What Is a Fifth of Vodka? Size, Shots and Why It’s Called That

A fifth of vodka is a 750 ml bottle — 25.4 US fluid ounces, or about 17 standard 1.5 oz shots. The name comes from the pre-1980 US standard: bottles held one fifth of a US gallon, which is 757 ml. When the US switched spirits to metric sizes on January 1, 1980, the 750 ml bottle replaced it, and the old name simply stuck. Here is the full story, the maths, and how the fifth fits into today’s bottle lineup.

The short answer

Walk into any US liquor store and ask for a fifth of vodka: you will be handed a 750 ml bottle, the standard spirits size across North America. In ounces that is 25.36 fl oz. The term applies to any spirit — a fifth of whiskey, rum or tequila is the same 750 ml bottle.

Why it’s called a fifth

In the late 1800s, US retailers sold spirits in bottles of one fifth of a gallon — 757 ml, also called a “commercial quart” because it was four-fifths of a true quart. The size became the legal standard for decades. When the US government metricated spirits packaging, effective January 1, 1980, the authorised sizes became metric, and 750 ml — conveniently just 7 ml smaller and matching the European wine standard — took the fifth’s place. Four decades on, the word remains everyday American English for a 750.

The same transition produced today’s whole size ladder — the 1.75 L “handle” replaced the half-gallon, 375 ml replaced the pint — all covered in the complete liquor bottle size guide.

Shots, drinks and servings in a fifth

One caution on “standard drinks”: a 1.5 oz shot of vodka is one US standard drink only at about 40% ABV. Overproof spirits carry more alcohol per shot, and the arithmetic changes accordingly.

A fifth vs the other bottle sizes

The fifth sits in the middle of the ladder: twice a 375 ml “pint”, three-quarters of a litre bottle, and 43% of a 1.75 L handle — a handle holds 2⅓ fifths, not two, a common miscalculation. For parties: a fifth serves about 8 people two shots each; a handle serves the same crowd nearly five rounds. Full comparisons, including the 700 ml European standard, are in the size guide and the oz ↔ mL converter.

Frequently asked questions

How many ounces are in a fifth of vodka?

25.36 US fluid ounces — 750 ml divided by 29.5735. Bottles are labelled 25.4 oz.

How many shots are in a fifth?

About 17 at the common US 1.5 oz pour; 25 at a 1 oz pour. Exactly: 750 ÷ 44.36 = 16.9.

Is a fifth the same as 750 ml?

Today, yes — “fifth” is slang for the 750 ml bottle. Historically a fifth was 757 ml (one fifth of a US gallon); the metric changeover of January 1, 1980 replaced it.

Is a fifth bigger than a pint?

Yes, exactly double the US “pint” bottle of 375 ml. (The trade “pint” is itself smaller than a true 473 ml liquid pint — another pre-metric leftover.)

How many fifths are in a handle?

2⅓. A handle is 1.75 L; 1750 ÷ 750 = 2.33.

How long does a fifth last?

At one 1.5 oz drink per day, about 17 days. Once opened, vodka does not spoil, though it slowly loses aromatic finesse over years; store it capped, upright, away from light.

750 ml spirits bottles by GlassRock