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Short answer
A spirit mixed with regular soda comes to about 178 kcal in this calculator's preset: 98 from alcohol and 80 from 20 g of sugar. Mixers, not the spirit, are usually what push a drink's calories up.
1. How the calories split
| Drink | Alcohol kcal | Sugar kcal | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 oz spirit, neat | 98 | 0 | 98 |
| Spirit + regular soda (7.5 oz total, 8%) | 98 | 80 | 178 |
The soda preset assumes 20 g of sugar. Soda, juice, syrup and cream add calories; diet mixers and soda water add almost none.
2. How to estimate any cocktail
- Find the ABV and volume of the finished drink (or the spirit pour).
- Add up the carbs in the mixers and syrups from their labels.
- Choose Custom in the Alcohol Calories Calculator and enter size, ABV and carbs.
3. Ways to cut the total
- Use soda water or a diet mixer in place of regular soda.
- Ask for a single pour rather than a double.
- Measure at home: a 1.5 oz pour is one standard drink of spirits.
For beer and wine see the per-serving chart.
4. Frequently asked questions
Why do cocktails have so many calories?expand_more
Sugary mixers, syrups and cream add carb calories on top of the roughly 98 kcal from each standard drink of alcohol.
How many calories are in vodka and soda?expand_more
With soda water, about 98 kcal for a 1.5 oz shot of 40% spirit. With regular soda add the sugar calories.
Do diet mixers have calories?expand_more
Almost none. The calories then come from the alcohol alone.
How do I count a cocktail's carbs?expand_more
Add the carbs from each mixer or syrup on its label, then enter the total under Custom.
5. Sources
- menu_bookNIAAA: What is a standard drink?