Cocktail ABV Calculator (Strength of a Mixed Drink)
The alcohol percentage of a cocktail or mixed drink from up to four ingredients and the water that ice adds, with the pure alcohol it holds and the UK units.
Results
What this tool does
A drink's strength is its alcohol divided by its total volume, so each ingredient contributes volume × ABV. A Negroni of equal parts gin (40 %), Campari (about 25 %) and sweet vermouth (about 16 %) starts near 27 % and ends up around 22–23 % after stirring on ice. The water melted by ice is a real ingredient, often somewhere around 20–30 % of the volume for a stirred or shaken drink and more when it sits; set it to what you do. Mixing alcohol and water shrinks the total by a percent or two, which is ignored here. One UK unit is 10 ml, or about 8 g, of pure alcohol.
Formula
alcohol = Σ volume × ABV · ABV of the drink = alcohol ÷ (total volume × (1 + dilution)) · UK units = ml of pure alcohol ÷ 10
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
v1 | Ingredient 1 — volume | mL |
a1 | Ingredient 1 — strength | % |
v2 | Ingredient 2 — volume | mL |
a2 | Ingredient 2 — strength | % |
v3 | Ingredient 3 — volume | mL |
a3 | Ingredient 3 — strength | % |
v4 | Ingredient 4 — volume (juice, soda, syrup: strength 0) | mL |
a4 | Ingredient 4 — strength | % |
dl | Water added by ice (stirring or shaking) | % |
A | Strength of the finished drink | % |
A0 | Strength before dilution | % |
V | Volume of the finished drink | mL |
ML | Pure alcohol in the drink | mL |
G | Pure alcohol by weight | g |
U | UK alcohol units | — |
Worked example
- Ingredient 1 — volume30 mL
- Ingredient 1 — strength40 %
- Ingredient 2 — volume30 mL
- Ingredient 2 — strength25 %
- Ingredient 3 — volume30 mL
- Ingredient 3 — strength16 %
- Ingredient 4 — volume (juice, soda, syrup: strength 0)0 mL
- Ingredient 4 — strength0 %
- Water added by ice (stirring or shaking)20 %
- Strength of the finished drink22.5 %
- Strength before dilution27.0 %
- Volume of the finished drink108 mL
- Pure alcohol in the drink24.3 mL
- Pure alcohol by weight19.2 g
- UK alcohol units2.4
Limitations
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.
- This tool is informational only. It does not diagnose, treat or replace a qualified health professional. Speak to a doctor before making decisions about your health.