How many shots are in a 26? About 17, using Canada's standard 1.5 oz (43 mL) shot. If you pour 1 oz shots, the way plenty of people do at home, a 26 gives you about 25.
A "26" is a 750 mL bottle, the standard size for liquor all over the world. Only Canadians call it a 26, and the same goes for a mickey, a forty and a sixty. Here's what every one of those names means in millilitres, how many shots and standard drinks each holds, and the beer and wine sizes that go with them.
The short answer
| Canadian name | Size | Imperial oz | 1.5 oz shots (standard drinks) | 1 oz shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini / airplane bottle | 50 mL | 1.8 | about 1 | about 1.5 |
| Half mickey / flask | 200 mL | 7 | about 4.5 | about 6.5 |
| Mickey | 375 mL | 13 | about 8.5 | about 12.5 |
| 26 (twenty-six) | 750 mL | 26 | about 17 | about 25 |
| 40 (forty, forty-pounder) | 1.14 L | 40 | about 26 | about 38 |
| 60 (sixty, handle) | 1.75 L | 62 | about 40 | about 59 |
| Texas mickey | 3 L | 106 | about 70 | about 101 |
The 1.5 oz column is also the standard drink count for a 40% spirit, which is what Canada's health guidance uses to measure drinks.
What's a standard shot in Canada?
Under Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health, one standard drink contains 17.05 mL (13.45 g) of pure alcohol. For spirits, that works out to:
- 43 mL (1.5 oz) of 40% spirit, such as vodka, rye, rum, gin or tequila
The same amount of alcohol is in:
- 341 mL (12 oz) of 5% beer, one regular bottle
- 142 mL (5 oz) of 12% wine, one standard glass
That 1.5 oz pour is the "shot" in every count above. In real life, shot glasses run anywhere from 1 oz to 2 oz, and plenty of bars and home bartenders pour 1 oz. That's why the table shows both.
Not every bottle is 40%. A lower-proof spirit has fewer standard drinks per bottle. Captain Morgan Original Spiced, for example, is 35%, so a 26 of it holds about 15 standard drinks instead of 17. Check the ABV on the label.
The Mickey (375 mL)
A mickey is a 375 mL bottle, half of a 26. It holds about 13 imperial ounces, which gives you roughly 8.5 standard 1.5 oz shots or about 12 one-ounce shots.
Mickeys are the small, flat-sided bottles that fit in a jacket pocket. They're the classic size to bring to a house party or a cottage night where you don't want to carry a full bottle. Nobody quite agrees on where the name came from, but every Canadian knows what it means.
The 26 (750 mL)
A 26 is a 750 mL bottle, the standard liquor bottle size in Canada and almost everywhere else. It holds about 17 standard shots at 1.5 oz, or about 25 one-ounce shots.
Why "26"? Before metric conversion, Canada's standard liquor bottle held about 26 imperial ounces. The metric replacement, 750 mL, works out to 26.4 imperial ounces, close enough that the name stuck. (An American calls the same bottle a "fifth," because it's close to a fifth of a US gallon.)
Most of what's on a liquor store shelf is a 26. On our menu, a regular bottle of Stolichnaya or J.P. Wiser's Deluxe is a 26.
The 40 (1.14 L)
A 40, or forty-pounder, is a 1.14 L bottle. It's exactly 40 imperial ounces, which is where the name comes from. That's about 26 standard shots, or about 38 one-ounce shots.
The 40 is the party bottle. It's about one and a half 26s, and per millilitre it's usually cheaper than buying two smaller bottles. Stolichnaya 1.14L is a 40.
The 1.14 L size matters for one more reason: it's the duty-free limit for spirits when you come back to Canada after 48 hours or more away. Customs allows exactly one 40 of liquor per person.
The 60 (1.75 L)
A 60, sometimes called a handle because the bottle usually has a glass grip, is 1.75 L. That's about 62 imperial ounces, close enough to 60 for the nickname. It holds about 40 standard shots, or about 59 one-ounce shots.
You'll mostly find 60s in the big-volume brands: popular vodkas, rums and Canadian whiskies. It's the size for a wedding bar, a long weekend or a punch bowl you plan to refill. (Our Halloween party drinks post has six batch recipes that each use one 26.)
The Texas mickey (3 L)
A Texas mickey is a 3 L bottle, about four 26s in one. It holds roughly 70 standard shots. The bottles are so heavy that many come with a pump or a swing stand to pour from.
Despite the name, it's a Canadian thing. They show up at weddings, milestone birthdays and university parties, but most liquor stores don't carry them, so expect to hunt for one.
Beer sizes in Canada
| Name | Size | Standard drinks (5% beer) |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle (stubby or longneck) | 341 mL | 1 |
| Can | 355 mL | about 1 |
| Tallboy | 473 mL | about 1.4 |
| Imperial pint | 568 mL | about 1.7 |
| Six-pack | 6 bottles or cans | about 6 |
| Twelve | 12 bottles or cans | about 12 |
| Two-four | 24 bottles or cans | about 24 |
A two-four is a case of 24 beers, which is Canada's most famous beer measurement. It's half the reason the Victoria Day long weekend is called "May Two-Four" (the other half is the date). You'll also see 30s and 48s of the big domestic brands.
Two things change the drink count:
- Tallboys. A 473 mL can holds about 40% more beer than a regular bottle. A 12-pack of tallboys, like the Molson Canadian 12-pack, is closer to 17 standard drinks than 12.
- Strength. A 4% light beer is less than one standard drink per bottle. An 8% craft IPA tallboy is more than two.
Wine sizes
| Name | Size | Standard 5 oz glasses (12% wine) |
|---|---|---|
| Half bottle | 375 mL | about 2.5 |
| Standard bottle | 750 mL | about 5 |
| Magnum | 1.5 L | about 10 |
| Bag-in-box | 4 L | about 28 |
A standard bottle of wine is the same 750 mL as a 26 of liquor, but it holds about 5 glasses. A stronger red at 14% gives you closer to 4 standard drinks per bottle, even if you pour 5 glasses.
Which bottle size should you buy?
- For one or two people, one night: a mickey. It's about 8 drinks, so there's no half-empty bottle sitting around.
- For a small get-together (4–8 people): a 26, plus beer and wine.
- For a party: 40s and 60s. You get more drinks per dollar and fewer bottles to open. For the full count by guest number and party length, use our party alcohol calculator.
- For stocking a home bar: 26s of the essentials. Our home bar guide lists the eight bottles worth having.
FAQ — Canadian bottle sizes
How many shots are in a 26? About 17 standard 1.5 oz shots, or about 25 one-ounce shots. A 26 is a 750 mL bottle.
How many ml is a 26? 750 mL. It's called a 26 because it holds about 26 imperial ounces (26.4, to be exact).
How many shots are in a mickey? About 8.5 standard 1.5 oz shots, or about 12 one-ounce shots. A mickey is a 375 mL bottle, half of a 26.
How many ounces are in a mickey? About 13 imperial ounces (375 mL), or about 12.7 US fluid ounces.
How many shots are in a 40? About 26 standard 1.5 oz shots, or about 38 one-ounce shots. A 40 is a 1.14 L bottle, exactly 40 imperial ounces.
How many shots are in a 60? About 40 standard 1.5 oz shots, or about 59 one-ounce shots. A 60 is a 1.75 L bottle.
What is a Texas mickey? A 3-litre bottle of liquor, about four 26s. It holds roughly 70 standard shots and often comes with a pump or pouring stand.
What is a two-four? A case of 24 beers. It's the classic Canadian beer case, and part of the reason the Victoria Day long weekend is nicknamed May Two-Four.
How many drinks are in a bottle of wine? About 5 standard glasses of 5 oz (142 mL) from a 750 mL bottle of 12% wine.
Running short tonight?
Now you know what a 26 actually pours. If the count came up short and the LCBO has already closed, we deliver beer, wine and spirits, 26s and 40s included, across Niagara and Hamilton until the legal 11 PM cutoff. See the full menu, then call 416-627-7846, and call before 10:30.
