After a night out you often wonder, 'How many calories did I just drink?' or 'What is my blood alcohol level right now?' Alcohol packs 7 kcal per gram — more than the 4 kcal in carbs and protein — and with snacks on top, it becomes a serious obstacle for any diet. Enter the number of glasses of soju, beer, wine, whiskey, or makgeolli you had and this calculator works out your total calorie intake and grams of pure alcohol. Add your sex and weight and it also estimates your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and roughly how long it will take for the alcohol to clear and for you to sober up.
Blood alcohol concentration is estimated with the Widmark formula, the same basis used in drink-driving enforcement: BAC (%) = pure alcohol consumed (g) / (body weight (g) x distribution ratio r) x 100, where r is 0.68 for men and 0.55 for women. The body also metabolizes alcohol at roughly 0.015% per hour, so dividing the estimated BAC by that rate gives the time to sober up. Keep in mind this is only an average-based estimate; your real BAC varies widely with how fast you drank, whether your stomach was empty, and your individual physiology. Information you enter, such as your weight, is never sent to a server.
How to Use
- 1
Select your sex
Choose male or female. The difference in body water percentage changes the coefficient used in the BAC calculation.
- 2
Enter your weight
Enter your weight in kilograms. It is used for the BAC calculation; if you leave it blank, only calories are calculated.
- 3
Enter glasses consumed
Use the plus and minus buttons to enter how many glasses of soju, beer, wine, whiskey, and makgeolli you had.
- 4
Check and copy the result
Total calories, estimated BAC, and the time to sober up are shown. Use the copy button to save the result.
When It's Useful
Gauge calories at a get-together
Just enter the glasses of soju, beer, and so on to see total calorie intake — handy for managing how much you drink while dieting.
Plan around the next day
Look at the estimated sober-up time to roughly gauge whether alcohol may still be in your system by the next morning (for reference only).
Self-check your drinking
When you mix several drinks, add up the grams of pure alcohol to reflect on whether you overdid it.
Compare types of drinks
See how the calories and alcohol content of soju, wine, and whiskey differ even for the same number of glasses.
Tips
- Alcohol is calorie-dense at 7 kcal per gram. Add greasy bar food and a single drinking session can easily blow past your daily calorie target.
- Drinking on an empty stomach speeds up absorption and pushes BAC higher. It is better to drink slowly with food.
- Drinking water alongside reduces dehydration and helps ease the next day's hangover.
- BAC does not peak the moment you finish a drink — it tops out 30 minutes to 2 hours later. Thinking 'it has been a while, so I am fine' is dangerous.
- The metabolism rate (about 0.015% per hour) differs from person to person and day to day. The fact that the shown sober-up time has passed never means it is safe to drive.
- Women tend to have a lower body water percentage, so the same amount of alcohol pushes their BAC higher. This calculator reflects that, using 0.68 for men and 0.55 for women.
FAQ
How is blood alcohol concentration (BAC) calculated?
With the Widmark formula: BAC (%) = pure alcohol (g) / (body weight (g) x r) x 100, where r is 0.68 for men and 0.55 for women.
How do you find the amount of pure alcohol?
For each drink it is volume x ABV (%) x alcohol density (0.789 g/ml), summed by the number of glasses. The higher the proof, the more alcohol for the same volume.
Can I use this BAC to decide whether I can drive?
Absolutely not. This calculator gives an average-based reference estimate that can differ greatly from your real value. After drinking, never drive under any circumstances.
How long does it take to sober up?
The body breaks down roughly 0.015% BAC per hour. The estimated BAC divided by that rate is a rough sober-up time, but individual variation is large.
Why do men and women get different BAC values?
The alcohol distribution ratio (r) is 0.68 for men and 0.55 for women, so for the same amount consumed a woman's estimated BAC is generally higher.
What are the drink-driving limits in Korea?
A BAC of 0.03% or higher means license suspension, and 0.08% or higher means license revocation. That said, the value from this calculator has no legal standing.
What happens if I do not enter my weight?
Without weight, BAC cannot be calculated, so only total calories and grams of pure alcohol are shown. Enter your weight to see BAC and sober-up time.
Is my input saved?
No. Your sex, weight, and drink counts are used only for calculations within your browser and are never sent to a server or stored.