On this page
One UK pint (568 ml), by strength
Session lager in the UK is often 3.5–4.2%. Standard lager sits around 4–5%. Anything above 5% is no longer a light pint, even if the glass is the same.
| ABV | UK units | FR verres (10 g) | DK / IT (12 g) | US drinks (14 g) | AU / JP (10 g) | CA / DE (13.45 g) | Grams | kcal | % of UK week (14) | % of FR week (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5% | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 15.7 | 111 | 14.2% | 15.7% |
| 4% | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 17.9 | 127 | 16.2% | 17.9% |
| 4.5% | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 20.2 | 143 | 18.3% | 20.2% |
| 5% | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 22.4 | 159 | 20.3% | 22.4% |
| 5.5% | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 24.6 | 175 | 22.3% | 24.6% |
Calories are ethanol only. Carbohydrate in beer is extra. Convert any other volume with the unit calculator. Weekly lines: guidelines by country.
Alcohol clearance: how long to process a pint of lager?
The human liver metabolises alcohol at an average rate of approximately 1 UK unit (8 g of pure ethanol) per hour:
- Absorption window: Takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes for alcohol to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Standard 4% pint (2.3 units): Typically takes between 3 and 3.5 hours for complete clearance.
- Premium 5% pint (2.8 units): Takes between 3.5 and 4 hours.
- Two pints of 5% lager (5.6 units): Requires roughly 6 to 7 hours of metabolic processing before your blood alcohol returns to zero.
Health reminder: Cold showers, black coffee and exercise do not speed up the liver's alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes. These biological estimates help with sleep and next-day planning, but must never be used to judge legal fitness to drive.
Lager calories: ethanol vs carbohydrates
Beer contains calories from two distinct sources:
- Pure ethanol: 7.1 kcal per gram. In a 4% pint (18 g alcohol), ethanol contributes about 127 kcal; in a 5% pint (22.4 g alcohol), ethanol provides 159 kcal.
- Residual carbohydrates: Unfermented sugars and dextrins from malted barley contribute roughly 60 to 75 kcal.
This brings the total energy of a standard 5% pint to around 215 to 230 kcal—roughly equivalent to eating a glazed doughnut or a large slice of pizza.
Not a French pinte
A pinte in France is usually 50 cl (500 ml). At 5% that is 2.0 UK units, not 2.8. Mixing the two glasses is how a holiday week comes out light on paper. If the tap said pint and you are in the UK, use 568 ml.
Not an American pint (16 fl oz)
In the United States, a standard pub pint is 16 US fluid ounces (473 ml), which is smaller than the British 568 ml imperial pint. At 5% ABV, a 16 fl oz American pint contains 18.7 g of pure alcohol, counting as 1.33 US standard drinks (or 2.3 UK units). A standard 12 fl oz American beer can (355 ml) at 5% is exactly 1.0 US standard drink. Read our complete guide on US standard drinks.
Log the pint as units, not as one drink.
Common questions
How many units in a pint of 4% lager?
2.3 UK units. Formula: 568 ml × 4 ÷ 1000 = 2.272, shown here as 2.3. A UK pint is 568 ml, not 500 ml.
Is a pint of lager one drink?
No. One pint of 4% lager is 2.3 UK units, about 1.8 French verres standards, about 1.3 US standard drinks. Calling it one drink hides the alcohol.
How much of the weekly guideline is a pint?
At 4%, one UK pint is 16.2% of the UK 14-unit week, and 17.9% of the French 10-verre week.
How many units in a pint of 5% lager?
2.8 UK units (568 × 5 ÷ 1000 = 2.84). A pint of 5% lager holds about a quarter more alcohol than a pint at 4%.
How long does the body take to clear a pint of lager?
On average, the liver processes roughly 1 UK unit (8 g of pure ethanol) per hour. Following an initial 30 to 60 minute absorption window, a standard pint of 4% lager (2.3 units) takes approximately 3 to 3.5 hours to clear from the bloodstream, while a 5% pint (2.8 units) takes roughly 3.5 to 4 hours.
Does this include beer calories from carbohydrate?
The kcal figure in our table reflects pure ethanol only, at 7.1 kcal per gram. Unfermented malt carbohydrates add another 60 to 80 kcal, bringing the total energy of a standard 5% pint to roughly 215 to 230 kcal.
How many units in a can of lager?
A 440 ml can at 4% is 1.8 UK units, and 2.2 at 5%. A 330 ml bottle at 5% is 1.65.
How many pints of lager is 14 units?
About six pints at 4% (14 ÷ 2.27 = 6.2), or about five at 5%. Spread over three or more days, as the UK guidance asks, that averages about two pints a night.
