Vodka ABV Calculator: Dilution, Standard Drinks and Calories
Vodka dilution and ABV calculator
Approximate: mixing alcohol and water shrinks the total volume slightly, and fresh-fruit infusions add a little water of their own. Standard drink = 14 g of pure alcohol (US, NIAAA). Calories count the alcohol only (7 kcal per gram), not sugar in juices or syrups.
Enter the amount of vodka, its strength and the non-alcoholic mixer above to see the final strength, the number of standard drinks and the calories from the alcohol. Enter a target ABV instead and the calculator tells you how much mixer to add.
Worked examples
| Drink | Vodka (40% ABV) | Mixer | Final ABV | US standard drinks | kcal from alcohol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight shot | 1.5 fl oz (44 ml) | none | 40% | 1.0 | 97 |
| Vodka soda | 1.5 fl oz | 4 fl oz soda (118 ml) | 10.9% | 1.0 | 97 |
| Screwdriver | 1.5 fl oz | 5 fl oz orange juice (148 ml) | 9.2% | 1.0 | 97 |
| Vodka-forward stirred drink | 2.5 fl oz (74 ml) | 0.5 fl oz (15 ml) | 33.3% | 1.7 | 163 |
| Bottle diluted for a liqueur | 750 ml | 450 ml syrup or juice | 25% | - | - |
The figures are arithmetic from the formulas below, rounded to one decimal. The mixer changes the strength of each sip, not the amount of alcohol: the vodka soda and the straight shot both contain one standard drink. Calories from juice or syrup come on top of the alcohol calories shown.
The formulas
- Final ABV = (spirit volume × spirit ABV) ÷ (spirit volume + mixer volume).
- Grams of alcohol = alcohol volume in ml × 0.789 (the density of ethanol).
- US standard drinks = grams of alcohol ÷ 14.
- Calories from alcohol = grams of alcohol × 7.
- Mixer needed for a target ABV = spirit volume × spirit ABV ÷ target ABV − spirit volume.
Real mixes come out very slightly stronger than the formula because alcohol and water shrink a little when combined, and fresh-fruit infusions release some water into the bottle, so treat the results as close estimates.
Sources
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “What is a standard drink?” (14 grams of pure alcohol): niaaa.nih.gov.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, SR Legacy: vodka, 80 proof (FDC 174818), 231 kcal per 100 g: fdc.nal.usda.gov.
P.S. A few readers have asked which spirits & bottles we actually reach for — it's ReserveBar Premium Spirits & Gift Sets; if you want the current details.
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