Standard drinks calculator
Drinks come in many sizes and strengths, so it's hard to know how much alcohol you're having. In the U.S., one standard drink contains about 14 grams (0.6 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol. Enter what you drink to see how many standard drinks it adds up to.
What one standard drink looks like
| Drink | Typical strength | One standard drink |
|---|---|---|
| Regular beer | About 5% | 12 fl oz (355 ml) |
| Malt liquor | About 7% | 8 to 9 fl oz (about 250 ml) |
| Wine | About 12% | 5 fl oz (148 ml) |
| Spirits (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) | About 40% | 1.5 fl oz (44 ml) |
Good to know
- U.S. guidance says adults who choose to drink should limit it to 2 drinks or fewer a day for men and 1 drink or fewer a day for women, on days when alcohol is drunk. Drinking less is better for health than drinking more.
- Don't drink at all if you're pregnant or might be, under the legal drinking age, driving, or taking medicines that interact with alcohol.
- Other countries count differently. For example, a UK "unit" is 8 grams of alcohol, so one U.S. standard drink is about 1.75 UK units.
- Read more in Cutting down on alcohol.
Sources
- NIAAA (NIH): What is a standard drink?
- CDC: Standard drink sizes
- CDC: About moderate alcohol use