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Cocktail Dilution Calculator

Estimate the final volume and ABV of a cocktail after ice dilution.

Preparation

Result

Final Volume (with melted ice)
3.75 oz
Final ABV
24%

Dilution numbers are typical averages - actual dilution depends on ice size/temperature, stirring/shaking time, and how long the drink sits before serving.

About the Cocktail Dilution Calculator

Ice does more in a cocktail than just chill it: as it melts during stirring or shaking, it adds water that dilutes both the drink's final volume and its alcohol strength, and that dilution is actually part of a well-balanced cocktail's flavor, not an accident to avoid.

How It Works

Enter the total spirit and liqueur volume, the average ABV of those ingredients, and whether the cocktail is stirred or shaken, and the calculator applies a standard dilution percentage to estimate the final volume and resulting ABV after ice melt.

final volume = spirit volume ÷ (1 − dilution%); final ABV = (avg ABV × spirit volume) ÷ final volume

Formula & Methodology

Stirring is gentler than shaking and typically dilutes a cocktail by around 20%, while shaking chips and breaks the ice more aggressively, aerating the drink and diluting it closer to 28%. The calculator treats the entered spirit volume as the pre-dilution amount, then divides by one minus the dilution percentage to find the final volume once melted ice water is factored in. Because the alcohol itself doesn't increase, just the total liquid volume, the final ABV works out to be lower than the average ABV of the undiluted ingredients, proportional to how much the volume grew.

Examples

A stirred Martini-style cocktail

3 oz of spirits at 30% average ABV, stirred at 20% dilution, finishes at about 3.75 oz total volume and roughly 24% final ABV.

A shaken cocktail with citrus

The same 3 oz at 30% ABV, shaken at 28% dilution, finishes at about 4.17 oz and roughly 21.6% final ABV, noticeably more diluted than the stirred version.

Advantages

  • Accounts for the real difference in dilution between stirring and shaking, not a single blanket estimate
  • Calculates both final volume and final ABV together, since the two are directly linked
  • Uses typical, well-established dilution percentages from cocktail preparation technique

Common Mistakes

  • Treating a cocktail's listed spirit ABV as its final ABV without accounting for ice dilution
  • Shaking a cocktail that's traditionally stirred, over-diluting and clouding a drink meant to stay clear
  • Ignoring that dilution continues after pouring for any cocktail served over ice

Edge Cases to Watch For

  • These dilution percentages are typical averages, not universal constants; actual dilution depends on ice size and temperature, how vigorously and how long the drink is stirred or shaken, and how long it sits before serving.
  • A cocktail that's meant to be served up (strained, no ice in the glass) relies entirely on this dilution during mixing for its final balance, unlike one served over ice, which continues diluting slowly after it's poured.
  • Classics like a Martini are traditionally stirred rather than shaken partly because the gentler dilution and lack of aeration preserve clarity and a slightly stronger final drink.

Common Use Cases

  • Estimating a cocktail's actual strength after mixing, not just its ingredients' listed ABV
  • Deciding between stirring and shaking based on the dilution level a recipe calls for
  • Understanding why classic cocktail technique specifies stirred versus shaken for particular drinks
Written & fact-checked by the Calculateus TeamLast updated August 5, 2026How we verify our formulas

Frequently asked questions

Why do shaken cocktails dilute more than stirred ones?

Shaking chips and breaks the ice more, creating more surface area and melting faster, plus it aerates the drink - stirring is gentler and preserves clarity and a slightly stronger final drink, which is part of why classics like a Martini are traditionally stirred, not shaken.

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Conclusion

Dilution isn't a flaw to minimize, it's baked into how a properly mixed cocktail is supposed to taste, which is why stirred and shaken drinks are calibrated to different dilution targets in the first place. Estimating both the final volume and final ABV together shows how much a cocktail's character shifts between the ingredients in the shaker and the drink actually served.