Alcohol Calorie and Unit Calculator
Want to know how many calories are in your drink and how it counts toward UK units, US standard drinks, and AU standard drinks? Use this advanced calculator to estimate calories from alcohol + mixers, compare to common health guidelines, and track weekly intake in one place.
Enter your drink
Choose a preset or create a custom drink with exact volume and ABV.
Calories add-ons (advanced)
Alcohol calories are always calculated. Add mixer/sugar to estimate the full drink.
UK guidance commonly referenced online is 14 units per week spread across multiple days. The progress bar below uses this reference.
Your results
See calories, units, standard drinks, and weekly progress — per person.
Weekly progress (units)
This bar uses your selected guideline reference.
Session history
Save multiple drinks, compare, export to CSV, or clear your list.
| Drink | Volume | ABV | Calories | UK units | US | AU | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No drinks saved yet. Click “Add to Week” after calculating. | |||||||
Reminder: these results are estimates. If you’re tracking calories strictly, use the “Conservative” mode and add realistic mixer calories.
How do you calculate alcohol calories and units?
This calculator estimates alcohol intake using a simple but reliable chain: drink volume + ABV% → pure ethanol (ml) → grams of alcohol → calories and unit equivalents.
- Ethanol (ml) = total drink volume × (ABV / 100)
- Alcohol grams = ethanol (ml) × 0.789 (density of ethanol in g/ml)
- Alcohol calories = alcohol grams × 7 kcal/g
- UK units are based on pure alcohol volume: 1 unit = 10 ml ethanol
- US standard drink ≈ 14 g alcohol, AU standard drink = 10 g alcohol
Because many drinks have extra calories (sugar, syrups, tonic, cola, juices), you can also add mixer calories and carb grams for a better “real-world” estimate.
How many calories are in beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails?
Calories depend on ABV (alcohol strength) and what’s inside the glass. Alcohol alone is energy-dense (7 kcal per gram), and cocktails can climb fast when mixers are sugary.
- Beer: often moderate ABV, but carbs vary (light beer vs craft beer).
- Wine: higher ABV; dry wine is usually lower sugar than sweet wine.
- Spirits: high ABV, but small serving; calories jump when mixed with soda/juice.
- Cocktails: can be the highest due to syrups, juices, and large serving sizes.
If you’re tracking weight or macros, your best move is to calculate alcohol calories and then add realistic mixer calories rather than guessing.
How many alcohol units are safe per week?
Many people search for “safe units” because guidelines differ by country. This page lets you compare your weekly intake against common references:
- UK reference: often cited as 14 units per week (spread out).
- US reference: often described as up to 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men.
- Australia reference: often referenced as 10 standard drinks per week.
This calculator shows weekly progress as a practical tracking tool, not medical advice. If you have health conditions, take medications, are pregnant, or want personalised guidance, talk to a qualified professional.
Alcohol calorie and unit calculator FAQs
How accurate is an alcohol calorie calculator?
Alcohol calories are fairly consistent because they come from ethanol (7 kcal per gram). The main uncertainty is mixers, sugar, and serving size. For best results, use exact volumes and ABV, and add mixer calories.
What is the difference between UK units and US standard drinks?
They measure alcohol differently. UK units are based on 10 ml (about 8 g) of pure alcohol. A US standard drink is commonly treated as about 14 g of alcohol. So the same drink will show different numbers.
Why do spirits sometimes look “lower calorie” than beer?
Spirits are high ABV, but servings are small (e.g., 40 ml). Beer servings are bigger (330–500 ml) and often include more carbs. If spirits are mixed with sugary drinks, total calories can exceed beer quickly.
Can I calculate calories for a cocktail like mojito or margarita?
Yes. Choose “Cocktail / Mixed drink”, enter volume + ABV, and add your mixer calories (syrup/juice/soda). If you know carbs, add them too.
Does this calculator save my data?
Your session history and weekly total are saved in your browser (local storage) only. Nothing is sent to a server in this simple HTML version.
Disclaimer
This tool provides estimates for educational and tracking purposes. Serving sizes, ABV, and mixers vary by brand and venue. Always follow local health guidance and consider professional advice for your situation.