What are the standard liquor bottle sizes? In the US, the standard bottle is 750 ml (25.4 oz), known as a fifth, and the big one is the 1.75 L handle (59.2 oz). In the UK, the standard bottle is 70cl (700 ml, or 23.7 oz), and a half bottle is 35cl (350 ml).
Labels mix millilitres, centilitres, and litres, which is why so many people search for simple conversions. This guide puts every common size in one chart, then shows how many shots and how much alcohol each bottle holds.
Liquor bottle sizes chart
| Bottle | ml | cl | US fl oz | 1.5 oz shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miniature (nip) | 50 ml | 5cl | 1.7 oz | 1.1 |
| Small flask | 100 ml | 10cl | 3.4 oz | 2.3 |
| Quarter bottle (US half pint) | 200 ml | 20cl | 6.8 oz | 4.5 |
| UK half bottle | 350 ml | 35cl | 11.8 oz | 7.9 |
| US pint | 375 ml | 37.5cl | 12.7 oz | 8.5 |
| UK standard bottle | 700 ml | 70cl | 23.7 oz | 15.8 |
| US fifth | 750 ml | 75cl | 25.4 oz | 16.9 |
| Litre | 1,000 ml | 100cl | 33.8 oz | 22.5 |
| Handle | 1,750 ml | 175cl | 59.2 oz | 39.5 |
The names are informal, and "pint" here is a bottle name rather than a true 473 ml US pint. In the US, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) controls which container sizes may be used. It added 700 ml, 720 ml, 900 ml, and 1.8 L in 2020, then 15 more sizes for spirits in 2025, so you may see unusual bottles on US shelves.
How do you convert cl to ml?
Multiply centilitres by 10, because 1 cl equals 10 ml.
- 20cl in ml: 200 ml
- 35cl in ml: 350 ml
- 50cl in ml: 500 ml
- 70cl in ml: 700 ml
- 1 litre in ml: 1,000 ml, which is the same as 100cl
Is 70cl the same as 750 ml?
No. A 70cl bottle is 700 ml, while a US fifth is 750 ml. The US bottle holds 50 ml more, which is about one extra US shot.
How many ounces are in common bottles?
To convert, divide millilitres by 29.57.
How many ounces in 1.75 liters?
A 1.75 L handle holds 59.2 US fluid ounces. That is 1,750 ÷ 29.57 = 59.18.
How many ounces in a fifth?
A fifth holds 25.4 US fluid ounces. The name comes from the old US bottle that held one fifth of a gallon, or 25.6 oz. Today's metric bottle is 750 ml, slightly smaller.
How many ounces in a litre?
A 1 litre bottle holds 33.8 US fluid ounces, about 8 oz more than a fifth.
How much alcohol is in each bottle size?
One UK unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol, and one US standard drink is about 17.7 ml. At 40% ABV (80 proof), a 1.5 oz shot equals one standard drink, so shots and standard drinks match in this table.
| Bottle | UK units at 37.5% | UK units at 40% | US standard drinks at 40% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ml | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.1 |
| 200 ml | 7.5 | 8.0 | 4.5 |
| 350 ml | 13.1 | 14.0 | 7.9 |
| 375 ml | 14.1 | 15.0 | 8.5 |
| 700 ml | 26.3 | 28.0 | 15.8 |
| 750 ml | 28.1 | 30.0 | 16.9 |
| 1 L | 37.5 | 40.0 | 22.5 |
| 1.75 L | 65.6 | 70.0 | 39.5 |
A 35cl half bottle of 40% spirits is 14 UK units on its own, the same as the UK weekly low-risk guideline. For a single spirit in detail, see units in a bottle of vodka. For pour counts in different shot sizes, see how many shots are in a bottle.
The formula for any bottle
UK units = ml × ABV ÷ 1,000
US standard drinks = fluid ounces × ABV (as a decimal) ÷ 0.6
Example 1: a 35cl bottle of 37.5% vodka (UK units)
35cl = 350 ml, and 350 × 37.5 ÷ 1,000 = 13.1 units
Example 2: a 1.75 L handle at 40% (US standard drinks)
59.2 × 0.40 = 23.7 oz of pure alcohol, and 23.7 ÷ 0.6 = 39.5 standard drinks
Example 3: how long a handle lasts at 3 standard drinks a day
39.5 ÷ 3 = about 13 days. That pace is above the CDC's moderate-drinking limits of two drinks or fewer a day for men and one or fewer for women, which are themselves limits rather than targets.
The standard drink calculator and the alcohol units calculator work for any size and strength.
Why bottle size is worth tracking
Knowing the size of a bottle turns a rough impression into a number:
- Finish dates reveal your pace. If you bought a 70cl bottle of 40% spirit 10 days ago and it is empty, that is 28 units in 10 days.
- Similar bottles differ. A 70cl and a 75cl bottle look much the same, but the larger one holds about two more units.
- Strength changes the total. A 70cl bottle is 26.3 units at 37.5% and 28 units at 40%.
If you want a simple record, [Alcohol Tracker°](/) logs volume and ABV for each drink on iPhone and Apple Watch and keeps a weekly total.
Bottle totals do not measure impairment. Never use them to decide whether you can drive. If you have been drinking, arrange a sober lift, a taxi, or public transport.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common liquor bottle size?
In the US it is the 750 ml bottle, known as a fifth. In the UK and most of Europe it is the 70cl bottle, which is 700 ml.
What is a handle of liquor?
A handle is a 1.75 L bottle, usually with a built-in grip. It holds 59.2 oz, or about 39 US shots of 1.5 oz.
How many ml is a 35cl bottle?
A 35cl bottle holds 350 ml, about 11.8 US fluid ounces. In the UK it is usually called a half bottle.
How many ml is a 70cl bottle of vodka?
A 70cl bottle of vodka holds 700 ml, about 23.7 US fluid ounces. At 37.5% ABV it contains 26.25 UK units.
How big is a nip or miniature?
A miniature holds 50 ml, or about 1.7 oz. That is a little more than one US shot and exactly two 25 ml UK singles.
The quick answer
The main liquor bottle sizes are 50 ml, 200 ml, 350 or 375 ml, 700 or 750 ml, 1 L, and 1.75 L. A fifth is 750 ml (25.4 oz), a UK bottle is 70cl (700 ml), and a handle is 59.2 oz. To convert cl to ml, multiply by 10. To convert ml to oz, divide by 29.57.
Sources: TTB: Distilled spirits net contents, Federal Register: Standards of Fill for Wine and Distilled Spirits (2025), NIAAA: What is a standard drink?, CDC: About alcohol use, NHS alcohol units, and the UK Chief Medical Officers' low-risk drinking guidelines.
Keep exploring
Use the calculator or continue with a related guide:
Put the guide into practice
Keep a clearer drink diary.
Track units, standard drinks, cost, calories, dry days and estimated BAC on iPhone and Apple Watch.
