Which alcoholic beverages have the most (or least) calories?

A typical 6 oz. glass of wine or 12 oz. beer has as many calories as a can of Coke (140). Some beers have twice that much.
But you’d never know the calories in alcoholic drinks from many of their labels and non-chain-restaurant menus. (Chain restaurants must disclose calories for drinks on their menus, and some beer brewers and other alcohol companies label calories voluntarily.)
Alcohol is responsible for 88,000 deaths each year in this country, mostly from car crashes, suicides, violence, falls, and liver disease. But booze can also leave its mark on your midsection.
Beer

A beer’s calories depend mostly on alcohol and, to a lesser extent, on carbs.
- Light. Very-low-alcohol beers (2% to 3% alcohol) like Miller 64 start at around 60 calories in 12 oz. Most lights (4% alcohol) have about 100 calories.
- Regular. An average 5% alcohol brew like Budweiser hovers around 150 calories.
- IPAs. Heavy hitters (6% to 9% alcohol) like IPAs, double IPAs, and Belgian-style Trippels pack 200 to 300 calories. Gulp! A lower-alcohol “session” IPA cuts that to 140 or so.
- Draft pours. Do the math. Even an average beer hits 200 or 250 calories when you’re served a 16 or 20 oz. glass.
Wine

Red or white, expect roughly 150 calories for 6 ounces, the amount in a restaurant pour. A 9 oz. glass reaches 220 calories. Even many higher-sugar whites (like Moscato or Riesling) are in the same ballpark. Our chart below shows how wines from some big brands vary.
A glass of sangria typically has 200 to 300 calories, thanks to fruit, juice, sugar, etc.
Liquor and liqueur

Rule of thumb: any gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey has 100 to 120 calories per 1.5 oz. shot, before you add any mixers. That’s because all of liquor’s calories come from its alcohol (40% to 50%).
Exceptions: “Cask strength” or “barrel proof” liquor can reach 150-or-so calories. Liqueurs (like Baileys or Cointreau) vary, depending on their alcohol, sugar, or other extras.
Seltzer, cider, etc.

Most hard seltzersmatch the calories of a light beer (100-ish). And sugar ranges from zero (Bon & Viv, Henry’s, Smirnoff) to half a teaspoon (Nauti, Truly, White Claw) in 12 oz. Sure beats other sweet sips:
- Hard cider. Expect up to 200 calories and 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar—some from juice—in 12 oz. Dry ciders are lower (150 calories).
- Ritas. This brand of canned sparkling margaritas—made with high fructose corn syrup and, in some flavors, food dyes and sucralose—crams 190 to 220 calories into just 8 oz. How many of the 21 to 29 grams of carbs are added sugar? The company won’t say.
Mixed drinks

Drinks vary from one bartender to another. The usual ranges at chain restaurants that list calories on the menu:
- Martini or Manhattan. Classic cocktails with little added sugar (Manhattan) or no added sugar (martini) typically fall in the 150-to-200-calorie range.
- Moscow mule or mojito. Expect about 200 to 300 calories.
- Margarita. A classic margarita—tequila, lime, triple sec—in a small glass limits the calories to 200. But sugary (often frozen) margs jump to 350…and oversized ones reach 500.
- Blended frozen drinks. Large frozen mudslides or other boozy ice cream shakes hit 500 to 800-plus calories. That’s like slurping up a (540-calorie) Big Mac…or more. May-day!
Calories, carbs, and sugar in alcoholic drinks
Within each category of the charts below, alcoholic drinks are ranked from least to most calories, then (if shown) grams of sugar, and then grams of carbs. The % column lists percent alcohol by volume(ABV), when available. "NA" means that a number isn't available.
Click below to jump to a section of the chart:
- Beer (12 oz.)
- Wine (6 oz.)
- Liquor (1.5 oz.)
- Liqueur (1.5 oz.)
- Hard Cider (12 oz.)
- Hard Seltzer (12 oz.)
- Flavored Malt Beverages (12 oz., unless noted)
Beer (12 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs |
---|---|---|---|
Budweiser Select 55 | 2.4 | 55 | 2 |
Miller 64 | 2.8 | 64 | 2 |
Corona Premier | 4 | 90 | 3 |
Budweiser Select | 4.3 | 100 | 3 |
Busch Light | 4.1 | 100 | 3 |
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty Lo-Cal IPA | 4 | 100 | 3 |
Michelob Ultra or Miller Lite | 4.2 | 100 | 3 |
Victory Easy Ringer Lo-Cal IPA | 4.3 | 100 | 3 |
Coors Light | 4.2 | 100 | 5 |
Corona Light | 4 | 100 | 5 |
Sufferfest Repeat Kolsch Style | 3.5 | 100 | 5 |
Heineken Light | 3.3 | 100 | 7 |
Lagunitas DayTime IPA | 4 | 100 | NA |
Miller High Life Light | 4.1 | 110 | 6 |
Bud Light | 4.2 | 110 | 7 |
Busch | 4.3 | 110 | 7 |
Pabst Blue Ribbon Easy | 3.8 | 110 | 8 |
Bud Ice | 5.5 | 120 | 4 |
Michelob Golden | 4.6 | 120 | 7 |
Michelob Light | 4.1 | 120 | 9 |
Sam Adams Light | 4.3 | 120 | NA |
Guinness Draught Stout | 4.2 | 130 | 10 |
Bud Light Platinum | 6 | 140 | 4 |
Busch Ice | 5.9 | 140 | 4 |
Allagash Saison | 6.1 | 140 | 5 |
Dogfish Head SeaQuench Session Sour | 4.9 | 140 | 8 |
Founders All Day IPA Session Ale | 4.7 | 140 | 11 |
Heineken | 5 | 140 | 11 |
Miller Genuine Draft | 4.7 | 140 | 12 |
Miller High Life | 4.6 | 140 | 12 |
Pabst Blue Ribbon Original | 4.8 | 140 | 12 |
Sufferfest Head Start Stout | 4.5 | 140 | 12 |
New Belgium Dayblazer Easygoing Ale | 4.8 | 140 | NA |
New Belgium Slow Ride Session IPA | 4.5 | 140 | NA |
Budweiser | 5 | 150 | 11 |
Allagash White | 5.2 | 150 | 12 |
Coors Banquet | 5 | 150 | 12 |
Sierra Nevada Sierraveza | 5 | 150 | 13 |
Corona Extra | 4.6 | 150 | 14 |
Michelob Lager | 4.8 | 160 | 14 |
Corona Familiar | 4.8 | 160 | 15 |
New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale | 5.2 | 160 | NA |
Sufferfest FKT Pale Ale | 5.5 | 170 | 13 |
Blue Moon Belgian White | 5.4 | 170 | 14 |
Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange IPA | 6.8 | 170 | 14 |
Sufferfest Flyby Pilsner | 5.1 | 170 | 14 |
Shock Top Belgian White | 5.2 | 170 | 15 |
Bell's Amber Ale | 5.8 | 180 | 16 |
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | 5.6 | 180 | 17 |
Samuel Adams Boston Lager | 5 | 180 | NA |
Samuel Adams New England Pale Ale | 5.5 | 180 | NA |
Bell's Official Hazy India Pale Ale | 6.4 | 190 | 12 |
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA | 6 | 190 | 17 |
Budweiser Copper Lager | 6.2 | 200 | 16 |
New Belgium Voodoo Ranger IPA | 7 | 200 | NA |
Samuel Adams Rebel IPA | 6.5 | 200 | NA |
Dogfish Head American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA | 7 | 210 | 16 |
Bell's Two Hearted Ale | 7 | 210 | 17 |
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA | 6.7 | 210 | 21 |
Sierra Nevada West Coast Style Stout | 5.8 | 210 | 22 |
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout | 6 | 220 | 23 |
Allagash Black | 7.4 | 230 | 20 |
Allagash Tripel | 9.1 | 240 | 13 |
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA | 7.2 | 240 | 14 |
New Belgium Trippel | 8.5 | 240 | NA |
Allagash Curieux | 10.4 | 260 | 12 |
Victory Golden Monkey | 9.5 | 260 | NA |
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA | 9 | 290 | 26 |
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Triple IPA | 9.6 | 310 | 30 |
Wine (6 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
FitVine Prosecco | 11 | 110 | 4 | 1 |
Carlo Rossi White Zinfandel* | 8 | 110 | 10 | 6 |
Yellow Tail Sauvignon Blanc | 11.6 | 120 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Super Crisp Chardonnay | 11.7 | 120 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio | 11.9 | 120 | 2 | 2 |
Yellow Tail Riesling | 11.3 | 120 | 2 | 2 |
Carlo Rossi Sweet Rosé* | 9.2 | 120 | 8 | 6 |
Yellow Tail Moscato | 7.5 | 120 | 10 | 11 |
Yellow Tail Pink Moscato | 7.5 | 120 | 10 | 11 |
Carlo Rossi Pink Moscato Sangria* | 6.5 | 120 | 14 | 12 |
Carlo Rossi Moscato Sangria* | 6.8 | 120 | 16 | 12 |
FitVine Pinot Grigio | 13.4 | 130 | 3 | 0 |
FitVine Rosé | 12.4 | 130 | 3 | 0 |
Yellow Tail Chardonnay | 13.2 | 130 | 1 | 1 |
Sutter Home White Zinfandel | NA | 130 | 10 | NA |
Sutter Home Moscato Sangria | NA | 130 | 17 | NA |
FitVine Chardonnay | 13.4 | 140 | 3 | 0 |
FitVine Sauvignon Blanc | 13.4 | 140 | 3 | 0 |
FitVine Pinot Noir | 13.9 | 140 | 4 | 0 |
FitVine Cabernet Sauvignon | 13.9 | 140 | 5 | 0 |
FitVine Syrah | 13.9 | 140 | 5 | 0 |
Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon | 13.9 | 140 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Merlot | 13.9 | 140 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Pinot Noir | 14 | 140 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Shiraz | 13.9 | 140 | 1 | 1 |
Yellow Tail Shiraz Cabernet | 13.8 | 140 | 1 | 1 |
Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc* | 12 | 140 | 5 | 1 |
Carlo Rossi Cabernet Sauvignon* | 12.9 | 140 | 6 | 1 |
Barefoot Rosé* | 10.5 | 140 | 11 | 6 |
Barefoot White Zinfandel* | 9 | 140 | 12 | 7 |
Sutter Home Chardonnay | NA | 140 | 5 | NA |
Sutter Home Merlot | NA | 140 | 5 | NA |
Sutter Home Pinot Grigio | NA | 140 | 5 | NA |
Sutter Home Pinot Noir | NA | 140 | 5 | NA |
Sutter Home Rosé | NA | 140 | 5 | NA |
Barefoot Carbernet Sauvignon* | 12.7 | 150 | 6 | 1 |
Barefoot Malbec* | 13 | 150 | 6 | 1 |
Barefoot Chardonnay* | 13 | 150 | 6 | 2 |
Barefoot Pinot Noir* | 13 | 150 | 6 | 2 |
Barefoot Pinot Grigio* | 12 | 150 | 7 | 2 |
Yellow Tail Sangria | 11.5 | 150 | 10 | 11 |
Barefoot Riesling* | 8 | 150 | 18 | 13 |
Carlo Rossi Sweet Red* | 8 | 150 | 19 | 14 |
Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc | NA | 150 | 3 | NA |
Sutter Home Zinfandel | NA | 150 | 5 | NA |
Sutter Home Malbec | NA | 150 | 6 | NA |
Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon | NA | 150 | 7 | NA |
Sutter Home Moscato | NA | 150 | 14 | NA |
Barefoot Merlot* | 13.5 | 160 | 6 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco | NA | 160 | 9 | 5 |
Cupcake Vineyards Riesling | NA | 160 | 11 | 7 |
Carlo Rossi Chardonnay* | 12 | 160 | 12 | 8 |
Barefoot Moscato* | 9 | 160 | 17 | 12 |
Barefoot Pink Moscato* | 9 | 160 | 18 | 13 |
Sutter Home Riesling | NA | 160 | 9 | NA |
Sutter Home Sweet Red | NA | 160 | 10 | NA |
Sutter Home Pink Moscato | NA | 160 | 16 | NA |
Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio | NA | 170 | 6 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Rosé | NA | 170 | 6 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc | NA | 170 | 6 | 1 |
Carlo Rossi Red Sangria* | 10 | 170 | 22 | 17 |
Sutter Home Sangria | NA | 170 | 14 | NA |
Sutter Home Red Moscato | NA | 170 | 16 | NA |
Cupcake Vineyards Malbec | NA | 180 | 8 | 0 |
Cupcake Vineyards Chardonnay | NA | 180 | 6 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon | NA | 180 | 8 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Noir | NA | 180 | 8 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Petite Sirah | NA | 180 | 8 | 2 |
Cupcake Vineyards Moscato | NA | 180 | 18 | 13 |
Cupcake Vineyards Merlot | NA | 190 | 8 | 1 |
Cupcake Vineyards Shiraz | NA | 190 | 8 | 1 |
*Barefoot and Carlo Rossi wines may vary by roughly 10 calories per serving. Calories listed reflect the low end of the range.
Liquor (1.5 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey, any brand, 80 proof | 40 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Bombay Sapphire Gin | 47 | 110 | 0 | 0 |
Bulleit Bourbon or Rye | 45 | 110 | 0 | 0 |
Gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey, any brand, 100 proof | 50 | 120 | 0 | 0 |
Booker's Bourbon | 62.5 | 150 | 0 | 0 |
Liqueur (1.5 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
Baileys Almande Almondmilk Liqueur | 13 | 70 | NA | 6 |
DeKuyper Peachtree Peach Schnapps | 15 | 80 | 10 | 10 |
Kahlúa | 20 | 130 | 20 | 20 |
Baileys Original Irish Cream | 17 | 140 | 11 | 9 |
Cointreau | 40 | 140 | 10 | 10 |
Hard Cider (12 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crispin Pearsecco | 4.5 | 140 | 9 | 7 |
Angry Orchard Stone Dry | 5.5 | 150 | 11 | 7 |
Crispin Rosé | 5 | 160 | 13 | 10 |
Crispin Brut | 5.5 | 170 | 13 | 10 |
Crispin Browns Lane | 5.8 | 170 | 14 | 12 |
Angry Orchard Rosé | 5.5 | 170 | 17 | 12 |
Crispin Original | 5 | 170 | 15 | 13 |
Crispin Pacific Pear | 4.5 | 170 | 18 | 15 |
Crispin Blackberry Pear | 5 | 180 | 16 | 13 |
Stella Artois Cidre | 4.5 | 180 | 22 | 16 |
Angry Orchard Crisp Apple | 5 | 190 | 24 | 20 |
Crispin Honey Crisp | 6.5 | 200 | 16 | 14 |
Crispin The Saint | 6.9 | 230 | 20 | 17 |
Hard Seltzer, all flavors (12 oz.)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
Smirnoff | 4.5 | 90 | 1 | 0 |
Bon & Viv | 4.5 | 90 | 1-2 | 0 |
Henry's | 4.2 | 90 | 2 | 0 |
Truly | 5 | 100 | 2 | 1 |
White Claw | 5 | 100 | 2 | 2 |
Nauti | 4.5 | 100 | 4 | 1-2 |
Pabst Blue Ribbon Stronger Seltzer | 8 | 230 | 3 | 1 |
Flavored Malt Beverages (12 oz., unless noted)
| % | Calories | Carbs | Sugar |
---|---|---|---|---|
Redd's Apple Ale | 5 | 170 | 17 | 12 |
Henry's Hard Lemon Lime Soda | 4.2 | 190 | 26 | 24 |
Henry's Hard Orange Soda | 4.2 | 190 | 28 | 24 |
Ritas Sangria Spritz Strawberry Blueberry | 6 | 200 | 20 | NA |
Ritas Sangria Spritz Pear Orange | 6 | 200 | 21 | NA |
Ritas Lemon-Ade-Rita (8 oz.) | 8 | 200 | 23 | NA |
Ritas Mang-O-Rita (8 oz.) | 8 | 200 | 23 | NA |
Ritas Water-Melon-Rita (8 oz.) | 8 | 200 | 23 | NA |
Ritas Straw-Ber-Rita (8 oz.) | 8 | 200 | 24 | NA |
Ritas Rosé Spritz White Peach | 6 | 210 | 23 | NA |
Henry's Hard Grape Soda | 4.2 | 220 | 35 | 33 |
Ritas Lime-A-Rita (8 oz.) | 8 | 220 | 29 | NA |
Best Damn Root Beer | 5.5 | 240 | 33 | NA |
Best Damn Cream Soda | 5.5 | 260 | 38 | NA |
Redd's Wicked Apple Ale | 8 | 270 | 30 | 26 |
Ritas Coco-Nut-Rita (25 oz.) | 8 | 590 | 66 | NA |
Ritas Cherry-Lime-Rita (25 oz.) | 8 | 590 | 67 | NA |
Ritas Grape-Fruit-Rita (25 oz.) | 8 | 600 | 70 | NA |
Ritas Peach-A-Rita (25 oz.) | 8 | 600 | 71 | NA |
Ritas Grape-A-Rita (25 oz.) | 8 | 610 | 73 | NA |
Notes: NA means that the number is not available. Most calories have been rounded to the nearest 10. Percent alcohol by volume may vary slightly from year to year for some wines and other drinks. Sugar is grams of total sugar. Many beers do not disclose sugar content.
Sources: company information and USDA.
Photos (top to bottom): Love the wind/stock.adobe.com, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., New Africa/stock.adobe.com, monticellllo/stock.adobe.com, White Claw Seltzer Works, wollertz/stock.adobe.com.
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