How Many Shots of Tequila to Get Drunk?

by Dane Wilson | Last Updated: March 31, 2021

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One tequila, two tequila, three tequila—floor! Does your tequila story sound the same? Most of us have been there, taking shots of tequila with friends, when suddenly you don’t remember anything. You’ll wonder what point the tequila ransacked your memory and made you dance on the bar counter top. But maybe the better question to ask yourself is how many shots of tequila it takes for you to get sloshed.

We’re going to help you figure that out.

Table of Contents

• What is Tequila?
• How Much Alcohol is in a Shot of Tequila?
• Is Tequila Stronger Than Beer?
• How Many Shots of Tequila to Get Drunk?
• How Many Shots of Tequila is Too Much?
• 1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila…. FLOOR

What is Tequila?

Sourced from the blue agave plant, tequila is a distinctly Mexican liquor. There are 5 different types, some aged and some only having brewed for about 60 days. Mexican law dictates that tequila must be produced within Mexico and must include at least 51% blue agave for it to be legitimate. If a tequila is not labeled 100% “de Agave,” then it is a “mixto,” or a mixture of various agave and other ingredients.

Some popular brands of tequila include:

• Don Julio
• 1800 Tequila
• Hornitos
• Jose Cuervo
• Herradura
• Sauza
• Patrón

How Much Alcohol is in a Shot of Tequila?

A serving of tequila is equal to about 1.5 fluid ounces, also known as a shot. At 80 proof, tequila is 40% pure alcohol. Tequila can be no more than 50% ABV (100 proof).

Is Tequila Stronger Than Beer?

At Sound Brewery, we like talking a lot about beer, but sometimes we want something a little stronger than your average beer. Believe it or not, a single shot of tequila—1.5 fluid ounces—has eight times more alcohol than a single serving of beer.

Additionally, tequila usually has around 40% ABV or 76-80 proof. Compare that to a domestic beer, like Corona or even Blue Moon, which range between 4-6% ABV.

We can also frame it this way: a 12-ounce bottle of beer is equal to a 1.5-ounce shot of tequila, vodka, or whiskey. That is also equal to a 5-ounce serving of wine.

So, if you have never gotten drunk on tequila before, you may be able to figure out how many shots of tequila is too much by comparing it to how many glasses of wine or bottles of beer you can consume before feeling tipsy.

How Many Shots of Tequila to Get Drunk?

The answer to any question revolving around how many shots of an alcohol it takes to get tipsy or drunk is always the same: it depends entirely on you. A person’s age, gender, size, alcohol tolerance, the rate of consumption, and whether they have eaten will all influence how fast they get drunk.

This means that smaller individuals will have a harder time drinking consecutive shots than someone larger. Younger people tend to have more tolerance than someone older. Women tend to have higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) than men after the same amount of alcohol.

But if we were to generalize, someone between 100-150 lbs (45-68 kg) will start getting drunk around 2-3 shots; between 150-200 lbs (68-91 kg), it takes around 4-5 shots; and between 200-250 lbs (90-113 kg), 6-7 shots.

Does this mean that a 125 lb (56.6 kg) woman is always going to get more drunk than a 150 lb (68 kg) man? No. She could genetically have a higher alcohol tolerance, for instance, than he does.

You have to know yourself. If you know that you are poorly affected by spirits like tequila, then you may want to drink less or more slowly than your peers.

Want a quick way to figure out how drunk you are? Check out an alcohol consumption calculator. These apps are nifty, because you can also figure out your blood alcohol concentration. Do not drink and drive if your BAC is above 0.05%. Although the legal limit in the US is 0.08%, you could already be impaired at 0.05% BAC.

How Many Shots of Tequila is Too Much?

Now that we have explored the individual factors affecting how many shots of tequila to get drunk, let’s throw in a caveat. If you reach a 0.45% BAC, there is a chance that you could die. That means 12 shots of tequila for a 120 lb (54 kg) woman or 14 drinks for a man of the same weight.

1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila…. FLOOR

Tequila affects everyone differently, so the amount of shots you can drink may be more or less than your friends. Consider your age, weight, ethnicity, and other factors. And remember to drink your tequila responsibly. It’s a spirit that will catch up with you quickly and leave you wondering what happened the night before.