For the longest time, commercially available liquor for public consumption has always been regulated in size. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that standard liquor bottle sizes exist. While measurements a fifth ceased being used in the 20^th century, today, manufacturers use separate standards.

To give you a better understanding, here’s a detailed guide to everything there is to know about liquor bottle sizes.

Standard Liquor Bottle Sizes

Popular and Standard Liquor Bottle Sizes

When it comes to liquor bottle sizes, you will find commonly used and less commonly used standards. Here are the commonly used standard sizings for liquor bottles;

Shot

A shot is the smallest available size of alcohol serving. It is equivalent to 1.5 fluid ounces or 44.36 ml.  While the liquor doesn’t come in shot bottles, this size is commonly used in measuring liquor.

If you order liquor by a shot (a shot of tequila or a shot of brandy served in a snifter), this is usually the sizing used.

A shot is also likened to another size, i.e. a nip, although they have slight variations. While a shot is typically 44.36ml, a nip is exactly 50ml.

Split

A split usually measures about 6.32 fluid ounces or 187.5 ml and is typically a measurement used in sample bottles. Common liquor packaged in split-sized bottles is wine and hard liquor.

The purpose of this size is to allow consumers to taste alcohol they’ve never drunk before to decide whether or not they like it. A split is sometimes used as bottle sizing for strong beers, too.

Longneck

Also known as the Industry Standard Bottle (ISB), the North American long neck refers to the standard beer bottle size. Before, the sizing for beer bottles ranged between 325 and 385ml.

However, today, all beer bottles follow a standard size which is 355ml or 12 fluid ounces. Longneck beer bottles come in single bottle servings, or 6, 12, and 24 packs.

Half/Demi

The half/demi bottle refers to the 12.7 fluid ounce or 375ml bottle. This is a standard size for various drinks, usually aimed at single servings. Like a split, it’s also a good sampler size. A half/demi bottle is popularly used for mixed drinks and pre-mixed cocktail drinks.

Pint

At about 16 fluid ounces or 473ml, a pint is also a popular bottle size for personal-size liquor bottles or for mixing cocktails.

Large Beer Bottle

A standard size for large beer bottles in the US, large beer bottles typically measure about 22 fluid ounces or 650ml.

Fifth/Standard

The term “fifth” was popularly used as the standard sizing for commercially available liquor in the US during the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Anything above a fifth of alcohol was legally deemed wholesale and not available for regular public consumption.  This explains why a fifth was sometimes referred to as a commercial quart.

A fifth or standard size refers to 25.36 fluid ounces or 750ml. Today, a fifth bottle size is commonly used for wine bottles and most hard liquor bottles, like whiskey, brandy, vodka, and other similar liquor options. Bartenders also use fifth bottles for free pour in bar settings.

Liter

A liter simply refers to a 33.82 fluid ounce or a 1-liter bottle. For liquor, this is a popular size for hard liquor, such as vodka and whiskey, among others.

Handle/ Half Gallon

A handle or a half gallon refers to a 59.2-fluid ounce or 1.75-liter bottle. Housing wines, whiskeys, vodka, rum, and other common liquor types, a handle is popular for large gatherings or large quantity mixed cocktails.

Gallon

A gallon is double the size of a handle or a half gallon. A popular option for large quantity liquor, this bottle size is also a popular choice for large gatherings. You can also find wine in gallon-sized bottles.

Less Common Liquor Bottle Sizes

While the terms may not be popular, some of these sizes are still used today for various purposes.

Nip

As mentioned earlier, a nip is almost the same size as a shot, measuring 50 ml and 44.36ml, respectively. Also called a mini, a shot is not an immediate serving unit like a shot, however.

Instead, this bottle size is used for small liquor servings, typically for travel, single serving, or to mix in a single glass of cocktail. A nip is a popular size for travel bottle-sized hard liquor, such as whiskey, rum, and brandy, to name a few.

Quarter Pint

A quarter pint is equivalent to 3.4 fluid ounces or 100ml. While it’s technically not exactly a quarter pint, it has become accepted as the standard in the industry. A quarter-pint bottle is not a common sight today. But, it was previously used for hard liquor.

Half Pint

A half pint is double the size of a quarter pint, i.e. 6.8 fl. oz or 200ml. A half pint bottle size is not very popular. However, you will see it used by some hard liquor brands for brandy, whiskey, vodka, rum, etc. the most popular example is perhaps the half pint Hennessy bottle.

Magnum

A magnum bottle lies between a liter and a handle, at approximately 1.5 liters or 50.7 fluid ounces. Magnum bottles usually house wines and champagnes. They are ideal for large crowds, eliminating the need to pop open multiple bottles.

Double Magnum/Jeroboam

Also known as jeroboam, a double magnum bottle is double the size of a magnum bottle, at 3 liters or 101.4 fluid ounces. These extremely larger-sized bottles were popular options for large wine quantities and were popularly given biblical names.

The jeroboam for example is a popular Bordeaux wine bottle size for large crowds. Today, this bottle size is used for decorative purposes, special occasions, or brand-related marketing events.

Rehoboam

The next size for extremely large liquor bottles is the rehoboam, equivalent to 4.5 liters or 6 regular wine bottles.

At 152.2 fluid ounces, these bottles are also popular for larger crowds during special occasions or decorative purposes. The rehoboam bottle is also a popular option for wines and champagnes.

Methuselah

A decorative bottle size today, the Methuselah is equivalent to 6 liters or 8 regular wine bottles.

Samlanazar

The Samlanazar is a popular large bottle size for sparkling wine or champagne. It measures 9 liters and is equivalent to 12 regular wine bottles. It is also used for decorative purposes.

Balthazar

The Balthazar measures 12 liters or the equivalent of 16 regular wine bottles. It is also popular for special occasions or decorative purposes.

Nebuchadnezzar

The Nebuchadnezzar bottle size measures 15 liters and is the equivalent of 20 bottles – also a popular decorative size or special occasion champagne!

Melchior

The largest size, the Melchior, measures 18 liters. It is equivalent to 24 bottles or 144 glasses of wine. It is also great for wine or champagne for large crowds or decorative purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are The Different Sizes Of Liquor Bottles?

Liquor bottles come in a range of different sizes, ranging from a 1.5 fluid ounce shot to a large 608.65 fluid ounce Melchior size.

However, popular liquor bottle sizes include split (6.32oz), longneck (12 oz), half (12.7 oz), pint (16 oz), fifth (25.36 oz), liter (33.82 oz), and handle (59.18 oz).

What Is A 750 Ml Bottle Called?

A 750ml bottle is called a fifth or standard. Considered the legal threshold for individual commercial alcohol sales in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, it is a standard wine and liquor bottle size today. It is also a common bottle size for bartenders to use in free pours.

What Size Is 100 Ml Liquor Bottle?

A 100 ml liquor bottle is also called a quarter pint and is equal to 100 ml. While it is not a very common size today, it was typically used for hard liquor.

A half pint or 200ml bottle size, on the other hand, is double the quarter pint and is popularly used for hard liquor. A good example is the Hennessey half pint bottle.

What Is A 375 Ml Bottle Called?

A 375 ml bottle is called a half or demi bottle. At 12.68 ounces, a half or demi bottle houses a variety of alcoholic drinks, including pre-mixed cocktails.

It’s an excellent size for people who want to sample a drink before purchasing. You can even buy multiple drink options in this size as samplers.

Which Is Bigger 1.5 L Or 750ml?

A 1.5L is certainly bigger than a 750ml bottle size. While a 1.5 L bottle (magnum) is equivalent to 34.15 ounces), a 750ml bottle ( a fifth) is equivalent to 25.36 ounces.

Further, a 1.5L bottle is a popular size for wines and champagne intended for large crowds. A 750ml bottle is standard sizing for wines and hard liquor, such as whiskey and vodka.

Conclusion

Knowing your liquor bottle sizes is a great way to make shopping for your drinks easy. Plus, it’s also fun knowledge you can turn into a game night quiz when you host friends over for wine or beer. After all, this guide covers an extensive look into liquor bottle sizing.