How Much Beer In A Can, Bottle & Keg?

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If you like beer, one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world, you most likely noticed that this beverage comes most often in a can, a bottle, or a keg.

When you organize a party or an event, the amount of beer you bring has to be enough for all the guests. And beer kegs are perfect for such occasions!

One beer can comes in a can or a bottle. A can contains usually 12 ounces of beer while a bottle can contain 12 ounces, 16 ounces, or even 22 ounces for large bottles.

However, a keg can contain amount of 124 beers of 16 ounces or 165 beers of 12 ounces. The size of the keg will matter significantly as well. Keep reading to find everything you need to know about the most popular beer serving options. 

Beer packaging type  Amount of beer 
Beer can 
  • 12 ounces – standard can
  • 16 ounces, 24 ounces -Tallboy cans
Beer bottle 
  • 12 ounces – standard beer bottle
  • 16 ounces
  • 22 ounces 
Beer keg 
  • 1/2 barrel keg – 15.5 gallons
  • 1/4 barrel keg – 7.75 gallons
  • 1/6 barrel keg – 5.2 gallons
  • 50 liter keg – 13.2 gallons
  • 20 liter keg – 8.1 gallons 

Keep in mind that you will not be able to find all the sizes in the table above in all stores. The most common type of beer you will find in stores comes in cans or bottles, leaving the kegs for stores that are specialized on selling alcoholic beverages in larger quantities.

beer shots

How much beer is in a regular bottle?

While there is a generous range of beer types on the market, especially if you look at a global scale, the beer bottles come in roughly the same sizes.

A regular beer bottle contains 12 ounces of beer or 354 ml. You can purchase a single bottle of beer in this size or packs of 6 or even 12 or 24. Most beer providers offer these options to their clients. 

But the 12-ounce beer bottles are not always the typical ones. You can also find beer in 16-ounce bottles or 473 ml. The 16-ounce beer bottles are not as common as the 12 ounces ones but they are available as beer bottles. 

The 22-ounce beer bottles or 650 ml are also known as the “bombers”. These bottles are common for limited relies beers. 

You can also find beer bottles of 750 ml or 25.3 ounces. These are not regular beer bottles though and they are mostly used to show special beer types in a presentation manner. These bottles are the same size as typical wine bottles and you will find them rare in liquor stores as they are mostly used for events. 

More: How Many Beers to Get Drunk?

How many ml are in a beer bottle?

The amount of ml of beer in a bottle depends on the type of bottle you have. Regular beer bottles hold around 354 ml of beer (12 ounces). But besides this typical beer bottle, you can also find 473 ml beer bottles (16 ounces), 650 ml bottles (22 ounces), and even 750 ml beer bottles as those used for special displays. 

If you are getting your beer from your local grocery store, chances are that you will find it in bottles of 354 ml. Some bigger supermarkets, with a wider range of products also sell 473 – 500 ml bottles of beer.

How much beer is in a can?

Another common form of serving beer is in a can. Nearly almost all brands of beer offer a can version for their product. The average can of beer holds 12 ounces of beer. 

Rarely, are you might be able to find cans of 16 ounces but this is not the regular size of beer cans. 

Cans of beer are sold individually but also in packs of six, 12, or even 24 cans. 

Beer pouring

How many ounces in a bottle of Corona beer

Corona beer is one of the most appreciated beers on the market. This type of veer comes in different versions and bottle sizes. The most common Corona bottle is 12 ounces as this is the size you will find in most stores all over the world. 

There are Corona bottles of only 7 ounces, 207 ml, which are known as Coronita and are commonly named the cuarteto (little room in Spanish).

At the other extreme, you will also find the large bottles of Corona that are 940 ml or 31.8 ounces and are known as Corona Familiar or the familiar. These big bottles are known in Mexico as Litro (liter) or Mega.

You will find these different Corona bottles in stores all over the world. However, in the United States, the 12 ounces bottle remains the most popular for this type of beer. 

Case of beer bottles

A case of beer bottles is a box that contains 24 beer bottles. Other packages such as 6 bottles of beer or 12 bottles of beer are known as beer packs. 

Back in the ‘90s, a case of beer was either 24 bottles of 12 ounces or 12 cans of beer of the same size. 

But why was the case of beer established at 24 servings and not another random number? The answer is simple: 24 is fairly easy to divine in a group of people. If you are sharing your case of beer with three friends, each one could enjoy about eight servings and if you share it with four friends, each one of you can have six beers.

A case of beer, therefore, contains about 2.25 gallons of beer. There are 288 ounces in a case of beer (24 bottles or cans multiplied by 12 ounces of beer each) and a gallon contains 128 ounces. 

Read: What Temperature Does Beer Freeze?

While a case of beer was the proper amount for a party or a night out back in the ‘90s and before that, nowadays there are 30 packs of beer with 30 beer servings per pack. So, the diversity of beer packaging changed tremendously in the past decades and it will most likely continue to change. 

Beer cases or 30 packs are great competition for beer kegs since they also offer the possibility to get a large quantity of beer at once. They are ideal for parties and events and if you purchase them from your local liquor store, you could even get them at a good price. 

Beers

How many ounces in a tall can of beer

Although most cans of beer contain 12 ounces of this popular beverage, the tall cans of beer come with 16 ounces or 473 ml of beer. Tall cans also known as tallboy started to gain a lot of popularity among consumers and craft brewers. 

Even rarer, you will find tallboy cans of 24 ounces or 710 ml, which contain the equivalent of two 12 ounces of beer servings. These cans are taller and thinner than the average cans and they are even considered more elegant looking by many beer lovers. 

Tallboy cans are most common in the United States but you can find them in other parts of the world as well. 

How much beer is in a keg?

The quantity of beer in a keg depends greatly on the type of beer keg you have.

The half-a-barrel keg has a capacity of 15.5 gallons which means that such a container can hold a quantity of 165 bottles of beer of 12 ounces each bottle, or 124 pints. These kegs are known as Full-size kegs. 

There is also the so-called 1/4 barrel keg with a capacity of 7.75 gallons or 62 pints. This type of keg can hold up to 82 bottles of beer of 12 ounces. This means that such a keg can hold up to 984 ounces of beer. The 1/4 barrel kegs are known as Pony kegs.

The 1/6 barrel keg has a capacity of 20 liters or 5.2 gallons. These kegs can hold the equivalent of 41 pints or 55 bottles of 12 ounces each. 

Some less used types of kegs are the 50-liter kegs or 13.2 gallons in capacity. These kegs can hold a quantity of 140 bottles of 12 ounces each. 

The last type of beer keg that you might find is the 30-liter keg, with a capacity of 8.1 gallons or 64 pints. Such a keg can hold 86 bottles of 12 ounces each. 

You will find different keg sizes for different brands of beer but you can also purchase such a container in the size you want. 

beer-keg

Should you purchase your beer in cans, bottles, or kegs?

Now that you know there are different types of beer containers to choose from and that you can order your favorite beverage in either one of them, you might wonder how should you order your beer or even how should you store it. 

If you are planning to have a few beers in the fridge, you will most likely choose cans of beer or bottles of beer. But if you are planning a party or a more complex event, you are looking at beer packs or beer kegs, which offer you a larger quantity of beer. 

Your choice of getting the beer in a certain container is completely up to you. But keep in mind that the quantity of beer you get should be enough for all your guests. 

You also want to consider that kegs of beer come at a higher price. However, you can still get them from your local liquor store and it is recommended to order than a week in advance so you can be sure you get them by the date of your event. 

The average cost of a half barrel keg of beer can be around $100, more or less depending on the brand of beer you choose and the store you order your keg from. Beer kegs are usually ordered online to avoid the transportation hassle considering their weight. 

What kind of beer containers you can find in local supermarkets and stores?

You will notice that most local stores sell beer cans and beer bottles. And even if you might be able to find a tallboy beer can or a large beer bottle, you will not find beer kegs at your local store. Beer kegs are more common at liquor stores and online stores. 

More: How Many Ounce in a Pitcher of Beer?

What ABV has the beer sold in kegs?

Considering that kegs contain large quantities of beer, you will not find the strongest beers in the world sold in such containers.

But you can find average ABV beers such as 4.2% to 5% and you can purchase some of the most famous brands of beers in kegs. Guiness, Heineken and Carlsberg are only a few beers that you can purchase in a keg alomost in any country of the world. 

Even if you find a stronger beer sold in a keg, don’t neglect the alcohol content of you beverage and consume it responsibly! You can purchase wine in a keg as well, so this type of container is not destined only for beer.  

Final thoughts

Knowing the amount of beer you get in a can, a bottle, or a keg can help you purchase the right product in the right size for whatever occasion you want.

And while the quantity of beer is also written on the container, it is not always so obvious, especially if you are placing your order online.

Note the different sizes of beer bottles and beer kegs to choose from, and purchase the ones you need by also considering the amount of guests you will have! 

Regardless of the type of container you choose and its size, the most important thing is to choose a type of beer that you and your friends will love so you can make the most out of your time together!

Keep in mind the ABV level of your beverage of choice so you can consume it in a responsible manner. And the variety of beer is so wide that you will definitely find the perfect one for your group!

Chad Smith

Meet Chad Smith, a seasoned bartender with a passion for mixology. He's the founder of Tin Roof Drink Community, a blog where he shares expert tips, creative recipes, and fosters a vibrant community of cocktail enthusiasts and aspiring bartenders. Join Chad as he takes you on a flavorful journey through the world of drinks. Cheers!

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