πΊ Standard Drink Calculator
How many real drinks is that pour?
Standard drinks
For informational purposes only, not medical advice.
A US standard drink holds 14 grams (0.6 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol: 12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 oz of 40% spirits. A 16 oz pour of 7% IPA is therefore 1.9 standard drinks, not one. This calculator converts any volume and ABV into standard drinks so counts reflect chemistry instead of glassware.
Drink counts drive everything in alcohol guidance, from daily limits to binge definitions, yet almost nobody's pour matches the standard. Strong beer, generous wine glasses, and heavy-handed cocktails routinely double the assumed count.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the drink's volume in fluid ounces and its ABV percentage, plus how many you had. The tool converts to standard drinks and totals them.
Enter the volume per drink in fluid ounces (a pint is 16, a wine glass pour is often 6-8).
Enter the ABV from the label. Craft beer often runs 6-9%, wine 12-14%.
Enter how many drinks and read the standard-drink total against the guideline context.
The Standard Drink Math
The 0.6 divisor is the definition: each standard drink is 0.6 ounces of pure ethanol. Multiply volume by ABV to get ethanol ounces, divide by 0.6 to count drinks. Grams follow from ethanol's density: one fluid ounce of pure alcohol weighs about 23.3 grams.
Binge drinking is defined in standard drinks, 4 or more for women and 5 or more for men within about two hours, which is why accurate counting matters. Two strong IPAs can already be a binge by the clinical definition while feeling like two beers.
Worked Example
Two 16 oz pours of 7% IPA: each is 16 times 0.07 divided by 0.6, or 1.9 standard drinks, totaling 3.7 for the evening. Against the guideline of up to 2 per day for men and 1 for women, that is nearly double the men's limit in what felt like two beers.
A 5 oz glass of 13% wine: 5 times 0.13 divided by 0.6 is 1.08 drinks, close to standard. But the common 8 oz restaurant pour of the same wine is 1.7 drinks. The glass, not the wine, made the difference.
Reading Your Result
| Total | Context |
|---|---|
| Within 1-2 | Inside US daily guideline amounts (less is better; no safe threshold is proven). |
| 3 to 4 | Above guidelines; binge territory for women at 4. |
| 5 or more | Binge drinking by definition, with sharply rising risk. |
My take: count honestly for a week and most people are surprised. The calculator's real value is not the single evening but the pattern it reveals when the numbers get written down.
Limits
Standard drinks measure alcohol content, not intoxication, which depends on weight, sex, food, tolerance, and time. Home pours and mixed drinks are estimated, not measured; when in doubt, assume the count is higher. This page informs; it never judges fitness to drive, which should always err toward not driving.
Related Tools
Pair with the BAC calculator for impairment estimates, and the BMI calculator for the body-size context that shapes alcohol effects.
For informational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a standard drink?
In the US, a drink containing 14 grams (0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol: 12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 oz of 40% distilled spirits. Other countries define it differently.
How many standard drinks are in a pint of strong beer?
A 16 oz pint at 7% ABV is about 1.9 standard drinks. Higher ABV and larger servings multiply quickly, which is why craft beer routinely exceeds one standard drink per glass.
How do you calculate standard drinks?
Multiply volume in fluid ounces by ABV as a decimal, then divide by 0.6. A 5 oz glass of 12% wine: 5 x 0.12 / 0.6 = 1 standard drink.
What are the US alcohol guidelines?
The Dietary Guidelines advise limiting to 2 drinks or less per day for men and 1 or less for women, noting that less is better and that no amount is proven safe.
What counts as binge drinking?
4 or more standard drinks within about 2 hours for women, 5 or more for men. It is defined in standard drinks, so accurate counting determines whether an evening qualifies.
Do standard drinks differ by country?
Yes. The UK unit is 8 grams of alcohol, Australia's standard drink is 10 grams, and the US is 14 grams. Guidance from other countries does not translate directly.
Does a standard drink measure drunkenness?
No. It measures alcohol content only. Intoxication depends on body weight, sex, food, speed of drinking, and tolerance. Two people drinking the same standard drinks feel it differently.
How much alcohol is in a bottle of wine?
A 750 mL bottle at 13% holds about 5.7 US standard drinks. A bottle shared by two is nearly 3 drinks each, well above the daily guideline.
Can I use this to decide if I can drive?
No. Impairment begins below legal limits and varies by individual. If you have been drinking, do not drive; arrange another way home.
Where can I get help with drinking?
In the US, call or text 988 for crisis support, or find treatment at findtreatment.gov. Talking to your doctor is a good first step at any level of concern.