The Amount Of Shots You'd Need To Drink To Equal A Single Glass Of Wine
From young professionals sipping espresso martinis to starving artists sharing a box of wine or contractors cracking a Coors after a day on the job site, it's different strokes for different folks, and everyone has a unique drink of choice. When you swing by your favorite local dive for a nightcap, maybe you've wondered whether the shot you just ordered and your friend's glass of house wine pack the same punch. Allow us to quench your curiosity.
A "standard drink" refers to 14 grams of pure ethanol alcohol. By these parameters, a 1.5-ounce shot (40% ABV) equals a 5-ounce glass of wine (12% ABV), and is the equivalent of a 12-ounce mug of 5% beer. Unless the bartender is using a jigger to measure every individual shot (not likely), shots are going to be an eyeballed pour within the confines of the glass. Sizes vary depending on which glasses are used, but in the U.S., the average shot glass holds 1.25 to 1.5 ounces. If you order a double shot, the bartender typically serves that in a rocks glass and the pour is closer to 3 or 4 ounces of liquor.
Shots tend to be more consistent, with all the liquors in the back-bar well clocking in at 40% ABV. It's common for restaurants to use 5 or 6-ounce wine glasses, but that's not universal. Beyond glass size, several other variables can also affect fluid volume consistency.
It's one-for-one, unless ...
Wine ABV can also differ greatly from one blend to the next. Moscato and Lambrusco clock in around 8%, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon sit closer to 13.5%, and deeper reds like Zinfandel and Marsala hit the 15%-20% range. Therefore, not all 5-ounce glasses of wine are created equal ... and maybe your server happens to have a heavy hand. In other words, if you're drinking an 8-ounce glass of Zinfandel, that might be closer to the equivalent of two shots.
Maybe you've heard the old drinking rule, "liquor before beer, you're in the clear." But, ultimately, the way you feel after a night out is less about the order of your drinks than about how much you drink — and how quickly. There's a reason why shot glasses are reinforced with a thick bottom: To protect the glass from shattering when guests slam it down on the bar after ripping a shot. The vessel is quite literally designed for reckless, hedonistic fun. Even if you're opting for lower ABV options like green tea shots over straight full-proof liquor, slam enough of 'em back and it's going to add up. Sipping wine slowly can give your body a chance to absorb the alcohol and stave off a hangover, even if it's the same amount of liquor as a shot.