A fifth of liquor is 750ml — that’s 17 standard shots at 1.5oz each, or 25 shots if you pour 1oz. Here’s the full breakdown for every common bottle size.

Shots Per Bottle — Quick Reference

Most home bartenders pour 1.5oz as the standard shot. Most cocktail recipes also use 1.5oz (sometimes listed as “1 jigger”). The 1oz column is useful for tastings or when you want to stretch a bottle further.

Why Is It Called a Fifth?

The name goes back to the 1800s, when American liquor was commonly sold in bottles that held one-fifth of a gallon — about 757ml. When the U.S. standardized bottle sizes in 1980, the official size landed at 750ml, which is close enough that the old name stuck.

So a fifth isn’t exactly a fifth of a gallon anymore. It’s 750ml, or 25.4 fluid ounces. But walk into any liquor store and ask for a fifth of bourbon and you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for — the standard bottle that’s been sitting behind every bar in America for the better part of a century.

What’s a Standard Shot, Exactly?

In the United States there’s no federal legal definition of a “shot,” which is why you’ll find different answers depending on who you ask. The practical standard at most American bars is 1.5oz — that’s what a standard jigger measures on its larger side. Some bars pour 1oz, some pour 2oz, and some just eyeball it entirely.

For home bartending purposes: use 1.5oz as your baseline. It’s what the vast majority of cocktail recipes are written for, it’s what a standard jigger delivers, and it’s what the table above assumes in the highlighted column.

If you’re batching cocktails for a party, the math is simple: a 750ml bottle gives you 17 drinks at 1.5oz each. Budget one bottle per 8–10 guests for a two-hour event and you’ll be in good shape.

— Jonas Halpren has been writing about cocktails and spirits since 1999. He is a Bar Smarts Advanced graduate and USBG member.