# SpiritFacts

> Open, sourced data on the chemistry and nutrition of 222 spirits, wines, beers and ready-to-drink brands: congeners, histamines, polyphenols, sulfites, tannins, sugar and additives, a 1 to 10 Hangover Index, calories derived from ABV and verified sugar or carbohydrate, and gluten-free status under US labelling rules.

Calories are computed from ABV plus published sugar or carbohydrate, never estimated; a brand without a verified figure has no calorie number. "Gluten-free" follows the US labelling rule, so spirits distilled from wheat, barley or rye are not gluten-free by label even though distillation removes the protein. Nothing here is medical advice.

## Rankings

- [Healthiest alcohol to drink](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-alcohol-to-drink): every category ranked by Hangover Index
- [Healthiest liquor](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-liquor): spirits only
- [Low calorie cocktails](https://spiritfacts.com/low-calorie-cocktails): 26 classic cocktails with exact measures, ranked by calories, carbs, sugar and standard drinks per drink, each computed from USDA FoodData Central ingredients (liqueur and vermouth sugar from Vinmonopolet), plus every common mixer per 4 oz and every syrup and liqueur per ounce
- [Margarita calories](https://spiritfacts.com/cocktails/margarita-calories): 8 margaritas worked out per drink (classic 2:1:1, IBA spec, Tommy's, 3-2-1, skinny, frozen, bottled mix, light mix) with calories, carbs, sugar and standard drinks, the sweetener swap math, the median of 49 regular and 11 light margarita mix labels from USDA Branded Foods, and which tequila to use
- [Vodka soda calories](https://spiritfacts.com/cocktails/vodka-soda-calories): a vodka soda is 98 calories, 0 carbs and 0 sugar; calories in vodka by pour and proof, 14 mixers, USDA survey entries, canned vodka seltzers by label and measured sugar in flavored vodka
- [Espresso martini calories](https://spiritfacts.com/cocktails/espresso-martini-calories): an espresso martini is about 197 calories, 16 g of sugar, 67 mg of caffeine and 1.33 standard drinks; nine builds including skinny, Baileys, tequila and the carajillo, what caffeine does with alcohol, and sugar in ten coffee liqueurs.
- [Old fashioned calories](https://spiritfacts.com/cocktails/old-fashioned-calories): an old fashioned is about 151 calories, 4.1 g of sugar and 1.37 standard drinks with 2 oz of 80 proof bourbon; 13 builds including sugar cube, muddled, Oaxaca and Wisconsin brandy sweet, sour and press, whiskey calories by pour and proof, 29 bottles by strength, measured bitters, 14 old fashioned mix labels and why USDA's survey portion reads high
- [Strongest alcohol in the world](https://spiritfacts.com/strongest-alcohol): the strongest bottles by ABV with sources, every category's strongest brand, and standard drinks per shot by proof
- [How long does a hangover last](https://spiritfacts.com/how-long-does-a-hangover-last): most hangovers end 14 to 23 hours after the last drink (18.4 on average, n=811), the hour-by-hour course, hours for blood alcohol to reach zero by peak BAC, what makes a hangover longer, and the warning signs of alcohol poisoning and withdrawal, each with its medical source
- [What helps a hangover](https://spiritfacts.com/what-helps-a-hangover): every common hangover remedy graded against NIAAA, Cleveland Clinic and the trials (only time ends a hangover; sleep, fluids, bland carbs and an antacid ease it; NSAIDs irritate the stomach and acetaminophen with alcohol strains the liver; electrolytes, IV drips and hangover pills are unproven), what helps nausea and headache, the supplement trial results, and how to prevent the next one
- [Additive-free tequila list](https://spiritfacts.com/additive-free-tequila): the 134 tequilas on the last independent additive-free list (archived 6 October 2024, withdrawn the next day after warnings from the CRT), each with its NOM, the four additives NOM-006 allows up to 1% by weight, and the additive status of every tequila brand in the dataset
- [Healthiest vodka](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-vodka): Every unflavoured vodka at 40% is chemically the same drink, so the honest ranking is a tie and the real decision is the base material.
- [Healthiest gin](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-gin): Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray are both London Dry style with no added sugar and clean production.
- [Healthiest tequila](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-tequila): Additive-free 100% agave blanco tequila is the cleanest.
- [Healthiest mezcal](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-mezcal): Espadín joven from a small traditional producer (Del Maguey Vida, Montelobos, Ilegal, 400 Conejos) is your lightest mezcal option.
- [Healthiest rum](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-rum): Mount Gay Eclipse (Barbados, no added sugar by law), Bacardi Superior (light white, filtered, low congener), and additive-free Jamaican pot stills are the cleanest mainstream rums.
- [Healthiest bourbon](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-bourbon): The lightest bourbon is a young, low-proof one.
- [Healthiest scotch](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-scotch): Grain-heavy blends (Johnnie Walker Red, Dewar's White Label, Johnnie Walker Black) and lightly-aged unpeated single malts (Glenmorangie Original 10, Glenlivet 12) carry the lowest combined load.
- [Healthiest cognac](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-cognac): There's no light cognac.
- [Healthiest red wine](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-red-wine): Pinot Noir is the lightest red.
- [Healthiest white wine](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-white-wine): Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio are the lightest mainstream whites: unoaked, low in residual sugar, and low in biogenic amines.
- [Healthiest sparkling wine](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-sparkling-wine): Brut Nature Cava or Prosecco at low dosage gives you the lowest combined sugar and amine load.
- [Healthiest beer](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-beer): Filtered light lager at moderate ABV.
- [Healthiest liqueur](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-liqueur): Cointreau is one of the cleanest mainstream liqueurs: real orange peel distillation, no artificial flavoring, no coloring.
- [Healthiest mead](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-mead): The lightest mead is a dry one at a low strength, and sweetness matters more than alcohol here, which is unusual.
- [Healthiest hard seltzer & rtd](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-hard-seltzer): A vodka seltzer with no sugar added is the lightest thing in this category and one of the lightest drinks on the whole site.
- [Healthiest curaçao](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-curacao): It depends on how you are drinking it, and the two answers are different.
- [Healthiest irish whiskey](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-irish-whiskey): The lightest Irish whiskeys are the 40% grain-led blends: Jameson, Bushmills Original, Tullamore D.E.W.
- [Healthiest tennessee whiskey](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-tennessee-whiskey): The lightest Tennessee whiskeys are the 40% standards: Jack Daniel's Old No.
- [Healthiest canadian whisky](https://spiritfacts.com/healthiest-canadian-whisky): The lightest Canadian whiskies are the plain 40% blends: Crown Royal Deluxe, Canadian Club 1858, Seagram's VO and Pendleton Original.

## Categories

- [What Is Vodka Made From? Grain, Potato, Grape and Corn](https://spiritfacts.com/vodka): Closest to neutral alcohol you can drink
- [What Is Gin Made From? Juniper, a Neutral Base and Botanicals](https://spiritfacts.com/gin): Vodka rerun through a garden
- [What Is Tequila Made From? Blue Weber Agave and the Mixto Trap](https://spiritfacts.com/tequila): Agave, regulated, sometimes adulterated
- [What Is Mezcal? Smoke, Agave and How It Differs From Tequila](https://spiritfacts.com/mezcal): Smoke, terroir, and unfiltered character
- [What Is Rum Made From? Molasses, Cane Juice and Added Sugar](https://spiritfacts.com/rum): Sugarcane, sweet and heavy
- [Bourbon vs Whiskey: What Makes a Bourbon a Bourbon](https://spiritfacts.com/bourbon): American oak, corn-led, congener-rich
- [What Is Scotch Whisky? Made From, Aged, Regulated](https://spiritfacts.com/scotch): Aged, peated, complex chemistry
- [What Is Cognac? Grapes, Age Grades and Cognac vs Brandy](https://spiritfacts.com/cognac): Wine, distilled twice, aged in Limousin oak
- [Types of Red Wine: Tannins, Histamines and Headaches](https://spiritfacts.com/red-wine): Tannin, histamine, sulfite trifecta
- [Dry White Wine vs Sweet: Types of White Wine Explained](https://spiritfacts.com/white-wine): Lower tannin, higher sulfites
- [What Is Sparkling Wine? Champagne, Prosecco and Cava](https://spiritfacts.com/sparkling-wine): Bubbles speed everything up
- [What Is Beer Made Of? Ingredients and How It's Brewed](https://spiritfacts.com/beer): Volume, gluten, biogenic amines
- [Liqueur vs Liquor: What Is a Liqueur and Its Sugar Load](https://spiritfacts.com/liqueur): Sugar-bombs in a bottle
- [Mead](https://spiritfacts.com/mead): Honey fermented, grain free, sugar unpredictable
- [Hard Seltzer & RTD](https://spiritfacts.com/hard-seltzer): Low load per can, sold by the twelve-pack
- [What Is Curaçao? The Drink, and Why It's Blue](https://spiritfacts.com/curacao): Orange peel liqueur, and the blue is food colouring
- [Irish Whiskey](https://spiritfacts.com/irish-whiskey): Lighter, smoother, often triple distilled
- [Tennessee Whiskey](https://spiritfacts.com/tennessee-whiskey): Bourbon rules plus a charcoal filter
- [Canadian Whisky](https://spiritfacts.com/canadian-whisky): Light blends, with flavouring allowed

## Comparisons

- [Vodka vs Tequila: Which Is Healthier? Calories, Methanol, Sugar](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/vodka-vs-tequila): On chemistry, vodka edges out tequila: it is distilled to near-neutral, and tequila keeps congeners by law.
- [Tequila vs Mezcal: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/tequila-vs-mezcal): Tequila wins on chemistry.
- [Bourbon vs Scotch: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/bourbon-vs-scotch): Scotch wins narrowly, in the form of unpeated Speyside or grain-heavy blends.
- [Bourbon vs Vodka: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/bourbon-vs-vodka): Vodka wins decisively.
- [Gin vs Vodka: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/gin-vs-vodka): Vodka wins narrowly.
- [Red Wine vs White Wine: Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/red-wine-vs-white-wine): White wine wins for most drinkers, but it's personal.
- [Rum vs Tequila: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/rum-vs-tequila): 100% agave tequila wins, clearly.
- [Cognac vs Bourbon: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/cognac-vs-bourbon): Bourbon wins on purity.
- [IPA vs Light Beer: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/ipa-vs-light-beer): Light beer wins on every chemistry axis: roughly two-thirds the alcohol per can, a fraction of the polyphenol and amine load, and full filtration.
- [IPA vs Stout: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/ipa-vs-stout): Stout wins, especially dry stout.
- [Beer vs Red Wine: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/beer-vs-red-wine): Beer wins for most drinkers.
- [Beer vs Vodka: Key Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/beer-vs-vodka): Vodka wins on chemistry and it isn't close: no gluten, no amines, no congeners worth measuring.
- [Champagne vs Prosecco: Differences & Which Is Healthier](https://spiritfacts.com/compare/champagne-vs-prosecco): Prosecco wins narrowly for most drinkers (Hangover Index 6 vs 7): tank fermentation skips the amine buildup of lees aging.

## Gluten-free guides

- [Gluten-free alcohol](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free): which drinks qualify, and which only look like they do
- [Gluten-Free Vodka: Which Brands Qualify, by Base Material](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/vodka): Seven of the twenty-one vodkas here are made without any gluten grain: Tito's, Deep Eddy and Smirnoff No.
- [Is Gin Gluten-Free? The Base Spirit Decides, Not the Juniper](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/gin): Usually not by label, and the botanicals have nothing to do with it.
- [Is Tequila Gluten-Free? Yes, and 100% Agave Is Why](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/tequila): Yes, and it is one of the few categories where the answer needs no qualification.
- [Is Mezcal Gluten-Free? Yes, Agave Is Not a Grain](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/mezcal): Yes, without qualification.
- [Is Rum Gluten-Free? Yes, It Is Made From Sugarcane](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/rum): Yes.
- [Is Bourbon Gluten-Free? Almost None Is, and One Brand Is](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/bourbon): Almost none, but the exception matters: bourbon's legal definition requires 51% corn and mandates no gluten grain at all.
- [Is Scotch Gluten-Free? Made From Malted Barley, So Not by Label](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/scotch): No scotch can be labelled gluten-free.
- [Is Cognac Gluten-Free? Yes, It Is Distilled From Grapes](https://spiritfacts.com/gluten-free/cognac): Yes.

## Articles

- [The Different Types of Beer, and What Each One Does to You](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/different-types-of-beer): Every beer is an ale or a lager, and the hundred-odd styles branch from there. Here is the taxonomy, plus the part nobody else attaches to it: how each style scores on hangover load, and why a 4.5% sour beats a 6.5% IPA.
- [Gin Calories and Sugar, Brand by Brand](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/gin-calories-and-sugar): A 1.5oz pour of dry gin is about 98 calories and zero sugar, and the only thing that moves that number is bottling strength. Here is every major gin calculated from its ABV, plus the styles that do carry real sugar.
- [Weakest to Strongest Alcohol: Every Drink Ranked (Up to 96% ABV)](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/weakest-to-strongest-alcohol): Every common drink ranked from weakest to strongest, from 4% light beer through wine and 40% spirits up to Spirytus at 96% ABV (192 proof).
- [Mezcal vs Tequila: Which Is Healthier?](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/mezcal-vs-tequila-which-is-healthier): Tequila is technically a type of mezcal, but earth-pit roasting splits them on chemistry. Here is which agave spirit is actually easier on your body, and the one thing mezcal does better.
- [Why Muscle Helps You Handle Your Liquor, and Fat Doesn't](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/muscle-vs-fat-alcohol-tolerance): Muscle is ~75% water; fat as little as 10%, so at the same weight, the muscular drinker hits a lower BAC and sobers up faster. The body-water science of handling alcohol.
- [Beefeater Quietly Dropped 44% ABV. Here's When](https://spiritfacts.com/blog/beefeater-drops-44-abv): Beefeater's US bottling fell from 44% to 40% ABV in 2023 with no announcement: the second proof cut in five years. Here's the timeline and what it means.

## Data

- [All brand facts, one line each](https://spiritfacts.com/llms-full.txt): ABV, calories, sugar, carbs, gluten-free status and Hangover Index for every brand
- [Open dataset](https://spiritfacts.com/data): CSV and JSON downloads, CC BY 4.0
- [MCP server](https://spiritfacts.com/mcp-server): connect AI assistants to this data at https://spiritfacts.com/mcp, no sign-in
- [Data package descriptor](https://spiritfacts.com/datapackage.json): Frictionless Data schema
- [Methodology](https://spiritfacts.com/about): how the Hangover Index and chemistry levels are assigned
- [Glossary](https://spiritfacts.com/glossary): congeners, histamines, tannins, sulfites and the rest