Source: https://sober44.com/tools/standard-drink-calculator/ Sober44 is a free alcohol-free tracker app for iOS and Android: count sober days, see money and drinks saved, plan a taper and follow health milestones. Get the Sober44 app: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6790916681?pt=120576754&ct=sober44.md&mt=8) · [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ehmtech.drinking&referrer=utm_source%3Dsober44.md) # Standard Drink Calculator Pick a drink or enter your own: its size in fl oz or mL, and the ABV on the label or the proof. You get how many US standard drinks it holds, the grams of pure alcohol, the pour that makes one standard drink, and a total if you have more than one. In the US a standard drink is about 14 grams of pure alcohol (NIAAA). It also shows the same drink in UK units and in Australian and Canadian standard drinks. This is general information, not medical advice. _Interactive tool: open [the web page](https://sober44.com/tools/standard-drink-calculator/) to use it. This Markdown copy has the text only._ Totals use the exact amount in one drink, so they can differ a little from the rounded figure times the count. Six 16 oz 7% IPAs are 11.2 standard drinks, not 6 × 1.9 = 11.4. ## How this standard drink calculator works The calculator turns a drink into grams of pure alcohol, then divides by the grams in one US standard drink: - Pure alcohol (mL) = size in mL × ABV ÷ 100. A size in fl oz is multiplied by 29.5735 first, the US fluid ounce in mL from [NIST Handbook 44](https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c). - Grams = pure alcohol (mL) × 0.789, the density of ethanol ([PubChem](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ethanol)). [Wine Australia](https://www.wineaustralia.com/labelling/guide-to-requirements) uses the same figure on its labels. - US standard drinks = grams ÷ 14, because a US standard drink is about 14 grams of pure alcohol ([NIAAA](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/what-standard-drink)). Proof is twice the ABV, so 80 proof is 40%. NIAAA and the [CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/standard-drink-sizes/index.html) also describe a standard drink as 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol. That’s the same amount: 14 g ÷ 0.789 is 17.744 mL, and 17.744 mL ÷ 29.5735 is 0.599996 fl oz. It’s also why the “One US standard drink of this” line shows 0.6 fl oz (18 mL) at 100% ABV. To check a result by hand, use fl oz × ABV ÷ 60. NIAAA’s own calculator works this way, and so does the helper in the [alcohol taper schedule calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-taper-schedule-calculator/). It matches this page to one decimal for any drink under about 24.6 standard drinks, which covers anything you’d realistically pour. Every figure is rounded once, to the nearest 0.1, with an exact half rounded up. A 1.75 L handle of 40% spirits is exactly 39.45 standard drinks, so it shows 39.5. Totals use the exact amount in one drink, not the rounded figure: six 16 oz 7% IPAs are 11.2 standard drinks, not 6 × 1.9 = 11.4. Switching between fl oz and mL converts the size to the nearest 0.1 fl oz or whole mL, and the result follows the number shown. A 750 mL bottle becomes 25.4 fl oz, which is 751.2 mL, so a 100-proof bottle moves from 21.1 to 21.2 standard drinks. Switching back gives 751 mL. If the label gives the size in mL, enter it in mL. NIAAA’s [Alcohol Drink Size Calculator](https://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/tools/calculators/alcohol-drink-size-calculator) gets the same answers as this page for all four examples it shows: 21 fl oz of beer (1.8), 40 fl oz of malt liquor (4.7), 200 mL of 80-proof spirits (4.5) and 25 fl oz of wine (5.0). It also agrees on 24 of the 27 drinks in its list. The other three differ by 0.1, because NIAAA rounds twice (first the serving that makes one drink, then the container divided by that serving) and enters bottles in fl oz. A 21 oz malt liquor at 7% is 2.4 there and 2.5 here. A 750 mL bottle of 100 proof is 21.2 there, because it uses 25.4 fl oz, and 21.1 here. A 200 mL bottle of 100 proof is 5.7 there and 5.6 here. ## Standard drinks in common drinks Every figure below comes from this calculator. The last column shows where NIAAA gives the same figure, or where the ABV comes from. | Drink | Size | ABV | US standard drinks | Note | | - | - | - | - | - | | Light beer | 12 oz | 4.2% | 0.8 | NIAAA light beer ABV | | Beer, hard seltzer or cider | 12 oz | 5% | 1.0 | NIAAA | | Beer, pint | 16 oz | 5% | 1.3 | | | IPA, pint | 16 oz | 7% | 1.9 | | | Strong craft beer | 12 oz | 10% | 2.0 | NIAAA: “10% or more” | | Tall can | 19.2 oz | 5% / 8% | 1.6 / 2.6 | | | Tall can | 24 oz | 5% | 2.0 | NIAAA shows 2.0 | | Malt liquor | 40 oz | 7% | 4.7 | NIAAA shows 4.7 | | UK pint | 568 mL | 5% | 1.6 | | | Wine glass | 5 oz | 12% / 14% | 1.0 / 1.2 | | | Large wine glass | 9 oz | 13.5% | 2.0 | | | Wine bottle | 750 mL | 12% / 13.5% / 15% | 5.1 / 5.7 / 6.3 | | | Shot | 1.5 oz | 40% | 1.0 | NIAAA | | Heavy pour / double | 2 oz / 3 oz | 40% | 1.3 / 2.0 | | | Spirits | 750 mL / 1.75 L | 40% | 16.9 / 39.5 | NIAAA shows 16.9 | | Cocktail | 4 oz | 15% | 1.0 | | | Non-alcoholic beer | 12 oz | 0.5% | 0.1 | TTB maximum | ## Why one drink is often more than one standard drink A standard drink is a fixed amount of alcohol. A drink as it’s poured isn’t, and three things push it up. - **Pour size.** Pints, big wine glasses and free-poured spirits are all bigger than the standard serving. A 9 oz glass of 13.5% wine is 2.0 standard drinks, and a 2 oz pour of 80-proof spirits is 1.3. - **Strength.** Craft beer at 7% to 10% and higher-ABV wine add up faster. At 16 oz, each extra point of ABV adds about 0.27 standard drinks (16 ÷ 60). - **The label.** The printed ABV can be off by up to 0.3 points for beer and 1.5 points for wine ([TTB](https://www.ttb.gov/regulated-commodities/beverage-alcohol/beer/labeling/malt-beverage-alcohol-content)), and many beer labels don’t list it at all. This matters because guidelines are written in standard drinks, not glasses or cans. [NIAAA](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-drinking-patterns) defines heavy drinking as 4 or more drinks on any day or 8 or more a week for women, and 5 or more on any day or 15 or more a week for men, all counted in standard drinks. That’s a definition of heavy drinking, not a limit to drink up to. Other countries count differently. A UK unit is 10 mL of pure alcohol ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calculating-alcohol-units/)), an Australian standard drink is 10 g and a Canadian one is 13.45 g ([CCSA](https://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-01/CCSA_Canadas_Guidance_on_Alcohol_and_Health_Final_Report_en.pdf)). The table under the result shows the same drink in all three, each by that country’s own definition. The UK row uses the NHS formula, ABV × mL ÷ 1,000. ## Counting drinks when you cut back or quit Counting in standard drinks keeps a plan honest. “Two drinks” of 7% IPA pints is almost four standard drinks, so a plan counted in glasses or cans can drift without you noticing. If you’re cutting down to a quit date or a lower amount, the [alcohol taper schedule calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-taper-schedule-calculator/) sets its daily targets in standard drinks, so convert your usual drink here first. The [alcohol spending calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-spending-calculator/) shows what the same drinks cost you. And if you slip, here’s [what to do with your sober date after a relapse](https://sober44.com/blog/should-you-reset-your-sober-date-after-a-relapse/). If you drink heavily every day, talk to a doctor before you stop or cut down a lot, because alcohol withdrawal can be serious. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from [SAMHSA’s National Helpline](https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline) at [1-800-662-4357](tel:18006624357). In [Sober44](https://sober44.com/#download), the drink profile keeps your usual drink’s size in ounces and its ABV, along with how many you have a day, the calories in each and your weekly spend. Its presets for beer, wine, spirits, cider, hard seltzer and a cocktail each come out at one US standard drink, so if your pour is bigger, enter your real one. From your quit date, the app estimates the drinks, money and calories you’ve avoided from that profile. It counts your own drinks rather than standard drinks, and the numbers are estimates, not a log. There’s no account, and the data stays on your phone. ## Frequently Asked Questions Common questions about standard drink calculator ### What is a US standard drink? In the US, a standard drink is about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is about 0.6 fl oz (NIAAA, CDC). The two figures are the same amount: 14 g ÷ 0.789 g/mL is 17.7 mL, which is 0.600 fl oz. Each of these is one standard drink: a 12 oz beer at 5%, a 5 oz glass of wine at 12%, a 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof (40%) spirits, or 8 to 10 oz of malt liquor at about 7% (NIAAA). A drink as it's served is often more than one. ### How do you calculate standard drinks? Multiply the size in mL by the ABV and divide by 100 to get mL of pure alcohol. Multiply that by 0.789 to get grams, then divide by 14 for US standard drinks. If the size is in fl oz, multiply it by 29.5735 first. For a 16 oz pint of 7% IPA: 473.2 mL × 0.07 = 33.1 mL of alcohol, × 0.789 = 26.1 g, ÷ 14 = 1.9 standard drinks. The quick version is fl oz × ABV ÷ 60, so 16 × 7 ÷ 60 = 1.87. It gives the same answer to one decimal for any drink under about 24 standard drinks, and it's the shortcut the [alcohol taper schedule calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-taper-schedule-calculator/) uses in its helper. ### How many standard drinks are in a bottle of wine? A 750 mL bottle is 5.1 standard drinks at 12% ABV, 5.5 at 13%, 5.7 at 13.5%, 5.9 at 14% and 6.3 at 15%. NIAAA's calculator counts a 25 oz bottle at 12% as 5. Pours at home and in restaurants are often bigger than 5 oz: 5 oz of 13.5% wine is 1.1 standard drinks, 6 oz is 1.4 and a 9 oz glass is 2.0. To see the pour that makes one standard drink, use the calculator's “One US standard drink of this” line. At 13% it's 4.6 fl oz. ### Is a pint of beer more than one standard drink? Yes, unless it's light beer. A 16 oz US pint is 1.3 standard drinks at 5% ABV, 1.6 at 6%, 1.9 at 7% (a typical IPA) and 2.4 at 9%. A 568 mL UK pint at 5% is 1.6 US standard drinks. A 19.2 oz can is 1.6 at 5% and 2.6 at 8%. A 12 oz light beer at 4.2% is 0.8, and NIAAA says many light beers have “about 85% as much” alcohol as regular beer. NIAAA also notes that some craft beers are 10% ABV or more, and a 12 oz can at 10% is 2.0. ### How many standard drinks are in a fifth or a handle of liquor? At 80 proof (40% ABV), a 200 mL bottle is 4.5 standard drinks, a 375 mL bottle is 8.5, a 750 mL “fifth” is 16.9 (NIAAA shows the same), a 1 L bottle is 22.5 and a 1.75 L handle is 39.5 (exactly 39.45, rounded up). A 750 mL bottle of 100 proof is 21.1. A 2 oz pour of 80 proof is 1.3 standard drinks, and a 3 oz double is 2.0. ### How do US standard drinks compare with UK units and other countries' drinks? Each country defines its drink differently, and CCSA notes that standard drinks around the world range from 8 to 20 grams of alcohol. A UK unit is 10 mL (8 g) of pure alcohol, worked out as ABV × mL ÷ 1,000 (NHS). An Australian standard drink is 10 g (FSANZ, Wine Australia), and a Canadian standard drink is 13.45 g, or 17.05 mL (CCSA 2023). So one US standard drink is 1.8 UK units, 1.4 Australian standard drinks and 1.0 Canadian standard drink. A 750 mL bottle of 13.5% wine is 5.7 US standard drinks, 10.1 UK units (NHS rounds this to “10 units”), 8.0 Australian standard drinks and 5.9 Canadian standard drinks. ### Does non-alcoholic beer count? It can hold a little alcohol. Under US rules (TTB), “non-alcoholic” beer can contain alcohol as long as it's under 0.5% ABV, and only “alcohol free” means none. At that 0.5% limit, a 12 oz can holds at most 0.1 US standard drink (1.4 g), and six of them are 0.6. That's small, but it isn't zero. If you're avoiding alcohol completely, look for “alcohol free” or 0.0% on the label. ### How accurate is the ABV on the label? Close, but not exact. TTB allows 0.3 percentage points either way for beer, 1.5 points for wine at 14% or less, and 1.0 point for wine over 14%. Many beers don't have to list ABV at all, and NIAAA suggests checking the brewer's website. So a wine labeled 13.5% could be anywhere from 12% to 15%, which for a 750 mL bottle is 5.1 to 6.3 standard drinks. Treat the result as a good estimate, not a lab measurement. ## Related Tools - [Alcohol Calorie Calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-calorie-calculator/): See the calories in beer, wine, spirits and mixed drinks from pour size and ABV, split into alcohol and carbs, with weekly, monthly and yearly totals. - [Drinks Per Week Calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/drinks-per-week-calculator/): Log your drinks for each day of the week to see your total in US standard drinks, your heaviest day, drink-free days and how it compares with NIAAA lines. - [Alcohol Money Investment Calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-money-investment-calculator/): See what the money saved from not drinking could grow to if you invested it, at 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 years, with a figure adjusted for inflation. - [Alcohol Spending Calculator](https://sober44.com/tools/alcohol-spending-calculator/): List your usual drinks at home and out to see what you spend on alcohol a week, month, year and five years, and what cutting back by 25% to 100% saves.