You love shots, and so do we! But I am sure you would want to know, “how many ounces in a shot” to help you understand alcohol consumption and plan your drinks for a party or home event.
In this article, we will describe in detail the number of oz in a shot in the United States, Australia, Germany, the UK, and other countries. We will also check the milliliters in a shot and describe different shot sizes for different drinks. Knowing the exact amount of liquor you are getting into your system is one of the main purposes of knowing the size of a shot (jigger).
You can rely on us for measurements that we have used while running the Hopsters Brewing Company and liquor store. We will also link the article to the number of shots in a fifth (750ml bottle) that we described earlier. Let’s dive in!
How Many Ounces in a Shot
A single standard shot in the United States has 1.5 (one and a half) ounces or 44 ml. The actual number is 1.48 oz in a U.S. bartender’s standard shot but there is no federally-mandated shot-glass size. However, the shot can range from 1.25 oz. to 1.5 oz. in different states except for Utah where a shot is defined as 1.5 oz. In Australia, the shot ranges from 30 ml to 60 ml while in Germany the shot ranges from 20 ml to 40 ml.
The fluid measurement standard unit in the United States of measuring liquids is fluid ounces. In other countries the standard measurement unit is liters. The most common liquor bottle is the fifth which has 25 fluid ounces (750ml), which is 16 standard shots (1.5 fluid ounces).
Therefore, there is no standard size of a shot as the number of ounces in a shot glass depends on the size of the glass and the country you are in. In most countries, a shot glass measures around 1.25 oz. to 1.5 oz.
Some shot glasses are made to fit smaller shots, and some are massive. For example, cocktail shot glasses will measure 2 oz. shots since that is the measurement U.S. bartenders consider to be a shot for a cocktail.
Moreover, even the person measuring the shot can give you a shot that has less or more volume. Not using a standard shot measurement can ruin the cocktail or mixed drinks recipe.
A shot glass is a small measuring or drinking vessel for liquors that holds a single measure of liquor (small quantities of fluids). Thus, you can imbibe liquor straight from the glass (“a shot“) or pour it into another bigger glass for cocktails or mixed drinks.
How Many Milliliters in a Shot?
As discussed, the standard milliliters in a shot glass are 44 ml in a jigger. The shot glass measurement is not federally-mandated and thus the shot-glass size can vary from one bartender to another and from one country to another.
The shot glass can be the small one that measures around 30 ml of distilled liquor. In most places, the medium shot glass which measures 44 ml (1.5 oz) is the standard shot glass. On the other hand, the larger shot glass measures 89 ml of fluid.
The shot glasses are as follows in different countries and regions with the ounces in a shot as well as milliliters in a shot being defined:
| Country | Small shot (ml) | Single shot (ml) | Double Shot (ml) |
| Australia | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 60 (2 oz.) | |
| Bulgaria | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 100 ml (3.4 oz.) | |
| Canada | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 44 ml (1.5 oz.) | 71 ml (2.4 oz.) |
| Denamrk | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) |
| Estonia | 20 ml (0.67 oz.)/ 30 ml (1 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | |
| Finland | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | |
| France | 25 ml (0.85 oz.)/ 35 ml (1.18 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.)/ 70 ml (2.37 oz.) | |
| Germany | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | |
| Greece | 45 ml (1.5 oz.) | 90 ml (3 oz.) | |
| Hungary | 20 ml (0.67 oz.)/ 30 ml (1 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.)/ 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 80 ml (2.66 oz.)/ 100 ml (3.4 oz.) |
| India | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 60 (2 oz.) |
| Ireland | 35.5 ml (1.2 oz.) | 71 ml (2.4 oz.) | |
| Isle of Man | 28.4 ml (0.96 oz.) | 56.8 ml (1.92 oz.) | |
| Israel | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.)/ 60 (2 oz.) | |
| Italy | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.)/ 60 (2 oz.) | |
| Japan | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 60 (2 oz.) | |
| Korea | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | ||
| Norway | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | |
| Poland | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | |
| Romania | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 100 ml (3.4 oz.) | |
| Russia | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | ||
| Serbia | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 30 ml (1 oz.)/ 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 60 (2 oz.)/ 100 ml (3.4 oz.) |
| Sweden | 20 ml (0.67 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.) | 60 (2 oz.) |
| Slovakia | 20 ml (0.67 oz.)/ 25 ml (0.85 oz.) | 40 ml (1.33 oz.)/ 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 80 ml (2.66 oz.)/ 100 ml (3.4 oz.) |
| Slovenia | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | 100 ml (3.4 oz.) |
| South Africa | 25 ml (0.85 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.) | |
| United Kingdom | 25 ml (0.85 oz.)/ 35 ml (1.2 oz.) | 50 ml (1.7 oz.)/ 70ml (2.36 oz.) | |
| United States | 30 ml (1 oz.) | 44 ml (1.5 oz.) | 59 ml (2 oz)/ 89 ml (3 oz.) |
How Many Tablespoons in a Shot?
Sometimes you are serving distilled liquor in a place without a shot glass or something to measure small amounts of liquor. In these places, you can either use a tablespoon or a teaspoon.
One tablespoon holds around 0.5 (½) oz. of liquid while one teaspoon holds 0.17 oz. of fluid. Therefore, you can use a tablespoon or teaspoon11222 to measure liqueur. A standard U.S. shot contains 1.5 fluid ounces thus you can measure three tablespoons or nine teaspoons to make a shot.
Therefore, if you are using the “1.5 oz. equals a shot” measurement as a bartender or serving your guests, then a shot would equal 3 tablespoons of distilled liquor.
You now know that the tablespoon is approximately half a liquid ounce. This can be used to estimate the ounces in a shot in other countries too. For example, a two-fluid-ounce shot can be measured by using four tablespoons of liquor on an estimate.
Things to Consider When Measuring How Many Oz in a Shot
As mentioned above, there are a few factors that determine the total liquid content in every shot. The common two are the size of the shot glass and the country:
1. Size of the Shot Glass
The size of the shot glass determines the total liquid content in every shot. The size ranges from small, medium, and large shot glasses depending on the bartender’s preference and the region.
Therefore, you will find that the size of the shot glass is small which in most instances contains one oz. (30 ml) of distilled liquor. The medium shot glass contains approximately 1.5 oz. (44 ml) of liqueur in most countries. On the other hand, the large shot that is majorly used in cocktails contains two fluid ounces of liquor.
The size of the shot glass can vary depending on the recipe being used and the region the person is taking the distilled liquor. The ounces in a shot glass vary from 20 ml (0.67 oz.) for the small shot glass to 100 ml (3.4 oz.) of fluid in a double shot.
There are different types of shot glasses, for example, the cheat glasses have thick and sturdy bottoms that make an illusion that the shot glass has fully poured liquid.
2. The country
The country in which you are taking the shots also determines the shot glass size as per the table above. The shot glass can also vary from region to region within the country. This is because there is no prescribed standard shot size in any country.
The shot size varies from country to country with the actual ounces in a shot being 1.48 oz in the U.S. even though there is no federally-mandated shot-glass size. In other countries shot size ranges from 30 ml (1 oz.) to 60 ml (2 oz.) in Australia, while it ranges from 20 ml (0.67 oz.) to 40 ml (1.33 oz.) in Germany.
The standard shot glass in the United Kingdom (UK) is used to measure 25 ml (0.85 oz.) or 35 ml (1.2 oz.) while the large shot glass measures 50 ml (1.7 oz.) or 70 ml (2.36 oz.). Other countries may have different shot measurements. This helps to clearly show that there is no standard shot measurement size worldwide.
State in the country
Other than Utah in the United States which has a prescribed shot size as 1.5 ounces, other States shot measurement varies. In the United States, the standard shot size is 1.25 oz. to 1.5 oz. in different states.
Therefore, the ounces in a shot may vary from State to State. There is no federal regulation on the shot size in the United States even though there is a common agreement on the shot size.
You need to understand the region you are in to determine the ounces in a shot. The shots may also vary in size in different countries regions such as Canada, Australia, and Russia.
3. Recipe being used
The recipe that is being used to make your drinks can determine the shot size. This is because different mixed drinks and cocktails use different shot sizes for making the drink.
For example, most cocktails use two fluid ounces in their preparation. In this case, the mixologist may decide to use the two fluid-ounce shots or use two of one fluid-ounce shots.
Other mixed drinks may require different shot sizes. This means you may require to use different shot sizes for your drinks. Being exact in measuring the shot sizes for your drinks ensures that the drink tastes great and does not lead to harmful effects such as hangovers.
Conclusion
As discussed above, there are different shot sizes for different countries and regions as well as different drinks. This means that there is no prescribed standard on the shot size but there is some universal agreement among bartenders on the size.
In the United States, the standard shot size is 1.5 ounces (44 ml) but can vary from State to State except in Utah where the ounces in a shot is exactly 1.5 ounces. In other countries, the shot size varies from 20 ml (0.67 oz.) in Germany to 60 ml (2 oz.) in the standard shot in Australia.
You can use the guide in the table in this article to determine the amount of alcohol you will be taking in different countries.
