8 Bottle Sizes for RTD Bottled Cocktails and other Beverages
Alcoholic beverages and spirits come in a variety of bottle sizes, ranging from small sample sizes to large bottles for commercial use. Depending on the use or placement of your brand, you might need various sizes to reach your audience.
Here are some common bottle sizes for RTD bottled cocktails or other alcoholic beverages:
50ml (also known as nips or miniatures): These are tiny bottles typically used for sampling or individual servings of spirits. They are often found in hotel minibars and can be helpful for giveaway samples of your spirit brand.
200ml: Also known as a “half-pint,” this size is commonly used for airline or travel-sized bottles. It allows passengers to bring spirits on flights within the allowed limits. These are also great for leave-behinds to give to bottle shops or bar managers so they can fully test your spirit or beverage. This is also useful for bottled cocktails such as an Old Fashioned or an Espresso Martini, or for single serve wines.
375ml (also known as half bottles or splits): These are smaller than standard-sized bottles and are often used for wine, particularly dessert wines. They can also be used for spirits or other alcoholic beverages. These are another great option for RTD bottled cocktails, delivering 2 servings of stronger drinks and can be used as a single serve option for low abv drinks like spritzes.
750ml (standard bottle size): This is the most common size for wine, spirits, and other alcoholic beverages. It is the standard size for most retail sales and is often referred to as a "fifth" in the United States because it is approximately ⅕ of a US gallon.
1 liter: This size is frequently used for spirits and is commonly found in liquor stores. It is slightly larger than the standard 750ml bottle.
1.5 liters: This is what’s known as a “Magnum” bottle and is typically used as a champagne or wine format as it’s double the size of the typical wine bottle.
1.75 liters (also known as handle): This is a larger size commonly used for spirits, particularly in the United States. It is equivalent to two standard 750ml bottles.
3 liters and larger: These sizes are typically used for special occasions, events, or commercial purposes. They are often referred to as "party size” or "large format” bottles.
Different bottle sizes and shapes should be a major focus when launching or expanding an AlcBev brand. Beyond brand look and feel (picking a bottle that stands out on shelves!), think about where your target audience is and what makes sense for them. Also be aware of the TTB laws in the US regarding the use of certain formats, sizes, and what your label needs to say (that’s a whole other game).
If you need help determining which sizes make sense for your brand or need help in bottling your new or existing formulas, please reach out to us at inquiries@drayhorse.co to schedule a time to talk.