What is a standard drink?
In the United States, one standard drink is 14 g of pure alcohol, or 0.6 fl oz of ethanol. Count any pour with the alcohol unit calculator or the table below.
Figures checked against source: 17 October 2026
14 g = 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol. NIAAA defines one standard drink as about 12 fl oz of 5% beer, 5 fl oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 fl oz of 40% spirits. Strength and volume both matter.
How to count standard drinks
For a US pour in fluid ounces: multiply fl oz by 29.5735 to get millilitres, then multiply by ABV as a decimal, then by 0.789 g/ml for ethanol density, then divide by 14 g. In one line: (fl oz × 29.5735 × ABV × 0.789) ÷ 14. For millilitres, use ml × ABV × 0.789 ÷ 14 instead.
Worked examples
| Drink | ABV | US standard drinks |
|---|---|---|
| 12 fl oz beer | 5% | 1.0 |
| 16 fl oz pint | 5% | 1.3 |
| 16 fl oz IPA | 7% | 1.9 |
| 5 fl oz wine | 12% | 1.0 |
| 750 ml bottle of wine | 12% | 5.1 |
| 1.5 fl oz spirits | 40% | 1.0 |
These figures are ethanol only. Sweet wine, cider and mixed drinks can pour larger than the reference glass but still carry more sugar on top.
US standard drinks vs UK units
A UK unit is 8 g of pure alcohol (10 ml). A US standard drink is 14 g. A 568 ml UK pint at 4.5% is about 2.6 UK units and about 1.4 US standard drinks. Apps and labels only line up when you convert to grams first. The unit calculator shows UK units, US standard drinks and grams for the same pour.
What US federal guidance says now
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 (released 7 January 2026) set no numeric daily limit and no separate limits for men and women. The advice is to consume less alcohol for better overall health. Pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder or unable to control how much they drink, and people on interacting medications or with relevant medical conditions should not drink. The old 2020–2025 line of 2 drinks or fewer a day for men and 1 for women was removed.
Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 (PDF) . Country-by-country context, including the US entry, is on the alcohol unit guidelines page.
Counting in the app
Modraly can show your week in US standard drinks when your country setting uses the 14 g measure, next to the official reference for that country. It does not set a goal or interpret the federal wording for you.
Free to download. Logging is unlimited, always.
Common questions
What is a standard drink in the US?
One US standard drink is 14 g of pure alcohol, which is 0.6 fl oz of ethanol. NIAAA uses that size for beer, wine and spirits guidance. It is a measure of alcohol, not a glass size on a menu.
How many oz of alcohol is in a standard drink?
0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol. That is not 0.6 fl oz of liquid in the glass: a 12 fl oz can of 5% beer contains about 0.6 fl oz of ethanol and counts as one standard drink.
How many standard drinks in a bottle of wine?
A 750 ml bottle at 12% ABV is about 5.1 US standard drinks (750 × 12 × 0.789 ÷ 14). At 13% it is about 5.5.
How many standard drinks in a beer?
A 12 fl oz serving at 5% ABV is 1.0 standard drink. A 16 fl oz pint at 5% is about 1.3; at 7% it is about 1.9.
Is a US standard drink the same as a UK unit?
No. A UK unit is 8 g of pure alcohol. A US standard drink is 14 g. The same pint of lager counts as more UK units than US standard drinks because the British unit is smaller.