Easily Calculate How Many Beers Are in a Bottle of Wine
You need to know the alcoholic equivalent of a bottle of wine (in number of beers). Simple. Right?
Actually, the answer depends on the alcohol content and size of both the wine and the beer.
For a bottle of red wine, an ABV of 13.5% and volume (750 mL) are common. The alcohol content in this bottle would be the equivalent to 5.7 cans of Budweiser (12 oz. & 5% ABV). So, it’s a pretty good estimation to calibrate against.
However, to figure out the exact equivalent for the wine and beer of your choice, you’ll need to use a little math or our wine to beer calculator below.
Wine to Beer Calculator
To use the calculator, simply enter in the ABV % and volume (in mL for wine and fluid ounces for beer) of both the wine bottle and beer you’d like to compare, then click the calculate button.
How Does the Math Work?
First, we convert milliliters (mL) to US fluid ounces (0.033814 ounces per mL). Then we calculate the number of alcohol units for both the beer and wine in fluid ounces by multiplying the ABV % by the volume. Finally we divide the calculated alcohol units in the wine by the alcohol units in the beer.
Using our example from earlier:
- 750 mL * 0.033814 = 25.36 US fluid ounces (wine bottle)
- 25.36 oz. * 13.5% ABV % = 342.36 alcohol units (wine bottle)
- 12 oz. * 5% ABV % = 60 alcohol units (can of Budweiser)
- 342.36 (wine bottle alcohol units) ÷ 60 (beer alcohol units) = 5.7 beers
Since the majority of our readers live in the US, we’ve elected for the beer volume to be captured as US fluid ounces. Wine volume is typically displayed on the bottle as milliliters (mL) or liters (L) for larger sizes.
To help you understand how this calculation might differ for sizes and types of wine and beer, we’ve included some helpful reference charts below.
Common Wine Bottle Sizes
The standard size for a bottle of wine is 750 mL. That said, you might encounter a number of various size options in the wild, such as…
| Wine Bottle Size | Volume |
| Split | 187.5 mL |
| Demie | 375 mL |
| Jennie | 500 mL |
| Standard | 750 mL |
| Magnum | 1,500 mL (1.5 L) |
| Double Magnum | 3,000 mL (3 L) |
There are even more wine bottle sizes than the above; however, these are the most common you’ll find.
Common Wine ABV %s
The range of ABV %s across different types of wine is quite wide. In fact, it’s not difficult to find wines with an ABV % as low as 5% or as high as 20%+.
Red wines typically come in around 12%-15% ABV %, while whites are a bit less alcoholic (5%-14%). Fortified wines (those with a distilled spirit added) oftentimes clock a much higher ABV % (20%+).
Therefore, you’ll want to understand the ABV % of the wine you’re drinking before you look to pour a glass, or calculate the equivalent number of beers.
Common Beer Container Sizes
Brewing companies create multiple sizes of beer containers. Beer containers also differ across the world. See the table below for some common beer containers and their sizes in US fluid ounces…
| Beer Size | Volume (US fl. oz.) | Notes |
| Pony (US) | 7 oz. | Also referred to as a nip (UK), grenade, or half-pint |
| Bottle (international) | 11.15 oz. | The standard international bottle size |
| Bottle & Can (US) | 12 oz. | Standard US bottle and can size. Also 3/4 the size of a US pint. |
| Pint Glass (US) | 16 oz. | Also equal to 1/2 a quart |
| Pint Glass (UK) | 20 oz. | Also known as the imperial pint |
| Pitcher (US) | 60 oz. | Standard US beer pitcher (or large pitcher) |
| Growler (US) | 64 oz. | 32 oz. version often referred to as a howler |
| Keg (US) | 1,984 oz. | 1/2 a beer barrel |
Common Beer ABV %s
Alcohol by volume %s range widely across different types of beer. You can find beers with ABV %s in the 2% range (e.g Miller 64), those in the high 20s (Sam Adams Utopias – 28% ABV), and some as high as 67% ABV.
For reference, here are some popular beers and their ABV %s…
| Beer | ABV % |
| Amstel Light | 3.5% |
| Busch Light | 4.1% |
| Michelob Light | 4.1% |
| Bud Light | 4.2% |
| Coors Light | 4.2% |
| Guinness Draught | 4.2% |
| Michelob Ultra | 4.2% |
| Miller Genuine Draft Light | 4.2% |
| Miller Lite | 4.2% |
| Natural Light | 4.2% |
| Rolling Rock Extra Pale | 4.4% |
| Modelo Especial | 4.4% |
| Tecate | 4.5% |
| Corona Extra | 4.6% |
| Miller High Life | 4.6% |
| Yuengling Lager | 4.6% |
| Pabst Blue Ribbon | 4.74% |
| Budweiser | 5% |
| Heineken | 5% |
| Stella Artois | 5.2% |
| Blue Moon | 5.4% |
| Icehouse | 5.5% |
| Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | 5.6% |
| Bud Light Platinum | 6% |
| Two Hearted Ale (Bell’s) | 7% |
| Jai Alai (Cigar City) | 7.5% |
If your specific beer or wine is not referenced in our sections above, you can always search for your specific bottle and brand online and you’ll usually find the answer quickly. Beyond that, most beers and wines will display both their ABV % and volume on the container.
Equipped with this information, you can now figure out how many beers equate to any bottle of wine. Cheers! 🍻🍷
Jameson is the founder of ChoiceWineries.com. After years of professional experience in technology, data, and analytics he decided to apply those skills to a hobby he wanted to gain a further appreciation for – wine. An avid wine drinker, he enjoys bold reds with heavy oak influence.