CalcKitShots to Get Tipsy Calculator
Estimate only — not medical advice
This calculator gives a rough BAC estimate from the Widmark formula. It cannot tell you whether you are safe to drive. Do not drink and drive. If you have been drinking, use a rideshare, a taxi, or a sober driver.
Your drinks
Your own drink
Do not drive after drinking. In most US states the legal limit is 0.08% BAC, and any amount of alcohol impairs driving.
Example: a 160 lb man who has 3 beers over 2 hours — 1.8 fl oz of pure alcohol — has an estimated BAC of about 0.05% (tipsy).
Behind the numbers
How BAC is estimated
The Widmark formula estimates blood alcohol content from the amount of pure alcohol you drank, your body weight, a body-water factor that differs by sex, and the time your body has had to clear alcohol (about 0.015% BAC per hour).
For the example: (1.8 × 5.14) ÷ (160 × 0.73) − 0.015 × 2 = 0.079 − 0.030 = 0.049, about 0.05%. The factor r is 0.73 for men and 0.66 for women.
What the BAC levels mean
These are rough ranges. Effects vary from person to person, and a BAC of 0.15% or higher carries a risk of alcohol poisoning — seek emergency help if someone is hard to wake, breathing slowly, or vomiting while unconscious.
A few comparisons
Example BAC estimates
| Person | Drinks | Time | Estimated BAC | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 lb man | 3 beers | 2 hours | 0.05% | Tipsy |
| 120 lb woman | 2 glasses of wine | 1 hour | 0.06% | Tipsy |
| 200 lb man | 4 beers | 3 hours | 0.04% | Buzzed |
| 180 lb man | 5 shots | 2 hours | 0.09% | Drunk |
| 140 lb woman | 2 beers | 2 hours | 0.04% | Buzzed |
Stay safe. Plan ahead.
Decide how you are getting home before your first drink — a sober driver, a rideshare, or a taxi. Never drive after drinking, even if you feel fine.
Eat before and during drinking, and drink water between alcoholic drinks. Food and water slow absorption but do not lower your BAC faster.
Count every drink, including shots mixed into cocktails. A mixed drink often contains more than one standard drink.
Only time lowers your BAC — about 0.015% per hour. Coffee, cold showers, and fresh air do not sober you up faster.
Good to know
Your BAC questions, answered.
How accurate is this BAC estimate?
It is a rough estimate only. The Widmark formula uses your weight, sex, the amount of alcohol and the time spent drinking, but your real BAC also depends on food, metabolism, medication and other factors. Only a breathalyzer or blood test gives a real reading, and this calculator is not medical advice.
What counts as one standard drink?
In the US, one standard drink is about 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol: 12 ounces of beer at 5% ABV, 5 ounces of wine at 12% ABV, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits at 40% ABV. Each preset drink on this page equals one standard drink.
What is the legal BAC limit for driving in the US?
In most US states the legal limit is 0.08% BAC for drivers age 21 and over, and lower for drivers under 21 and commercial drivers. Any amount of alcohol impairs driving, so do not drive after drinking at all.
How long until my BAC reaches zero?
The body clears alcohol at roughly 0.015% BAC per hour. At a BAC of 0.05%, that is about 3.3 hours to reach zero. Coffee, cold showers and food do not speed this up — only time does.