The short answer: 50 full pours
One U.S. fluid ounce equals 29.5735 milliliters, so a 0.5 ounce pour is about 14.7868 mL. Divide 750 mL by 14.7868 and the result is about 50.72. Count only complete measured pours: 50. Fifty-one half-ounce pours would require about 754.1 mL.
Leave a practical setup buffer
A theoretical maximum leaves no room for liquid retained by a pourer, small measurement differences, or a minor spill. Beacon & Barrel’s planner adds a 10% setup buffer; with that assumption, one 750 mL bottle supports 46 guests receiving one measured half-ounce sample of that whiskey.
| Bottle size | Full 0.5 oz pours | Capacity with 10% buffer |
|---|---|---|
| 375 mL | 25 | 23 guests |
| 700 mL | 47 | 43 guests |
| 750 mL | 50 | 46 guests |
| 1 liter | 67 | 61 guests |
Proof changes alcohol content, not volume yield
A half-ounce of 100-proof whiskey occupies the same volume as a half-ounce of 80-proof whiskey, so proof does not change the number of measured pours. It does change the amount of alcohol in each pour.
Standard-drink context
In the United States, 1.5 ounces of 40% ABV spirits is approximately one standard drink. A half-ounce sample at 40% ABV is therefore about one-third of a standard drink. This comparison is context only—not an impairment or driving-safety calculation.
Use the number in a flight
Calculate each distinct whiskey separately. If a flight has four labels, every label must supply its own pours; unused volume in one bottle cannot satisfy the sample assigned to another. Put the guest count, flight size, pour size, and bottle size into the free calculator for the complete plan.