How many calories are in a pint of lager?

A pint of standard 4% lager has roughly 180 to 200 kcal. A premium 5% lager is closer to 230 to 250 kcal.

How many calories are in a glass of wine?

A medium 175 ml glass of 13% wine has about 130 to 160 kcal, and a large 250 ml glass about 185 to 230 kcal. A bottle of 13% wine is around 560 to 650 kcal. Sweeter wines have more.

What is the lowest calorie alcoholic drink?

A single measure of spirits with a sugar-free mixer, such as gin with slimline tonic or vodka with soda and lime, is around 55 to 65 kcal. Light beers and a small glass of dry wine or prosecco are also lower in calories.

Can I drink alcohol and still lose weight?

Yes, as long as the drinks fit within your calorie target for the week. The bigger risk is often the food that comes with drinking, such as late-night takeaways and snacking, rather than the drinks themselves.

Calories in beer, lager, cider and wine

How many calories are in a pint of beer, lager and cider, a glass of wine and a spirit and mixer, and how to fit drinking into a calorie deficit.

By the Calori team · Updated 21 October 2026 · 6 min read

Why alcohol is so calorific

Pure alcohol has 7 kcal per gram, almost as much as fat (9 kcal) and nearly double protein or carbs (4 kcal). A UK unit is 8 g of pure alcohol, so every unit carries about 56 kcal before you count any sugar or carbs in the drink. Beer and cider add carbohydrate on top; sweet wines, cocktails and regular mixers add sugar.

Your body also prioritises burning alcohol over other fuel, and drinking tends to make crisps, kebabs and late-night toast look much more appealing. That combination is why a night out can undo several careful days.

Calories in beer, lager and cider

A pint of 4% lager has roughly the same calories as a packet of crisps and a chocolate biscuit. Strength is the biggest factor: each extra 1% ABV adds around 30 to 35 kcal to a pint.

Drink	Serving	Calories (kcal)	UK units
Lager or bitter, 4%	1 pint (568 ml)	180–200	2.3
Premium lager, 5%	1 pint	225–250	2.8
Stout, 4.2%	1 pint	200–215	2.4
IPA or craft beer, 6%	1 pint	260–310	3.4
Cider, 4.5%	1 pint	210–260	2.6
Lager, 4%	330 ml bottle	105–120	1.3
Alcohol-free beer, 0.5%	330 ml bottle	50–80	0.2

Calories in wine

Pub and restaurant glasses are often 175 ml or 250 ml, and a 250 ml glass is a third of a bottle. Dry wines have very little sugar, so almost all their calories come from alcohol; dessert and sweet wines can have far more.

Drink	Serving	Calories (kcal)	UK units
Red or white wine, 13%	Small glass (125 ml)	95–115	1.6
Red or white wine, 13%	Medium glass (175 ml)	130–160	2.3
Red or white wine, 13%	Large glass (250 ml)	185–230	3.3
Red or white wine, 13%	Bottle (750 ml)	560–650	9.8
Prosecco, 11%	Glass (125 ml)	80–90	1.4
Rosé, 12%	Medium glass (175 ml)	120–145	2.1

Calories in spirits and mixers

Spirits are the lowest-calorie choice per drink, but only if the mixer is sugar-free. A regular cola or lemonade can double the calories of a single.

Drink	Serving	Calories (kcal)	UK units
Gin, vodka, rum or whisky, 40%	Single (25 ml)	55	1
Gin and slimline tonic	Single with 150 ml mixer	60	1
Gin and regular tonic	Single with 150 ml mixer	85–100	1
Rum and regular cola	Single with 150 ml mixer	115–120	1
Vodka, soda and lime	Single	55–60	1

Figures are estimates. Exact calories vary by brand, strength and serving, so check the label or the brewer's website where you can.

What a night out adds up to

Some typical examples:

4 pints of 4% lager: around 720 to 800 kcal
3 large glasses of wine: around 560 to 690 kcal (a full bottle)
4 gin and slimline tonics: around 240 kcal

Add a late-night takeaway and the total can easily pass 1,500 kcal, which is a whole day's calorie deficit three times over. See our guide to calories in British food for typical takeaway numbers.

How to drink and still lose weight

Budget for it. If you know Saturday involves a few drinks, eat a little lighter in the days before, keeping your protein high.
Choose lower-calorie drinks. Spirits with diet mixers, smaller glasses of wine, or lower-ABV and alcohol-free beers.
Alternate with water or a soft drink with no sugar. It slows you down and helps the next day.
Eat a proper meal first, ideally high in protein, so you are less likely to snack later.
Log your drinks. Many people track food carefully and forget drinks completely.

UK drinking guidelines

The UK Chief Medical Officers advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days, with several drink-free days. That is about six pints of 4% beer or six medium glasses of 13% wine. If you are worried about how much you drink, the NHS website and Drinkaware have free support and tools.

Logging drinks

In Calori you can photograph a drink, scan the barcode on a can or bottle, or search for it, and the calories are added to your day alongside your meals. That way you can see how much your weekend adds up to.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a pint of beer?: A pint of 4% beer or lager has around 180 to 200 kcal, and a pint of 5% beer around 225 to 250 kcal. Stronger craft beers and IPAs at 6 to 7% can be 260 to 350 kcal a pint.
How many calories are in a pint of lager?: A pint of standard 4% lager has roughly 180 to 200 kcal. A premium 5% lager is closer to 230 to 250 kcal.
How many calories are in a glass of wine?: A medium 175 ml glass of 13% wine has about 130 to 160 kcal, and a large 250 ml glass about 185 to 230 kcal. A bottle of 13% wine is around 560 to 650 kcal. Sweeter wines have more.
What is the lowest calorie alcoholic drink?: A single measure of spirits with a sugar-free mixer, such as gin with slimline tonic or vodka with soda and lime, is around 55 to 65 kcal. Light beers and a small glass of dry wine or prosecco are also lower in calories.
Can I drink alcohol and still lose weight?: Yes, as long as the drinks fit within your calorie target for the week. The bigger risk is often the food that comes with drinking, such as late-night takeaways and snacking, rather than the drinks themselves.