Alcohol Percentage Guide: How Strong Is Your Favourite Drink in NZ?

Beer & Cider Alcohol Percentage

Beer is a go-to for many Kiwis, and its strength can vary depending on the type and brand.

• Standard beer (e.g. Speight’s, Heineken, Corona): 4–5% ABV
• Low Alcohol Beer (e.g. Steinlager Zero, Mac’s Mid Vicious): 0.0–2.5% ABV
• Craft Beers (e.g. Emerson’s Bird Dog, Panhead Rat Rod): Typically 4–9% ABV but there are some lower alcohol ones too
• Cider: Ranges from 4–6% ABV
• Low Carb Beer (e.g. Steinlager Ultra Low Carb, 8 Wired Brewing's LO-FI, Export Ultra Low Carb Lager: 2.5% to 4.5% ABV

Wine Alcohol Percentage

Wine varies depending on the style and sweetness. Here's what to expect:

•    Red Wine: Usually 12–15% ABV
• White Wine - Slightly lower than red: 11–13.5% ABV
• Light Wines (e.g. Jacob’s Creek Moscato or Wither Hills Early Light) : 7.5 -9.5% ABV
• Champagne:  Typically, 12–12.5% ABV
• Prosecco / Sparkling Wine: Ranges from 5.5–12.5% ABV
• Port Wine (Fortified and strong): 18–20% ABV·      

RTD’s & Pre-Mixed Drinks Alcohol Percentage

Ready-to-drink options (RTDs) are popular for convenience and flavour. They vary depending on what’s mixed inside.

• White Spirit RTD’s (e.g. Hyoketsu, Smirnoff Ice, Vodka Cruiser, Gordons G&T, Clean Collective): 4.5–7% ABV
• Dark Spirit RTD’s (e.g. Black Heart, Captain Morgan, Coruba, Jim Beam, Woodstock, Cody’s): 5–8% ABV
• Tequila based RTD’s (e.g. Jose Cuervo, Alba, Pals): 6-7% ABV

Note: Percentages vary slightly depending on the brand and product line — check the label for specifics.

Spirits Alcohol Percentage:

Straight spirits are much stronger than beers or RTDs. Here's a look at typical ABVs:

• Vodka (e.g.  Smirnoff, Absolut, Finlandia): 37.5–40% ABV
• Gin (e.g.  Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray): 37.5–47% ABV
• White rum (e.g. Bacardi): 37.5–40% ABV
• Spiced rum (e.g. Captain Morgan): 37.5–40% ABV
• Dark rum can go up to 50% ABV in some cases
• Whiskey / Whisky (e.g. Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam): 40% ABV
• Scotch or Irish whiskies (e.g.  Johnnie Walker): Often 40–43% ABV
• Tequila (e.g.  Jose Cuervo) : 35–40% ABV
• Brandy: Usually falls in the 35–40% ABV range
• Jägermeister: 35% ABV
• Absinthe (known for being very strong): ranges from 45% up to 74% ABV
• Sake (Japanese rice wine): Usually ranges between 12–16% ABV

Liqueurs & Flavoured Spirits Alcohol Percentage

These are often used in cocktails or sipped on their own — generally lower in alcohol than straight spirits.

• Baileys Irish Cream: 17% ABV
• Malibu (Coconut Rum): 21% ABV
• Midori Melon Liqueur: Around 20% ABV
• Aperol (A light, bittersweet liqueur): 11% ABV
• Canterbury Cream (NZ’s version of Baileys): 13.9% ABV

A Quick Note on Cocktails

Some of these spirits and liqueurs are pretty strong — and when you mix a few together in a cocktail, the alcohol content adds up fast. Even if it tastes sweet and smooth, it might be stronger than you think.