Man visits bars across the country and abroad to track their liquor pours, and says a shot isn’t the same everywhere: ‘Hope that’s not a hot take’

A man who counts every liquor pour at bars across the United States and in the United Kingdom has drawn hundreds of thousands of views. Christian Bergman (@christiannbergman) said in a TikTok video that he keeps track of how much liquor bartenders pour into his drinks whenever he can see them working.

Bergman introduced what he called his bartender hot take. He said he counts the pours at every bar he goes to whenever he can see the bartender making his drink. He explained that he does this so he knows how much liquor he is getting, because the amount poured is a subjective job.

He claimed a shot in Arizona is not the same as a shot in Missouri or Oklahoma. Bergman added that it is sure as hell not the same as a shot in the UK, where they do less than an ounce and a half. He contrasted that with some bars in the Midwest that do an ounce pour or 2-ounce pours. He said he counts because he wants to know, and finished by stating, “I hope that’s not a hot take. F–k.”

Liquor pour sizes differ by country and type of bar

According to a Bar-i Liquor Inventory, there is no single right pour size for liquor drinks in the United States. The post said the U.S. does not have the kind of regulations some countries use, which gives bars more flexibility but also makes setting pour sizes more complicated. It noted that many states consider 1.25 ounces a liquor serving. Pours aren’t the only flashpoint in the liquor business, since sales can spark conflict too, such as a Texas liquor store worker’s revenge on a demanding customer.

Bar-i said at least 80 percent of its clients across 20 states use 1.5 ounces as their standard serving size. The company described that size as generally ideal for most bars because it offers a slightly more substantial drink while still supporting profitability. It said 1.25-ounce pours are most typically found at corporate establishments and franchise chains that focus on maximizing profits.

According to a 2024 Mashed article, a standard U.S. drink includes about 14 grams of alcohol, roughly equal to a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor that is usually 40 percent ABV. The article said most bars use standard measurements so customers get what they ordered, drinks stay consistent, staff can serve alcohol more responsibly, and managers can better control inventory and spot waste or theft.

A Drink Recipes comparison noted that standard bar pours change by country. It said the UK sets 25 ml or 35 ml singles by law, Ireland uses 35.5 ml, the United States typically uses 1.5 ounces (around 44 ml) with no regulation, Australia uses 30 ml for a standard, and much of Europe uses 20 ml, 40 ml, or 50 ml depending on the place. The piece said these figures apply to licensing measures rather than cocktail recipes.

Viewers left mixed reactions to Bergman’s video. One person fully agreed and pointed out a safety concern. They wrote, “100%. also overpouring drinks can be dangerous.” Another shared a specific experience with a large pour. They wrote, “Be careful one time I counted a 16 count pour for a double.” Bar tabs can cause drama abroad too, like when two men allegedly left their Mykonos tab behind after offering to buy women drinks.

A third said the practice is fine under certain conditions. They wrote, “not a hot take, as long as you don’t count out loud and don’t make a scene over short or long pour.” One commenter offered a simpler alternative. They wrote, “You could just… ask. Hope this helps.” Someone else took a different view of the habit. They wrote, “they call this alcoholism.”