What drink is 20% alcohol? Exploring Fortified Wines, Liqueurs, and Cocktails

December 25, 2025 •

4 min read

While most standard table wines are around 12-14% ABV, certain beverages, especially fortified wines and specific liqueurs, can fall precisely into the 20% alcohol by volume range. This makes them significantly more potent than beer or typical wine, though still less concentrated than most hard spirits.

Quick Summary

Beverages with 20% alcohol by volume (ABV) include fortified wines like Port, Sherry, and Madeira, along with specific liqueurs such as Midori and Malibu, the latter being slightly higher. Cocktails combining spirits and lower-ABV mixers can also be mixed to achieve this concentration.

Key Points

Fortified Wines: Port, Sherry, and Madeira are fortified wines that consistently reach or exceed 20% ABV due to added brandy during fermentation.
Liqueurs: Certain liqueurs like Midori are around 20% ABV, while others like Malibu are slightly higher at 21%.
Crafted Cocktails: A cocktail can be mixed to achieve a 20% ABV by combining spirits with mixers, such as a Manhattan, Martini, or Sazerac.
Mid-Strength Spirits: Innovative brands now produce spirits explicitly at 20% ABV, catering to consumers looking for moderation.
ABV Calculation: The final ABV of a cocktail depends on the alcohol percentage and volume of each ingredient, a calculation easily performed to ensure desired strength.
Responsible Serving: Due to their higher potency, drinks like fortified wines have smaller standard serving sizes than regular wines.
Not a Single Category: There is no single '20% alcohol drink'; rather, it is a category encompassing specific fortified wines, some liqueurs, and custom-made cocktails.
Balanced Consumption: Understanding the ABV of your drink is crucial for responsible consumption and can help manage your alcohol intake.
Fermentation Limits: Most yeasts naturally stop fermenting around 14-18% ABV, making distillation or fortification necessary for higher percentages.

Understanding Alcohol by Volume (ABV)

Alcohol by Volume, or ABV, is the standard measure of how much alcohol is in a given volume of liquid. It's expressed as a percentage. For comparison, most beers are between 4-7% ABV, and standard hard liquors like vodka or gin are typically 40% ABV. A 20% alcohol drink sits firmly in the middle, offering a notable potency that should be consumed with caution. The strength of a beverage is a crucial factor in responsible drinking, and knowing the ABV helps you understand its effects. Fermentation, the process that creates alcohol, naturally has limits based on the yeast's tolerance. For non-distilled drinks to reach 20% ABV, the process must be controlled, or, as with fortified wines, additional spirits must be introduced.

Fortified Wines: The Classic 20% Drink

Fortified wines are an excellent example of beverages that naturally hit or exceed the 20% ABV mark. The process of fortification involves adding a distilled spirit, usually brandy, to the wine during fermentation. This not only increases the alcohol content but also stops the fermentation, leaving residual sugar that results in a sweeter flavor profile.

Port Wine

Port is a famous fortified wine from Portugal, known for its rich, sweet flavor and robust body. It is often served as a dessert wine. Ports typically range from 18% to 20% ABV, with many hovering right around the 20% mark. The style of port, such as Ruby, Tawny, or Vintage, can influence its exact alcohol content.

Sherry and Madeira

Spain's Sherry and the Portuguese island of Madeira's namesake wine are other well-known fortified wines. They can be found in a range of sweetness levels and are commonly near the 20% ABV level. Different styles, like Fino Sherry or Rainwater Madeira, have varying ABVs, but many fall within this potent category.

Liqueurs Near 20% ABV

Liqueurs are sweetened spirits with added flavorings, oils, and extracts. While they vary widely in strength, several popular options are found around the 20% ABV range.

Midori Melon Liqueur: A Japanese melon-flavored liqueur, Midori is a vibrant green and is often used in cocktails. It is reliably around 20% ABV.
Malibu Coconut Rum: A staple in many tropical cocktails, the original Malibu is actually a coconut-flavored liqueur and sits just above 20%, at 21% ABV.
Cut Classic Mid-Strength Spirits: A more modern innovation, some brands like Cut Classics have created mid-strength spirits specifically to hit the 20% ABV target for health-conscious consumers looking for lower-calorie options that still carry a strong flavor.

Crafting 20% ABV Cocktails

Many cocktails can be precisely crafted to land at or near the 20% ABV mark, especially those that balance high-proof spirits with lower-proof ingredients. A standard Negroni, for instance, can reach over 20% ABV when made with equal parts of 40% ABV gin, Campari, and vermouth. Here are a few components to consider:

Martini: A standard martini with 40% ABV gin or vodka can be diluted with vermouth to bring the final ABV down into the high teens or low 20s, depending on the ratio.
Manhattan: Combining 40% ABV rye whiskey with sweet vermouth and bitters, a standard Manhattan can easily land around 20% ABV.
Sazerac: A classic New Orleans cocktail, the Sazerac typically has an ABV of around 20%.

ABV Calculation Example: To understand how this works, consider a simple cocktail. If you mix 1.5 oz of 40% ABV vodka with 1.5 oz of a zero-ABV mixer, the final drink will be 3 oz total volume. The alcohol content is (1.5 oz 0.40) = 0.6 oz of pure alcohol. The final ABV is (0.6 oz / 3 oz) 100 = 20% ABV. This shows how mixers are key to moderating a cocktail's final strength.

Comparison Table: Common Alcohol Types by ABV


Drink Type	Typical ABV Range	Examples	Notes
Beer	4-7%	Lagers, Ales, IPAs	Some specialty or strong beers can be higher.
Wine	9-14%	Chardonnay, Merlot, Rosé	Varies widely by style and region.
Fortified Wine	17-22%	Port, Sherry, Madeira	Fortified with brandy to increase ABV.
Liqueurs	15-30%	Midori, Baileys (17%), Malibu (21%)	Can vary significantly by brand and flavor.
Cocktails	10-30%	Martini, Negroni, Margarita	Depends on ingredients and proportions.
Hard Liquor	40%+	Vodka, Gin, Whiskey	Often diluted with mixers in cocktails.

Conclusion

What drink is 20% alcohol? The answer is not a single beverage but a category of drinks, primarily led by fortified wines and certain liqueurs. Port, Sherry, and Madeira are reliable examples of naturally potent wines, while popular liqueurs like Midori and specific modern mid-strength spirits also fall into this range. Furthermore, crafting balanced cocktails allows for the precise creation of a 20% ABV drink by carefully mixing spirits with lower-proof ingredients. Knowing the ABV of your beverages is key to enjoying them responsibly and understanding their effects. For more information on the standards and calculation of alcohol content, consult reliable resources on the topic.

Exploring Specific 20% ABV Options

Port Wine Details

Port is a diverse category of fortified wine, with styles ranging from the deep, fruit-forward Ruby Port to the nutty, complex Tawny Port, both commonly found at or near 20% ABV. Its production involves adding a neutral grape spirit to halt fermentation, preserving the grape's natural sweetness and increasing the alcohol content. The result is a richer, sweeter, and more potent wine than a standard table wine.

Liqueurs and Their Use

Liqueurs like Midori or Baileys (at 17% ABV) offer a flavorful, often sweeter alternative to spirits. They can be enjoyed on their own, over ice, or as a key component in a cocktail, where their specific ABV can help control the final strength. The availability of mid-strength spirits, such as those from Cut Classics or Twenty Light Spirits, also offers more control for those wishing to create custom, lower-alcohol beverages without sacrificing flavor.

Responsible Consumption

Given that a 20% ABV drink is significantly stronger than a typical glass of wine, understanding responsible consumption is essential. A standard serving of a fortified wine (50-60ml) is smaller than a standard wine pour because of its higher alcohol content. Being mindful of these differences allows for better control over your intake.

Alcohol by Volume

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common and classic examples of drinks around 20% alcohol by volume are fortified wines like Port, Sherry, and Madeira. These are wines with added distilled spirit, increasing their alcohol content.

Many liqueurs fall into this category. Midori Melon Liqueur is a reliable example at 20% ABV. Other popular liqueurs, like Baileys (17%) or Malibu (21%), are also close to this range.

Yes, a 20% ABV drink is considered moderately strong. It is significantly more potent than regular wine (9-14% ABV) or beer (4-7% ABV) but less concentrated than a standard hard liquor (40% ABV).

Yes, many classic cocktails are around 20% ABV. Cocktails like a Manhattan, Martini, or Negroni can be mixed to achieve this strength by balancing a higher-proof spirit with lower-proof mixers like vermouth.

A 20% ABV drink has half the alcohol concentration of a typical 40% ABV hard spirit like vodka or gin. This means the effects of the alcohol will be less immediate per serving, though careful consumption is still required.

While most beers are much lower in ABV, some specialty breweries have created extremely strong beers that reach up to 20% ABV, such as certain varieties from O.J. Strong Beer. However, this is not typical for most beer.

Like any alcoholic beverage, drinking 20% ABV products can be safe when done responsibly and in moderation. It is important to be aware of its higher potency compared to standard beer or wine, and to consider smaller serving sizes.

A fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. This increases the alcohol content and stops the fermentation process. Port, Sherry, and Madeira are examples of fortified wines that typically have an ABV around 20%.

Yes, some brands have introduced mid-strength spirits specifically bottled at 20% ABV to meet consumer demand for lower-calorie, lower-alcohol alternatives that still capture the flavor profile of traditional spirits.