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Alcohol Content (% ABV) of Popular Beer Brands

You can find the alcohol content of a beer just by looking at its label. If for some reason it was torn off in the distribution process or on the way home from the store, you can also check run a quick Google search.

| Read Time: 14 minutes

A chart showing the alcohol content of a standard drink of beer, malt liquor, wine and hard alcohol in the United States
Standard drinks in the United States by ounce and % alcohol

Before we get started, we should say buying a friend a beer is a wonderful gift to give. And, we should also say that we know many of you care about the calories in your beer, so we tried to include those numbers where possible as well.

Anyway, a standard drink in the United States is 12oz of beer. An American pint is 16oz. Broken down in another way, there are two cups in a pint, as a cup is 8oz. Here is a list of how much alcohol is in your favorite brand of beer. But first, let's understand how we got here.

According to The Growler Magazine, "After Prohibition had been repealed, Congress passed a law in 1935 banning the practice of labeling the alcoholic content of beer. The assumption was that consumers would buy the strongest beer, and by not disclosing this information the government hoped to prevent breweries from competing and engaging in "strength wars." ... In 1995, Coors successfully challenged this law. Currently, the feds leave it up to the states to decide whether to include ABV, which has resulted in a complicated mishmash of state and federal regulations on the subject. New York prohibits labels from including ABV, for example, while North Carolina, Washington, and New Hampshire mandate labeling beers over 6 percent, 8 percent, and 12 percent respectively".

Last, if you need a hangover cure, try a shot of fire cider.

Can You Ship Alcohol?

Find out if your state allows alcohol, beer and wine to be shipped to and from with our handy guide to liquor shipping laws.

› Alcohol Shipping Laws by State

It's not often that you find yourself with a 2% ABV beer in your hand, at least not in the days of the craft beer revolution. The alcohol content of Miller 64 is 2.8%. It may not seem like much, but have enough of them and you'll start to feel it. Of all the beers on this list though, it's probably the easiest beer to chug or shotgun with.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content Calories (per 12oz)
Miller 64 2.80%64

A beer with an alcohol content of 3%-3.99% is a perfectly good sessionable beer. You're also bound to find the word "light" in its name, as evidenced by Amstel Light and Heineken Light. If you're looking for low calorie beers, you're in luck with the 3% range. It's also a great range for all-day drinking, like the kind some people do on St. Patrick's Day. In short, if you're going to make green beer, then you may want to consider a 3% brand.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content Calories (per 12oz)
Amstel Light 3.50%95
Heineken Light 3.50%99
Modelo Chelada3.50%290
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold3.80%114
A tallboy can of Miller Lite, a 4.2% ABV beer
Tastes Great. Less Filling.

Look at all of the big name brews on here. The 4% alcohol content range contains nearly all of the most popular beers in America. What stands out to us is the fact that the alcohol content of Bud Light is actually higher than the alcohol content of Busch Light, coming in at 4.2% for Bud Light and 4.1% for Busch Light. Pretty astounding, we would have sworn it was the other way around.

Also nice to see the oldest brewery in America on this list, Yuengling, getting some visibility. And, let us not forget that St. Patrick's Day is only a few short weeks away. Check out our research on the staggering amount of Guinness consumed on St. Patty's Day.

Plus, there's even a gluten-free beer on the list with Quebec's Glutenberg, as GF beers still have booze, too.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content Calories (per 12oz)
Bud Light Next 4.00%80
Corona Premier 4.00%90
Sam Adams Light 4.00%119
Busch Light 4.10%95
Corona Light 4.10%99
Michelob Light 4.10%123
Milwaukees Best Light 4.10%98
Keystone Light 4.13%104
Bud Light 4.20%110
Bud Light Lime4.20%116
Coors Light 4.20%102
Guinness Draught 4.20%128
Michelob Ultra 4.20%95
Miller Genuine Draft Light 4.20%110
Miller Lite 4.20%96
Natural Light 4.20%95
Budweiser Select 4.30%99
Busch 4.30%114
Rolling Rock Extra Pale 4.40%130
Modelo Especial 4.40%145
Tecate 4.50%140
Lone Star Beer 4.50%136
New Planet Blonde Ale 4.5%
Corona Extra4.60%148
Dos Equis Amber 4.60%146
Hamm's Beer 4.60%150
Miller High Life 4.60%143
Yuengling Lager 4.60%142
Landshark Lager 4.60%150
Harp Lager 4.70%153
Newcastle Brown Ale 4.70%138
Red Stripe 4.70%151
Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) 4.74%144
Michelob 4.80%158
A tallboy can of Budweiser, a 5% ABV beer
The King of Beers

Costco sells beers by the dozen at 5%, as a flat 5% ABV is where Budweiser falls on the list. You'll also notice that the alcohol content of Coors Banquet beer is the same as Bud Heavy. Also, if it has "ice" in the name, it's getting an extra boost to the ABV rating, as Keystyone Ice, Milwaukee's Best Ice, and Natural Ice all flirt with a 6% ABV rating. 5% ABV is starting to exit the range of acceptable shower beers.

You know what else is silly at 5%? PepsiCo teaming up with Boston Beer Co. to release Hard Mountain Dew. Even more, Bud Light Seltzer Popsicles are also 5% ABV.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content Calories (per 12oz)
Budweiser 5.00%145
Coors Banquet 5.00%149
Fosters 5.00%145
Grolsch Premium Lager 5.00%147
Hard Mountain Dew 5.00%?
Heineken 5.00%142
Moosehead Lager5.00%144
Puppers Beer5.00%120
Asahi 5.20%153
Stella Artois 5.20%153
Blue Moon Beer5.40%170
George Killian's Irish Red 5.40%162
Icehouse 5.50%149
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5.60%175
Mickey's 5.60%156
Keystone Ice 5.90%145
Milwaukee's Best Ice 5.90%144
Natural Ice 5.90%130
A bottle of Bud Light Platinum, a 6% ABV beer
Brewed for the night!

Ahhh, King Cobra. If you're interested, check out the list of the highest alcohol content beers. That list has some massive alcohol percentages. While it's good to be careful (and responsible) drinking any and all beers, it's exceptionally so when it comes to the Sam Adams Utopia series and those Brewmeister Snake Venom ales that hit the high 60% range for ABV.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Bud Light Platinum 6.00%140
King Cobra 6.00%134
Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic in CA, a 7.5% ABV West Coast IPA
West Coast IPAs are quite tasty

7% ABV is starting to get up there. There is where you start to see all of those craft IPAs. If we were picking a rock solid example of a beer with an alcohol content of 7%, it might have to be a Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Campfire King 7.4n/a
Pollock Rip 7.5n/a
Thaw 7n/a
Jess 7.3n/a
508 7n/a
See Foam 7n/a
Green Fountains 7.2n/a
Save The Robots 7n/a
Imperial Galaxyc Cirrocumulus 7.3n/a
Mike's Pastry 7.3n/a
Tubular 7.2n/a
Tickling the Ivories 7.2n/a
Millenial Mansion 7.7n/a
Melvin 7.5n/a
Double Bag 7.2n/a
Racer 5 IPA 7.5n/a
Doobious 7n/a
The Floor is Lava 7n/a
Two Hearted Ale 7n/a
Side Business 7n/a
Lunch 7n/a
Focal Banger 7n/a
Jai Alai 7.5n/a
Molson XXX 7.3n/a
The PastryArchy 7.6n/a
Destination Iceland 7n/a
No Room to Swing a Cat 7n/a
Missionary 7.5n/a
Painting Dreams 7n/a
Apex 8 (Jay Peak) 7.3n/a
IPA 7n/a
Delicious IPA 7.7n/a
Fest Bier 7.5n/a
90/~ 7.4n/a
Wik-Id 7n/a
Nugget Nectar 7.5n/a
Limited Access 7.5n/a
Wrench 7.1n/a
Misguided Angel 7.5n/a
Hazy-O! 7.1n/a
Felton's Fancy 7.7n/a
Holy Donut Blueberry Glaze 7.5n/a
Star Hazing 7.2n/a
Anyone Hear a Helicopter 7n/a
Crossroads of New England 7.5n/a
Candymaker 7n/a
Tiger Style 7.4n/a
Major Tom 7.1n/a
Maximum Happiness 7n/a
Traitorade 7n/a
Kua Bay 7.3n/a
Eaton Street 7n/a

Now we begin the Imperial IPA range at 8% abv. 8% is no joke, seeing as it's double some of the beers on this list.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Skywind Huckabee 8n/a
Samoan Drop 8.4n/a
Salted Caramel 8.6n/a
Big Papi 8n/a
Sip of Sunshine 8n/a
GG Vibes 8.2n/a
Captain's Daughter 8.5n/a
Epiphany 8n/a
Johnny Hammersticks 8.5n/a
The Other End 8.4n/a
Hi-Def 8.4n/a
Hair Raiser 8n/a
DDH Pulp Daddy 8n/a
Pulp 8n/a
8n/a
Sun Showers 8.1n/a
God is an American 8.2n/a
Ephemeral 8n/a
Space Dust IPA 8.2n/a
Dream Team 8n/a
Hopzilla 8.7n/a
Northern Heights 8n/a
Citra Ass Down 8.2n/a
Second Fiddle 8.2n/a
Plush 8n/a
Costumes & Karaoke 8n/a
Pulp Daddy 8n/a
It's Complicated Being a Wizard 8n/a
Orbital Elevator 8.3n/a
Tribute 8.1n/a
Heady Topper 8n/a
Kill Puss 8n/a
Imperial Maine Event 8n/a
Smooooth 8n/a
Throw Me The Idol 8n/a
Shandy Beach 8n/a
Incredible Machine 8.8n/a
2XMas 8n/a
Bigg Summer 8n/a
Lily 8.1n/a
The Farmer 8.5n/a
Cheap Pop 8.2n/a
Necessary Means for a Necessary Means 8.4n/a
Bombtrack 8.5n/a
The Russian 8.7n/a
Royal Standard 8n/a
Larping 4 Love 8.3n/a
Hometown Rising 8n/a
Heart Swap 8n/a
Beer Mine 8.4n/a
Orbit 8.2n/a
Double Ponyboy 8n/a
Fluff The Magic Dragon 8n/a
Double Pig's Ear 8.4n/a
It Was All A Dreamsicle 8.5n/a
Dubliner 8.4n/a
Abstract Wizardry 8.5n/a
Demo Tape West Coast Style DDH Double IPA 8n/a
Create The Life You Want 8.3n/a

Nine percent starts the, "that's just silly" range. You better be careful if you're sipping on more than 2-3 of these in any given day. Note to all of you, do not chug 9% beer.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Vanilla Superdome 9n/a
Double Thunder Funk 9.2n/a
Jigsaw Jazz 9.3n/a
Allagash Tripel 9n/a
Kelley2 9.2n/a
Atlantis Will Prevail/Turn Back the Seas 9n/a
Temptress 9.1n/a
Dogs & Boats 9.1n/a
On The Wings Of Armageddon 9.2n/a
Double Cannon 9.5n/a
Dented 9.5n/a
Golden Monkey 9.5n/a
Terra Citra 9.4n/a
Big One 9.4n/a
Stone Enjoy By 04.20.22 9n/a
25th Anniversary Ale 9n/a
Fresh Lobster 9n/a
Tough Cookie 9n/a
Big Cranky 9.5n/a
Fleeting Moment 9.6n/a

Once you hit double digits, it's all downhill. Get yourself a great koozie because 10 percenters are sippers only.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Wooo!! 10n/a
Regime (Ghost 916) 10n/a
Cherry Cordial 10n/a
Weights & Measures 10n/a
Evana 10n/a
Crème Brûlée 10n/a
the Entity 10.1n/a
Key Bump 10.5n/a
Evangelion XVII [Tabris] (Ghost 946) 10n/a
Fayston Maple 10.1n/a
Triple Ecstasy 10.2n/a
Triple Sunshine 10.5n/a
King Misanthrope 10n/a
Radioface 10n/a
Castle in the Clouds 10n/a
Mosaic Function 10n/a
Venom of Cerberus 10n/a
Now Youse Can't Leave 10.1n/a
Be Hoppiest 10.7n/a
Mad Elf, an 11% ABV ale brewed with honey & cherries by Tröegs Brewing Company
The Elf is sneaky. Watch out for the high ABV

11 percent alcohol content is starting to get a bit silly. But, many brewers experiment in this range.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
Good Night Moon 11n/a
Another Dry January 11n/a
Mad Elf 11n/a
Cherry Bomb 11.5n/a

We don't have much to say about 12% other than make sure you're responsible.

Beer Brand Alcohol Content (% ABV) Calories (per 12oz)
S'Mores Barrel-Aged Framinghammer 12n/a
French Toast Barrel-Aged Framinghammer 12n/a
 12.5n/a
Odin 12.8n/a
Greylock 12n/a

What is a Standard Drink?

Let's revisit this. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism considers a standard drink to contain approximately "14 grams of pure alcohol". As humans, we like numbers, so let's see what that measures out to be.

What is a Standard Drink of Beer?

If the average beer is roughly 5% ABV, then a standard drink of beer would be approximately 12 ounces. If you're sipping on a 10% ABV craft beer, then a standard drink would be a 6 ounce pour.

What is a Standard Drink of Wine?

If the average wine is roughly 12% ABV, then a standard drink of wine would be approximately 5 ounces. Adjust your measurements (and assumptions) accordingly if the bottle of wine in front of you is less than or greater than 12% ABV.

What is a Standard Drink of Hard Liquor?

Hard liquor, or, distilled spirits, is generally thought to be 40% ABV. If you're drinking an 80 proof liquor, then 1.5 ounces is considered a standard drink of liquor. Be sure to note what the label on the bottle says when calculating this. Cordials and Apertifs vary greatly from Hard Alcohols such as Vodka, Gin, Tequila, and the like. Also take note of Bourbons as some are considered cask strength (higher than 40%). Certain other spirits, such as 151 Proof Rum or Grain Alcohol really saturate the alcohol content level.

Is 5% alcohol a lot?

Yes and no. 5% alcohol is the generally accepted average alcohol content for a standard drink of beer. In other words, the amount of alcohol contained in a 12-ounce beer at 5% is approximately 14 grams.

Is 8% alcohol a lot?

Also yes and no. 8% alcohol in a beer is considered a lot. 8% alcohol in wine is not considered a lot. 8% alcohol in a distilled spirit would certainly not be considered a lot.

Is beer considered alcohol?

Yes. Even most non-alcoholic beers (NA Beer) are considered alcohol (technically). There are some 0.0 beers in existence if you're looking for a true non-alcoholic beer, beers like Budweiser Zero.

Beer vs. Wine Alcohol Content

As discussed, wine is typically stronger, with an average ABV of 12% to Beer's 5%. By that count, the average wine is 2.4 times stronger than the average beer.

Wine vs. Hard Liquor Alcohol Content

Much like beer to wine, distilled spirits are significantly stronger than wine. The average 80 proof (40% ABV) hard liquor is 3.33 times stronger than the average wine.

Beer vs. Hard Liquor Alcohol Content

A Distilled Spirit that is 40% ABV is eight times stronger than the average beer at 5% ABV. This is why a shot of booze (1.5oz) is equal to a can of beer (12oz). The math is quite clear.

Can you get drunk off Budweiser?

Yes, you can get drunk off Budweiser. It's 5% ABV, so it's got enough alcohol to get you drunk if you drink enough of them.

Can you get drunk off Bud Light?

Yes, you can get drunk off Bud Light. It's 4.2% ABV, so it's got enough alcohol to get you drunk if you drink enough of them.


Always know your limits and always know what you're drinking so that you can be responsible. If you suspect you need help or treatment, use the NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator.

Sources

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