What is a standard drink in the United States?
In the United States, one “standard” drink size (or one alcoholic drink equivalent) contains:
- 14 grams or 0.6 fluid ounces (oz) of pure alcohol
- 12 oz of beer (~ 5% alcohol)
- 5 oz of wine (~12% alcohol)
- 5 oz of distilled spirits (~40% alcohol)
What’s in a drink?
The percentage of pure alcohol by volume (abv) varies within and across beverage types
- Standard drink quantities can be helpful health guidelines
- Not all drink quantities reflect the usual serving sizes
- Check the label to see what the abv is and make a responsible choice
| Beverage | Alcohol Volume | Serving Size | Equivalent in Standard Drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Beer | 5% alc/vol | 12 fl oz | 1 drink |
| 16 fl oz | 1-1/3 drinks | ||
| 22 fl oz | 2 drinks | ||
| 40 fl oz | 3-1/3 drinks | ||
| Malt Liquor | 7% alc/vol | 12 fl oz | 1-1/2 drinks |
| 16 fl oz | 2 drinks | ||
| 22 fl oz | 2-1/2 drinks | ||
| 40 fl oz | 4-1/2 drinks | ||
| Table Wine | 12% alc/vol | 750 ml (a regular wine bottle) | 5 drinks |
| 80-Proof Distilled Spirits | 40% alc/vol | a shot (1.5-oz glass/50-ml bottle) | 1 drink |
| a mixed drink or cocktail | 1 or more drinks | ||
| 200 ml (a "half-pint") | 4½ drinks | ||
| 375 ml (a "pint" or "half bottle") | 8½ drinks | ||
| 750 ml (a "fifth") | 17 drinks |
If you drink another type of alcoholic beverage than listed above, you can still find out that beverage’s alcohol content by using the Rethinking Drinking Calculator to estimate the cocktail or container content, drink size, alcohol calories, alcohol spending calculator, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
The alcohol industry is ever-changing and new options are developed regularly. Stay up to date with information and be a responsible, knowledgeable drinker by knowing the percentage of pure alcohol in your drink (not just the type of drink) as well as the ounces of liquor (rather than just the amount of the drink).
