Standard Drink Calculator
Convert any beverage into standard drinks from its volume and alcohol content. Choose a country standard (US 14 g, UK 8 g, Australia 10 g, Canada 13.6 g, EU 10 g), enter ABV or proof, count several drinks at once, and see the pure alcohol, calories from alcohol, and an optional cost.
Formula
Worked example
A 355 mL beer at 5% ABV holds 355 x 0.05 = 17.75 mL of ethanol. Multiplying by 0.789 g/mL gives 14.0 g of pure alcohol, which divided by 14 g equals exactly 1.0 US standard drink (about 98 calories from the alcohol). Two of them would be 2.0 standard drinks.
What is a standard drink?
A standard drink is a fixed amount of pure alcohol, defined by mass rather than by glass size. In the United States, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) sets one standard drink at 14 grams, about 0.6 fluid ounces, of pure alcohol. Because the definition is fixed by alcohol mass, a small pour of strong spirits and a large glass of weak beer can both equal exactly one drink. This calculator works backward from the volume you pour and the strength on the label (entered as ABV or US proof) to tell you how many standard drinks a beverage really represents.
How the calculation works
The math multiplies the drink volume by its ABV fraction to get the volume of pure ethanol, then multiplies by ethanol density of 0.789 grams per milliliter to convert that volume into grams of alcohol. Dividing by the standard mass (14 g in the US) yields the number of standard drinks, and the result is then multiplied by how many drinks you had. If you enter strength as proof, the tool first halves it to ABV. Calories from alcohol use 7 kcal per gram of ethanol, so one US standard drink carries about 98 calories before any sugar or mixers are counted.
Country standards, presets and cost
A standard drink is not the same everywhere: the US uses 14 g, the UK unit is 8 g, Australia and much of Europe use 10 g, and Canada uses 13.6 g. Switch the country standard and the count adjusts automatically, which is handy when comparing guidance across regions. The drink-type presets fill in a typical pour for beer, craft beer, hard seltzer, wine, fortified wine, cocktails and spirit shots so you can get a quick estimate without measuring. Turn on the cost estimate to multiply a per-drink price by your quantity, a simple way to see what a session adds up to.
Using the result responsibly
Standard-drink counting helps you compare beverages and stay within published low-risk limits, but it is only an estimate of alcohol mass. It does not measure intoxication, blood alcohol concentration, or how a drink affects you personally. Body weight, sex, food, medications and tolerance all change alcohol effects. These figures are general information, not medical advice; if you are concerned about your drinking or managing a health condition, speak with a doctor or a qualified addiction-medicine professional.
What counts as one US standard drink
| Beverage | Typical ABV | Volume = 1 drink |
|---|---|---|
| Regular beer | 5% | 12 oz (355 mL) |
| Malt liquor | 7% | 8-9 oz (~250 mL) |
| Table wine | 12% | 5 oz (148 mL) |
| Fortified wine (sherry, port) | 17% | 3-4 oz (~100 mL) |
| Distilled spirits (80 proof) | 40% | 1.5 oz (44 mL) |
Each example contains about 14 grams (0.6 fl oz) of pure alcohol. Equivalence comes from balancing volume against strength.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the count higher than the number of glasses I poured?
Standard drinks measure grams of pure alcohol, not glasses. A large craft beer at 7% ABV or a generously poured cocktail can each contain the alcohol of two or three standard drinks, so a single glass may count as more than one. Counting standard drinks gives a fairer picture than counting glasses.
How do US, UK, Australian and Canadian standard drinks differ?
A US standard drink is 14 g of pure alcohol, a UK unit is 8 g, Australia and most of Europe use 10 g, and Canada uses 13.6 g. The same beverage therefore counts as more drinks in the UK or Australia than in the US. Use the country standard selector to match your local guidance.
How do I enter spirits labelled in proof?
US proof is exactly twice the ABV, so 80 proof is 40% ABV and 100 proof is 50% ABV. Set the strength field to proof and the calculator divides by two for you before working out the alcohol content, so you can type the number straight off the bottle.
How many calories are in a standard drink?
Pure alcohol provides about 7 calories per gram, so one US standard drink (14 g) contributes roughly 98 calories from the alcohol alone. This calculator shows that figure, but it does not include calories from sugar, juice or other mixers, which can add substantially to sweet drinks and cocktails.