Alcohol Density Chart
Knowing the density of alcohol allows you to easily layer drinks the way you want to do it.
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How layering a drink works
With any layered shot, layered cocktail, or layered whatever. It’s important to understand the physics behind it to do it right.
There’s two things you need to know. Firstly, is how to lightly add the layers so they don’t combine and blend too much.
The other thing and most important is to understand why they layer. Once you have an understanding of that (which is actually quite simple) you can layer pretty much any liquids you want.
How to layer a shot
The key is for the liquid you’re layering to be added lightly and as spread out as you can. To do this, take a spoon and put it just above the liquid you’re layering on.
Top tip: having the spoon backwards (so the inside of the spoon is facing down) helps a lot.
Then slowly pour your layering liquid on top. What will happen is it will run over the back of the spoon and spread over the full surface area instead of just being poured in one spot which can be quite heavy.
It also helps if you have a bar spoon like this. The flat end can be used for layering. If you’re shopping from the USA, this is the spoon you want.
It also helps if you have a speed pourer so you can pour slowly. Speed pourers are very cheap so its worth picking a few up. Don’t bother spending a lot of money of speed pourers, they serve one job, you don’t need it to be fancy. Just get these ones from amazon if you’re UK based, or for you USA based folk, get these ones.
How to layer ANY liquid
For layering any liquid, the key is density. The more lighter a liquid is, the more likely it is to float. Trying to float 2 liquids with the same density (such as water) would be impossible. They’d simple mix together, you can’t stop that. But if one of the liquids is more dense, a slow pour will layer on top.
The bigger the differences in density the crisper the layer.
And what makes the biggest difference in the density of liquid? Sugar.
This is what we call the gravity.
Liquid Gravity
So what is gravity in liquid? Gravity is a measurement of the density of liquid, more sugar in a liquid, more dense it is and so the higher the gravity is.
The gravity may also be referred to as specific gravity, or relative density.
To measure gravity you need something called a hydrometer.
For anyone who ever made beer or wine. You will be familiar with these terms, as measuring the sugar before and after fermentation helps you determine the alcohol content.
Which if you’re more interested in, check out my how to make small batch beer at home article where I break down everything needed to make beer for a total beginner.
So strictly speaking, the higher the ABV the lower the density. So when layering, you can have the lowest ABV liquid on the bottom and the highest on the top. But this doesn’t always work especially with liquids similar in abv.
Which is where the alcohol density table below comes in handy…
How to use this table
The chart is split into 3 columns. First being the alcohol itself, second is the gravity, and the third is the colour. So if it’s layered drinks you’re after and you want specific colours, you can use that as a guide.
The higher the number is, the heavier the liquid.
The whole table is sorted from lowest number to highest. So just like layering a drink. Whatever will be your second layer, has to be higher up on this chart then the third.
Simply put. Whatever you’re trying to float has to have a lower number in the middle column.
Enjoy your layering!
The Alcohol Density Chart
| Alcohol | Gravity (density) | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Everclear (95% ABV) | 0.8 | Clear |
| Everclear (75% ABV) | 0.84 | Clear |
| Kirsch | 0.94 | Clear |
| Whiskey | 0.94 | Amber |
| Tequila | 0.94 | Clear or Amber |
| Rum | 0.94 | Clear or Amber |
| Vanilla Vodka | 0.95 | Clear |
| Citrus Vodka (citron) | 0.96 | Clear |
| Southern Comfort | 0.97 | Amber |
| Watermelon Vodka | 0.98 | Clear |
| Strawberry Vodka | 0.98 | Clear |
| Tuaca | 0.98 | Amber |
| Water | 1 | Clear |
| Green Chartreuse | 1.01 | Green |
| Jagermeister | 1.01 | Dark brown/green |
| Grand-Marnier | 1.03 | Pale orange |
| Benedictine | 1.04 | Amber |
| Brandy | 1.04 | Amber |
| Cinnamon Schnapps | 1.04 | Clear |
| Cointreau | 1.04 | Clear |
| Irish Mist | 1.04 | Light amber |
| Kummel | 1.04 | Clear |
| Peach Liqueur | 1.04 | Amber |
| Peppermint Schnapps | 1.04 | Clear |
| Sloe Gin | 1.04 | Dark Red |
| Coconut Rum | 1.04 | Clear |
| Baileys Irish Cream | 1.05 | Cream |
| Midori Melon | 1.05 | Green |
| Rock and Rye | 1.05 | Amber |
| Apricot Brandy | 1.06 | Amber |
| Blackberry Brandy | 1.06 | Dark Red |
| Campari | 1.06 | Red |
| Cherry Brandy | 1.06 | Dark Red |
| Fruit Brandies | 1.06 | Various |
| Peach Brandy | 1.06 | Amber |
| Yellow Chartreuse | 1.06 | Yellow |
| Limoncello | 1.06 | Yellow |
| Drambuie | 1.08 | Amber |
| Frangelico | 1.08 | Brown |
| Orange Curacao | 1.08 | Orange |
| Sambuca | 1.08 | Clear |
| Apricot Liqueur | 1.09 | Orange |
| Cranberry Liqueur | 1.09 | Red |
| Blueberry Schnapps | 1.09 | Dark Blue |
| Tia Maria | 1.09 | Brown |
| Triple Sec | 1.09 | Clear |
| Amaretto | 1.1 | Dark Amber |
| Blackberry Liqueur | 1.1 | Dark Red |
| Blue Curacao | 1.11 | Blue |
| Galliano | 1.11 | Bright Amber |
| Banana Liqueur | 1.12 | Yellow |
| Cherry Liqueur | 1.12 | Dark Red |
| Crème de Menthe – white | 1.12 | Clear |
| Crème de Menthe –green | 1.12 | Green |
| Strawberry Liqueur | 1.12 | Red |
| Butterscotch Schnapps (DeKuyper) | 1.12 | Amber |
| Chambord | 1.13 | Dark red |
| Parfait Amour | 1.13 | Violet |
| Coffee Liqueur | 1.14 | Dark Brown |
| Crème de Banana | 1.14 | Light yellow |
| Crème de Cacao – dark | 1.14 | Brown |
| Crème de Cacao – white | 1.14 | Clear |
| Kahlua | 1.14 | Dark Brown |
| Maraschino | 1.14 | Clear |
| Creme de Almond | 1.16 | Red |
| Creme de Noyaux | 1.16 | Red |
| Anisette | 1.17 | Clear |
| Crème de cassis | 1.18 | Dark purple |
| Grenadine | 1.18 | Bright Red |
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