Begin with the drinks you genuinely repeat
You do not need to build a catalogue before logging your first entry. Start with two or three drinks you actually encounter often. A long list of nearly identical options can make choosing slower than entering the details. Add another template when it removes repeat work, not simply because the app allows it.
Use the label or reliable serving information for the initial values. For a packaged drink, the can or bottle usually gives volume and ABV. For wine or spirits poured at home, use the portion you actually measure rather than the capacity of the glass. A large glass does not establish how much it contains.
AlcoList supports templates with volume, ABV and price for repeat logging. Treat those saved values as editable defaults. The specific drink in front of you still determines what belongs in today's record.
Name the template so you can distinguish the serving
A name such as "Beer" is quick to type but ambiguous later. "Lager, 330 ml, 5%" makes the relevant difference visible. If you also drink the same product in a 500 ml can, give that serving its own recognizable name or change the volume at entry time. Do not rely on remembering which size an indistinguishable template means.
Keep names factual and short. A brand can help recognition, but the volume and strength are the measurement inputs. Labels such as "good" and "bad" add judgment without helping the calculation. You are making a reusable record, not awarding a result.
| Template name | Volume | ABV | Optional serving price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lager, small can | 330 ml | 5% | $2.50 |
| Wine, measured glass | 150 ml | 12% | $3.00 |
| Spirit, single measure | 25 ml | 40% | $2.00 |
Check one template's arithmetic before repeating it
The example 330 ml lager at 5% contains 1.65 UK units. The 150 ml wine at 12% contains 1.8, and the 25 ml spirit at 40% contains 1. These are worked measurements, not recommended portions or targets. Checking a saved serving once can catch a mistake before it repeats across many entries.
If your record uses a different country's standard drinks, confirm that definition before comparing the values. A serving is not automatically one standard drink. Save volume and ABV so the underlying information remains understandable even when you use another measurement system.
Price should follow the same portion as volume. A 150 ml glass from a $15, 750 ml bottle has an allocated cost of $3. Saving the full bottle price for the glass would multiply the spending error every time you reuse it.
Know when to edit and when to create another template
Edit the current entry when the difference is occasional, such as a one-off larger pour or a changed venue price. Consider a separate template when two versions recur often enough that choosing between them is easier than correcting a default. The goal is to reduce decisions without hiding the distinction.
A product's recipe can change too. A familiar label is not proof that the ABV is unchanged. Check a new package before continuing to reuse an old strength. For a cocktail, a known measured recipe can be repeatable; a name on different menus may not be.
Do not assume that changing a template also changes historical records, or that it leaves them untouched, without checking your current app's behavior. After a significant correction, inspect a past entry and a new one. If the effect is unclear, ask support before editing many records.
Use a brief entry-time check
Before confirming a repeat entry, check three things: Is this the right date? Does the volume match what I consumed? Is the ABV still correct? If you track cost, check the price too. This small pause can preserve the convenience of a template without making the defaults invisible.
For two identical servings, use an appropriate quantity field if available or log two entries. Do not double both the volume and the quantity, which would count four servings. For a shared bottle, record only your portion rather than adding the bottle and the glasses.
If the actual serving is uncertain, keep that uncertainty in your own record. A polished template does not make an estimated pour exact. It is better to have one clearly estimated entry than to make every drink match a convenient but inaccurate default.
Tidy the list when it starts slowing you down
During a weekly review, look for templates you confuse or rarely use. Rename unclear ones, keep genuinely different repeat servings easy to distinguish, and check whether old prices still belong in current entries. You do not need to reorganize the list every day.
Before removing or making broad changes, verify how your version treats existing records. Keep an export if you need a readable reference. The simplest useful list is the one that supports your ordinary routine while preserving the details that affect the total.
The short version
Save a serving you can recognize, verify the original inputs, and check the current drink before repeating it. Templates should remove typing, not remove attention.
