How Many ML in a Shot Glass? Canadian Pour Sizes

One shot in ml: a standard single shot is 1.5 fl oz, which is about 44 ml. Many Canadian bars pour 1 oz instead, about 30 ml, and some work in round metric measures such as 25 ml or 50 ml. The glass itself matters less than the pour you set as your house standard, so this guide gives you the numbers, the bottle yields and the tools to keep every shot the same.

We supply bars, pubs and restaurants across Vancouver and BC with refrigeration, sinks and glass washing equipment, and consistent pours come up in almost every bar setup conversation. Here is what you need to know.

1 Shot in ML: The Quick Answer

These are the pour sizes you will see most often:

• 1 oz shot: about 30 ml (29.6 ml for a US fluid ounce, 28.4 ml for an imperial ounce).
• 1.5 oz shot: about 44 ml. This is the most common “standard shot” in recipes and bartender training.
• Double shot: two single pours, so about 89 ml at 1.5 oz each, or about 60 ml at 1 oz each.
• 25 ml and 50 ml: metric single and double measures used in many other countries. A 50 ml pour is slightly more than a 1.5 oz shot, so “is 50 ml a shot?” depends on which standard you follow.

If a recipe says “1 shot” and does not say how big, check where it was written. A recipe from a US source usually assumes 1.5 oz, while a house recipe from a bar that free-pours an ounce assumes 30 ml. Write the millilitre amount on your spec sheet and the confusion disappears.

How Many ML Are in a Shot Glass?

A shot glass is a container, and a shot is a pour. Most shot glasses hold between 1.5 and 2 oz when filled to the brim, which is 44 to 59 ml. Glasses sold as “1 oz” hold about 30 ml, and some tall shooter glasses hold well over 60 ml. Many are made with a thick base, so a glass that looks like a 1.5 oz glass may hold less than you expect.

Before you stock a new glass, fill it from a measured jigger and look at where the liquid sits. Choose glasses with a printed fill line where you can, so a full glass and a correct pour are the same thing.

Standard Pour Sizes in Canada

Pour sizes in Canada are set mainly by each venue’s own policy and menu, and they are not identical from bar to bar. In practice you will meet these:

• 1 oz (about 30 ml): common in busy bars that want a lower spirit cost per drink and in mixed drinks built from measured shots.
• 1.5 oz (about 44 ml): common for neat spirits, shooters and many cocktail specs.
• Metric pours (25 ml, 50 ml): found in bars that follow European or imperial-style bar practice.

Health guidance in Canada uses a standard drink of roughly 43 ml of 40% spirits (alongside about 142 ml of wine and 341 ml of beer), which is why 1.5 oz is a natural benchmark. If you hold or are applying for a liquor licence, confirm any serving rules that apply to you with the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. Whatever size you choose, print it on the menu and train every bartender to the same pour.

How Many Shots Are in a Bottle?

Bottle yield is where pour size turns into inventory. A 750 ml bottle gives about 17 pours at 44 ml or about 25 pours at 30 ml. A 1.14 L (40 oz) bottle gives about 26 pours at 44 ml or about 38 at 30 ml. In practice you will get a little less, because every bar loses some liquid to spills, drips and rinsing.

Compare what you pour with what you sell. If a bar sells 500 shots a week and each one runs just 7 ml (a quarter ounce) over the standard, that is about 3.7 L of spirits poured and never charged for, roughly five 750 ml bottles every week.

Tools for Measuring a Shot

The most accurate way to hit 30 ml or 44 ml every time is to measure it. Common options are:

• Jiggers: a double-ended steel cup. The classic size is 1.5 oz on one side and 0.75 oz on the other. Pick a jigger with printed ml and oz lines if you work in both units.
• Measured pourers: a bottle spout that releases a set volume, useful for fast service.
• Marked shot glasses: a fill line prevents under-pours and over-pours.
• Free-pour counts: a four-count is a rough guide, but it drifts with the bottle, the speed and the bartender, so test and retest it.

Pouring Technique

Hold the jigger level, fill to the brim, then tip it into the mixing glass in one motion. Keep bottles at the same angle each time and ask staff to measure every pour during their first month, until the habit sticks.

Shot Glass Types and What They Hold

Standard shot glasses are straight-sided and hold 1 to 2 oz. Tall shooter glasses, tapered glasses and novelty shapes can hold more or less than they appear to. Chilled glasses are a separate consideration: a frosted glass keeps a shot cold longer and gives the drink a better finish.

Bar Equipment That Keeps Pours and Service Consistent

A well-measured pour only works if the rest of the bar is set up to support it. Our bar range covers the equipment that sits around the jigger:

• Keep bottles, mixers and garnish at the right temperature with bar refrigeration, from back bar glass refrigerators to back bar solid refrigerators.
• Serve cold shots and beer in frosted glassware using glass chillers, such as the Ikon IGC 24-36 glass chiller.
• Keep draught beer cold and consistent with beer dispensers.
• Rinse tools and prep garnish at a dedicated bar sink, and run glassware through glasswashers so every glass reaches the guest clean. For the wider picture, see our guide to bar and beverage equipment for restaurants.

Common Mistakes When Measuring Shots

• Mixing US and imperial ounces and not noticing that a “1 oz” recipe now yields a slightly different volume.
• Judging the pour by the glass instead of by a measure.
• Overfilling the jigger so liquid runs over the rim and an extra few ml goes in.
• Different pour sizes on different shifts, which makes stock counts impossible to trust.
• Using bottle-top pourers without testing them. Each model releases a different amount, so check yours against a jigger.

Quick Conversion Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to set up your bar? Browse our bar refrigeration, glass chillers and bar sinks, or visit the Babak showroom at 7190 Randolph Ave in Burnaby to see equipment in person. Call (604) 566-9747 or request a quote for your bar. Pricing, availability, delivery and installation are confirmed at the time of purchase.