What Is a Standard Drink?
A 'standard drink' (a 'unit' in the UK) is simply a fixed amount of pure alcohol. It's a way to compare very different drinks, such as a strong cocktail and a light beer, on the same scale.
The catch: the exact amount is defined differently around the world, so the same pint counts as a different number of 'drinks' depending on where you are.
- UK / Ireland8 g
- United States14 g
- Australia / NZ10 g
grams of pure alcohol
How much pure alcohol is one?
How to work it out
Multiply the drink's strength (ABV %) by its volume in millilitres, divide by 100 to get the millilitres of pure alcohol, then divide by your country's amount.
For example, a pint (568 ml) of 5% beer contains about 28 ml of pure alcohol. That's roughly 2.8 UK units, 1.6 US standard drinks, or 2.2 Australian standard drinks.
A few common examples
How drinkcounter uses this
When you log a drink, drinkcounter converts it to standard drinks using your region's definition automatically, so your personal count is accurate wherever you are.
This is general information to help you understand units. It isn't a measure of impairment or fitness for anything. Always drink within your own limits.
Good to know
Why do countries define a standard drink differently?
Each country set its own public-health guidance, so the gram amount varies: 8 g in the UK, 14 g in the US, and 10 g in Australia. The drink is the same; only the yardstick changes.
How many units are in a pint of beer?
A pint of 5% beer is roughly 2.8 UK units (about 1.6 US standard drinks). Stronger beers are higher.
How many units in a glass of wine?
A 175 ml glass of 13% wine is about 2.3 UK units (roughly 1.3 US standard drinks). A large 250 ml glass is closer to 3.3 UK units.
Track your standard drinks
drinkcounter does the unit maths for your region automatically as you log.