Measurement is among the most important tasks in bar-tending and due to the diverse systems of measurement around the world perhaps the most confusing for a project such as ours. This page lists common liquid measurements in terms of fluid ounces and their metric equivalents.
Common bar measurements[edit | edit source]
| Term | Measurement (US) | Measurement (Metric) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 part | any equal part | any equal part |
| 1 dash | 1/48 fl. ounce | 0.625 mL |
| 1 splash (**) | 1/5 fl.ounce | 5.91 mL |
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | 1/6 fl. ounce | 4.93 mL |
| 1 tablespoon (Tbsp.) or 'count' | 1/2 fl. ounce | 14.79 mL |
| 1 pony | 1 fl. ounce | 29.57 mL |
| 1 jigger | 1 1/2 fl. ounces | 44.36 mL |
| 1 shot (†) | 1 1/2 fl. ounces | 44.36 mL |
| 1 snit | 3 fl. ounces | 88.72 mL |
| 1 wineglass | 4 fl. ounces | 118.29 mL |
| 1 split | 6 fl. ounces | 177.44 mL |
| 1 cup | 8 fl. ounces | 236.58 mL |
| 1 pint (pt) | 16 fl. ounces | 568 mL |
| 1 fifth | 25.6 fl. ounces (1/5 gallon) | 757.08 mL |
| 1 quart (qt) | 32 fl. ounces | 946.35 mL |
| 1 gallon (gal) | 128 fl. ounces | 3785.41 mL |
- (*) "splash" - a 20oz bottle of soda containing a "splash" of real juice contains 1% juice = 0.2oz juice
- (†) A "shotglass" is usually 1.5 ounces, but sometimes 2 ounces with a measuring line at 1.5 ounces. You can also buy (in US) "short shot" glasses or "pony shots" which are 1 ounce. Pony shots are usually used with martinis, manhattans, and rob roys.
Dash and fill[edit | edit source]
Some recipes call for a small amount or "dash" to taste. A dash can be loosely defined as 1/6 teaspoon or about 1 mL, essentially the smallest amount one is able to pour from a dasher (a device which fits in the mouth of a bottle to slow the flow of liquid) or dasher bottle (a bottle equipped with such a device).
When instructed to 'fill' with a given spirit or mixer it is presumed that you are working in a glass of the given size and should, after adding the co*cktail's other ingredients, 'top off' or fill the glass as instructed. If your recipe lists no specific glassware it may assume a standard highball glass of eight to ten ounces.
