🍷 Standard drink

A standard drink is a conventional measure used to count the amount of pure alcohol consumed. It exists because drinks of different strength and volume are hard to compare: a glass of wine, a shot of vodka and a can of beer contain roughly the same amount of pure alcohol.

The size of a standard drink differs between countries. It is most often 10 to 14 grams of pure alcohol. A 150 ml glass of 12% wine contains about 14 grams, which is about one drink in the United States and more than one where 10 grams is used. A glass of wine is therefore often counted as one to one and a half drinks.

The measure is needed for moderation guidelines. Health bodies and governments state how many drinks a day or a week are considered acceptable, and what is best avoided. Many guidelines advise having alcohol-free days. For some people, such as pregnant women and drivers, alcohol is not advised at all.

The standard drink belongs to the topic of alcohol and health. It is just a way of counting, not advice to drink. Alcohol is for adults.

In a 2012 Irish survey of 1,020 people, only 24 % knew that a 200 ml glass of wine holds two standard drinks. The sum is simple: grams of pure alcohol equal the volume in millilitres times the strength as a fraction times 0.8, since ethanol weighs about 0.8 g per millilitre. In the US one standard drink is 5 fl oz of 12 % wine, and 3–4 fl oz of fortified wine such as sherry or port, at about 17 %, counts as one as well.