RTDs: what is in the can?
Spirit, mixer, sugar and strength: how to read an RTD label and choose between 5% and 7%.
Two kinds of RTD
Spirit based or malt based.
A spirit based RTD is a real spirit, such as vodka, gin or whisky, with a mixer. A malt based one is brewed like a beer and then flavoured.
The label tells you which. Look for the spirit named on the front.
Reading the label
Four numbers worth checking.
The strength and the standard drinks matter most: they tell you how much alcohol is really in the can.
In New Zealand one standard drink is 10 grams of alcohol.
5% or 7%?
A 5% can
- In a 330ml can
- About 1.3 standard drinks
- Feels like
- A beer
- Best for
- A long afternoon
A 7% can
- In a 330ml can
- About 1.8 standard drinks
- Feels like
- A strong mixed drink
- Best for
- One or two, slowly
Sugar and zero sugar
Sweet drinks hide their strength.
A sweet 7% can tastes like a soft drink, so it goes down quicker. Zero sugar versions taste drier and more like the spirit and mixer they are made from.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a 5% and a 7% RTD?
A 7% can has about 40% more alcohol. It goes down quicker than you expect.
How many standard drinks in an RTD?
A 330ml can at 5% is about 1.3; at 7% about 1.8.
What does spirit based mean?
It is made with a real spirit and a mixer, not brewed like a beer.
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