Does One Shot Equal One Beer

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “does one shot equal one beer?”. We will also let you know about the alcohol content and comparison between beer and different types of shots. 

Does One Shot Equal One Beer?

Yes. A standard 12-ounce (341 mL) bottle of beer is equal to one shot of vodka in the United States, i.e. 1.48 ounces (43 mL). This implies that every shot of vodka contains the same quantity of alcohol in a single beer. Beer has 5% alcohol by volume (ABV), while vodka has about 40% ABV. One shot vodka or one bottle of beer has 0.58 ounces (17.2 mL) of alcohol.

However, vodka with a proof over 80 contains more alcohol, and will potentially equal 1.5 to 2.5 beers per shot.

A Single Shot Equals How Many Drinks?

In most cases, a single shot constitutes one drink. Besides beer, the serving sizes that equal one shot in the US are five-ounce of white or red wine, and one and a half-ounce of hard liquor. 

Although the overall volume may differ, all these serving sizes contain the same quantity of alcohol.

How Many Beers Are Equal To A Single Shot Of Tequila?

A single beer equals one shot of tequila. The approximate alcohol by volume (ABV) for tequila is 40 percent. This means that a single 12-ounce beer equals a 1.48 ounce shot of tequila. Similarly, two beers equal two shots, three beers equal three shots, and so on.

How Many Beers Are Equal To A Single Shot Of Whiskey?

A single beer equals one shot of whiskey. The approximate alcohol by volume (ABV) for whiskey is also 40 percent. This means that a single 1.5 ounce serving of whiskey contains the same quantity of alcohol as a standard 12-ounce bottle of beer. 

However, whiskeys with a higher proof contain greater quantities of alcohol. In the US, whiskeys have an average ABV of 40 to 80 percent, with 80 percent being the highest legal amount allowed.

Some Additional Information About Shots and Beer Volume

If you’re a regular consumer of beer, you’ll know that there are various options in terms of packaging and size. 

Beer is available in cans, bottles, and you can also order a pint. Generally, cans and bottles both contain 12-ounces (354 ml) of beer by volume, whereas a standard American pint contains 16-ounces (473 ml).

Similarly, there are many variations in the size of shots based on the brand, region, brand, and type of drink. For instance, a standard shot in the US contains 1.48 ounces (44 ml) of alcohol by volume, but a shot’s volume is twice this amount in certain countries, and can also be significantly lower in other countries. 

Moreover, an average 12 ounce serving of beer (354 ml) is also different from a shot by calories number. While a regular beer contains 149 calories, a light one contains 110. 

Overall, an average alcohol shot contains about 65 calories, depending on what the alcohol is: vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, or tequila. These shots can be part of a cocktail, or you can drink them straight.

Some famous cocktail shots are:

  • B-52
  • The Sangrita Shot
  • Gladiator
  • Grasshopper
  • Jelly Bean
  • Kamikaze

Can A Single Beer Get You Drunk?

Yes! Every standard-sized beer contains 0.5 ounce of alcohol, and the liver generally metabolizes 0.25  ounce of alcohol in an hour. So, if you consume more than a single beer in one hour, you can possibly get drunk. 

Although rates vary widely, the “average” metabolic capacity to remove alcohol is about 170 to 240 g per day for a person with a body weight of 70 kg. This would be equivalent to an average metabolic rate of about 7 g/hr (0.25 ounce/hr) which translates to about one drink per hr. A 12 ounce beer bottle contains 17.2 mL alcohol or 13.5 g, which is more than the average metabolic capacity to remove alcohol (1).

However, exactly how many beers will get you drunk depends on many factors, including your body type and weight. Moreover, certain drinks are stronger than others; for instance, one or more craft beers can cause intoxication. 

Is Consuming Three Shots Every Day Bad For Health?

While consuming three shots a day is not considered to be extremely harmful to health, there isn’t any acceptable reason to consume three to five ounces of alcohol every day. There is substantial and consistent evidence from observational and short-term experimental studies that having one to two drinks per day without episodic heavy drinking has a beneficial effect on the development of coronary artery disease as compared to lifetime abstainers. Heavy or binge drinking can have adverse health outcomes and should be strongly discouraged (2).

And if you are drinking this much alcohol, experts suggest never drink straight; at least mix the shots with something.

Conclusion

In this brief article, we answered the question, “does one shot equal one beer?”. We also told you about the alcohol content and comparison between beer and different types of shots. 

If you have any more questions or comments please let us know.

References 

  1. Cederbaum, Arthur I. Alcohol metabolism. Clin liver dis, 2012, 16, 667-685.
  2. Goel, Sunny, Abhishek Sharma, and Aakash Garg. Effect of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular health. Curr cardiol rep, 2018, 20, 1-10.

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