How the Ethanol Converter Works
The Ethanol Converter divides ethanol mass by density at its purity and temperature. The default 0.789 kg/L fits pure (anhydrous) ethanol at 20°C (68°F).
Know the strength
Check % alcohol by volume (ABV or % v/v): 99.9% anhydrous, 96% rectified spirit, 40% vodka.
Find the density
Read the density for that strength at 20°C in the table.
Enter the mass
Type the liquid weight in kilograms.
Read the liters
Multiply by the ABV to get liters of pure alcohol (LPA).
Ethanol Converter Formula
The ethanol formula is V = m ÷ ρ(ABV, T). Pure ethanol volume equals V × ABV.
- ABV
- Alcohol by volume at 20°C, %
- ρ(ABV)
- Density of the ethanol-water mix, kg/L
Worked Examples
- Pure ethanol: 10 kg ÷ 0.7893 = 12.669 L.
- 40% vodka: 10 kg ÷ 0.9480 = 10.549 L, holding 4.219 L of pure alcohol.
- 96% rectified spirit drum: 160 kg ÷ 0.8074 = 198.2 L.
Ethanol Converter Conversion Table
Pure ethanol weighs 0.7893 kg/L at 20°C; 40% ABV spirits weigh 0.9480 kg/L. The table lists ethanol-water density by strength.
| Strength (% v/v at 20°C) | Density (kg/L) | Liters per 1 kg | Liters per 10 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% (anhydrous) | 0.7893 | 1.267 | 12.669 |
| 96% (rectified spirit) | 0.8074 | 1.239 | 12.385 |
| 95% | 0.8114 | 1.232 | 12.324 |
| 90% | 0.8287 | 1.207 | 12.067 |
| 80% | 0.8556 | 1.169 | 11.688 |
| 70% (hand sanitizer) | 0.8855 | 1.129 | 11.293 |
| 60% | 0.9104 | 1.098 | 10.984 |
| 50% | 0.9302 | 1.075 | 10.750 |
| 40% (spirits) | 0.9480 | 1.055 | 10.549 |
| 12% (wine) | 0.9837 | 1.017 | 10.166 |
What is an Ethanol Converter?
An Ethanol Converter is a calculator that converts ethanol or alcohol-water mix weight into volume using density at the alcohol strength.
Ethanol (C₂H₅OH) is the alcohol in drinks, fuel blends and sanitizers. Pure ethanol is 21% lighter than water, so stronger spirits weigh less per liter.
Ethanol and water shrink when mixed. 50 mL of ethanol plus 50 mL of water gives about 96.5 mL, so ABV tables, not simple averaging, set the density.
What are the Uses of an Ethanol Converter?
There are 5 main uses of an Ethanol Converter.
Distillery gauging
Distillers measure spirit by weight and report liters of pure alcohol.
Excise duty
Tax returns use LPA calculated from mass and strength.
Sanitizer production
Makers blend 70–80% ethanol by weight.
Fuel blending
Terminals convert ethanol tonnage for E10 and E85.
Lab solvents
Chemists convert bottle weights into mL.