About the Standard Drinks Calculator
This standard drinks calculator tells you how much pure alcohol is really in what you are pouring. Enter the size of the bottle, can or glass, its alcohol by volume (ABV) from the label and how many you have, and it converts the alcohol into standard drinks for the country you choose — plus the equivalent in the other systems side by side.
A "standard drink" is not the same everywhere. In the United States it is 14 grams of pure alcohol (NIAAA), the UK counts units of 10 mL or 8 grams (NHS), and Canada defines a standard drink as 17.05 mL or 13.45 grams (Health Canada), and Australia and New Zealand use 10 grams. Countries with another definition can enter it as a custom number of grams. A 750 mL bottle of 13.5% wine is about 5.7 US drinks but more than 10 UK units.
Use it to compare beers of different strengths, keep track against drinking guidelines, or understand why a large craft IPA counts as more than one drink. The result is an alcohol content, not a measure of impairment — for that, see the blood alcohol calculator — and pregnant people and anyone driving are advised not to drink at all.
With the default inputs, the standard drinks (total) is 5.7. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the standard drinks calculator
- 1Enter the size of the bottle, can or glass and pick its unit.
- 2Enter the ABV from the label.
- 3Enter how many containers or servings you are counting.
- 4Choose the country standard you want the answer in, or enter custom grams.
- 5Read the total standard drinks and compare the other countries’ figures below it.
Formula and method
ABV is the percentage of the drink’s volume that is pure ethanol, so multiplying the volume by ABV ÷ 100 gives millilitres of alcohol. Ethanol weighs 0.789 g per mL, which converts that to grams. Dividing by the size of one standard drink gives the count: 14 g in the US, 13.45 g (17.05 mL) in Canada, 10 g in Australia and New Zealand, or a custom figure.
UK units are defined by volume — one unit is 10 mL of pure alcohol — so the NHS shortcut is units = ABV × volume (mL) ÷ 1,000. Fluid ounces are converted at 29.5735 mL (US) and 28.4131 mL (UK). Results are multiplied by the number of containers you enter.
- ABV
- Alcohol by volume, percent
- 0.789
- Density of ethanol in g/mL
- 14 g
- US standard drink (NIAAA)
- 10 mL
- UK unit (NHS)
- 17.05 mL
- Canadian standard drink (Health Canada)
Worked examples
Bottle of 13.5% wine (750 mL), US drinks
750 mL × 13.5% = 101.25 mL of ethanol, which weighs 101.25 × 0.789 = 79.9 g. Divided by 14 g that is 5.7 US standard drinks — the same bottle is 10.1 UK units and 5.9 Canadian drinks.
Six-pack of 12 oz 5% beer
12 US fl oz is 354.9 mL; at 5% each can holds 17.7 mL or 14.0 g of alcohol — exactly one US standard drink, which is how the US definition was built. Six cans contain 84 g, or 6 drinks.
Pint of 4.5% lager in UK units
Using the NHS formula, 4.5 × 568 ÷ 1,000 = 2.56 units. The same pint is only 1.44 US standard drinks because a US drink holds 14 g against a UK unit’s 8 g.
375 mL can of 4.8% beer in Australian standard drinks
375 mL × 4.8% = 18 mL of alcohol = 14.2 g. An Australian standard drink is 10 g, so the can counts as 1.4 standard drinks there, but almost exactly one US standard drink.
Frequently asked questions
How many standard drinks are in a bottle of wine?+
A 750 mL bottle of 12% wine holds 90 mL (71 g) of alcohol: about 5 US standard drinks, 9 UK units or 5.3 Canadian drinks. At 14% the same bottle is about 5.9 US drinks.
How much alcohol is in a US standard drink?+
The NIAAA defines a US standard drink as 14 grams (about 0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol — roughly 12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine or 1.5 oz of 40% spirits.
Is a UK unit the same as a standard drink?+
No. A UK unit is 10 mL or 8 g of pure alcohol, much smaller than the 14 g US standard drink. A typical 175 mL glass of 12% wine is 2.1 UK units but only 1.2 US standard drinks.
What is a standard drink in Canada?+
Health Canada defines a standard drink as 17.05 mL or 13.45 g of pure alcohol, equivalent to a 341 mL (12 oz) bottle of 5% beer or cider, a 142 mL (5 oz) glass of 12% wine or a 43 mL (1.5 oz) shot of 40% spirits.
What is a standard drink in Australia?+
Australia and New Zealand define a standard drink as 10 grams of pure alcohol (about 12.7 mL). A 375 mL can of 4.8% full-strength beer is about 1.4 standard drinks and a 750 mL bottle of 13.5% wine about 8.
Why does my craft beer count as two drinks?+
Many craft beers are 7–9% ABV and served in 16 oz or 473 mL cans. A 16 oz can at 8% contains about 30 g of alcohol, which is more than two US standard drinks.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.