | 22.5 | 33.8 | 16.9 |
| 1.75 L (a “handle”) | 59.2 | 39.4 | 59.2 | 29.6 |
The shot size is the variable. NIAAA’s standard drink is 1.5 fl oz of 40% spirits, and that is the usual US shot and cocktail pour. Some bars pour 1¼ oz; a “double” is 3 oz. Higher-proof spirits — overproof rum, cask-strength whiskey — carry more alcohol per shot, so the same 1.5 oz is more than one standard drink.
Using it to plan
- Cocktails: most use 1.5 to 2 oz of spirits, so a fifth makes about 12 to 17 drinks.
- A fifth for a small party: about 17 drinks — enough for six guests at two or three each.
- A handle is the better buy for a crowd: about 39 drinks per bottle, and fewer bottles to open.
For a whole party bar, see how many bottles of liquor for 100 guests. Wine by the glass: how many glasses of wine in a bottle. Beer by the keg: how many beers in a keg.
Different size? Use the full Liquor Calculator for a Party Bar.
What you’ll need
- Bar jigger (1½ oz / ¾ oz)Budget price
Measured pours make the bottle count match the plan, and keep drinks at a known strength.
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Frequently asked questions
How many shots in a handle?
About 39 shots of 1.5 oz in a 1.75 L handle (59.2 fl oz).
How many shots in a liter?
About 22 shots of 1.5 oz in a 1 L bottle (33.8 fl oz).
How many 1 oz shots in a 750 ml bottle?
About 25 one-ounce shots in a 750 ml bottle (25.4 fl oz).
Other common sizes
- How many bottles of liquor for 100 guests — 9 bottles of 750 ml (3 of each spirit)
Sources
- NIAAA — What is a standard drink? (opens in a new tab) — One standard drink holds 0.6 fl oz (14 g) of pure alcohol: 12 fl oz of regular beer (about 5%), 5 fl oz of table wine (about 12%), or 1.5 fl oz of distilled spirits (about 40%).
- eCFR 27 CFR 5.203 — Standards of fill for distilled spirits (Cornell LII copy) (opens in a new tab) — Authorized spirits sizes include 750 mL, 1 L and 1.75 L.
- USDA/HHS — Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 (opens in a new tab) — “Limit Alcoholic Beverages”: consume less alcohol for better overall health; pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder or unable to control how much they drink, and people on interacting medications should avoid alcohol completely. No daily drink numbers are given.
- CDC — Moderate alcohol use (page dated January 14, 2025) (opens in a new tab) — Defines moderate drinking for adults of legal drinking age as two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less for women, citing the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines.
- NIAAA — Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose (opens in a new tab) — Blood alcohol can keep rising after drinking stops; coffee, cold showers and walking do not reverse it; if you suspect an overdose, call 911 and do not leave the person alone.