Cocktail calories and alcohol content: the full table
Short answer: most classic cocktails contain between 1.5 and 3 UK units and between 120 and 300 kcal. A Sex on the Beach made to the official recipe is about 2 units and 170 kcal, around 14% ABV before ice. The Long Island Iced Tea is the strongest common cocktail at 3 units and around 300 kcal, while a single gin and tonic or an Aperol Spritz sit at the light end. Bars and home pours often use more spirit than the recipe, so treat these as minimums.
How we calculated these figures
Recipes vary from bar to bar, so we used the official recipes of the International Bartenders Association, the reference used by bartenders worldwide. For each cocktail:
- Units are calculated from the volume and strength of each alcoholic ingredient: spirits at 40%, liqueurs and prosecco at their usual strength. One UK unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol (NHS).
- Calories add up the alcohol (7 kcal per gram) and the typical sugar content of the liqueurs, juices, syrups and mixers. They are estimates rounded to the nearest 10 kcal: brands and home recipes differ.
The table: 15 popular cocktails
| Cocktail | Main alcohol | UK units | Calories (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gin and tonic, single | 25 ml gin | 1.0 | 110 |
| Vodka and Red Bull, single | 25 ml vodka | 1.0 | 170 |
| Aperol Spritz | 75 ml prosecco, 50 ml Aperol | 1.4 | 120 |
| Mojito | 45 ml white rum | 1.8 | 140 |
| Moscow Mule | 45 ml vodka | 1.8 | 150 |
| Bloody Mary | 45 ml vodka | 1.8 | 120 |
| Sex on the Beach | 40 ml vodka, 20 ml peach schnapps | 2.0 | 170 |
| Piña Colada | 50 ml white rum | 2.0 | 230 |
| Gin and tonic, double | 50 ml gin | 2.0 | 160 |
| Cosmopolitan | 40 ml vodka, 15 ml Cointreau | 2.2 | 160 |
| Negroni | 30 ml each of gin, Campari, vermouth | 2.4 | 180 |
| Espresso Martini | 50 ml vodka, 30 ml coffee liqueur | 2.6 | 220 |
| Margarita | 50 ml tequila, 20 ml triple sec | 2.8 | 180 |
| Pornstar Martini with its prosecco shot | 50 ml vanilla vodka, 20 ml passion fruit liqueur, 50 ml fizz | 2.9 | 270 |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 5 spirits, 75 ml in total | 3.0 | 300 |
For comparison, a pint of 4% lager is 2.3 units and about 180 kcal, and a 175 ml glass of 12% wine is 2.1 units and up to 158 kcal (NHS).
Sex on the Beach: the most searched cocktail
The Sex on the Beach is the most viewed recipe on the IBA website, and one of the most searched cocktails in the UK. The official version uses 40 ml vodka, 20 ml peach schnapps, 40 ml orange juice and 40 ml cranberry juice (IBA).
- Alcohol: about 20 ml of pure alcohol, so 2.0 UK units.
- Strength: around 14% ABV before ice, closer to 10 to 12% once the ice melts. It is not a 40% drink: the vodka is diluted by the juices.
- Calories: around 170 kcal, mostly from the vodka and the sugary schnapps.
In a bar, a “large” or double serve can easily reach 3 units and 250 kcal. Two of them is about as much alcohol as two and a half pints of lager.
The strongest cocktails
Short, spirit-forward drinks pack the most alcohol into the smallest glass:
- Long Island Iced Tea (3.0 units): five spirits in one glass, disguised by cola. It is the classic “I only had two” drink: two are 6 units, as much as two and a half pints of 4% lager.
- Pornstar Martini (2.9 units with its shot): the prosecco on the side adds half a unit.
- Margarita (2.8 units) and Espresso Martini (2.6 units): small glasses, big measures.
- Negroni (2.4 units): equal parts of three alcoholic ingredients, no mixer at all.
The lightest options
If you want a cocktail without the alcohol load of a double:
- A single gin and tonic (1.0 unit), ideally with slimline tonic to cut calories.
- An Aperol Spritz (1.4 units), made to the classic recipe. See our Aperol Spritz guide for bigger serves.
- A Mojito or a Moscow Mule (1.8 units): long drinks, lots of mixer, sipped slowly.
- Alcohol-free versions: most bars now offer a virgin Mojito, Piña Colada or Spritz, with the same taste and no units.
Why cocktails are easy to underestimate
Three things make cocktails harder to count than a pint:
- Hidden spirits: juice, cola and cream mask the taste of alcohol, so strong drinks go down quickly.
- Generous pours: home measures and “large” bar serves are often double the recipe.
- Sugar: the calories from syrups, liqueurs and juices come on top of the alcohol, which is why a Piña Colada or a Long Island has more calories than a pint.
When logging a cocktail in the ConsomAction app, count its spirits: our drinks database lists more than 50 cocktails and spirits, and the app adds them to your blood alcohol estimate automatically. For beer, wine and spirits, see our UK units table.
FAQ
How many units in a Sex on the Beach?
About 2 UK units for the official recipe (40 ml vodka and 20 ml peach schnapps). A large bar serve can reach 3 units.
What percentage is a Sex on the Beach?
Around 14% ABV before ice and 10 to 12% as served, because the vodka is diluted by orange and cranberry juice.
Which cocktail has the most calories?
Among the classics, the Long Island Iced Tea (around 300 kcal) and the Pornstar Martini with its prosecco shot (around 270 kcal) come out on top, followed by the Piña Colada (around 230 kcal). Frozen and cream-based cocktails can go well beyond that.
Can I drive after one cocktail?
A single cocktail is 1 to 3 units, so it depends entirely on which one. One Long Island Iced Tea contains as much alcohol as a pint and a third of lager. Our guide on how long to wait before driving has the full table, and if you are driving, the alcohol-free version is the safe choice.
Further reading
- How many units in an Aperol Spritz? Units and calories
- How many units in a drink? UK alcohol units table
- How long after drinking can I drive? UK and Ireland