In the United States, a “standard drink” (also known as an alcoholic drink equivalent) is defined as any drink that contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol. Although the drinks pictured here are different sizes, each contains approximately the same amount of alcohol and counts as one U.S. standard drink or one alcoholic drink equivalent. 12 fl oz of
A standard liquor pour at most bars across the U.S. is 1.5 ounces. Most. There are some notable exceptions. Some larger corporate establishments pour 1.25 ounces, while some higher-end establishments with complex signature cocktails will pour 2 ounces.
How many “drinks” are in a bottle of wine?
A typical 25-ounce (750 ml) bottle of table wine holds about 5 “standard” drinks, each containing about 5 ounces. This serving size of wine contains about the same amount of alcohol as a 12-ounce regular beer or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits.
Get to know what 5 ounces looks like by measuring it out at home. That way you can estimate how many standard drinks youre being served in a restaurant or bar that uses large glasses and generous serving sizes.
Mixing alcohol with certain medications can cause nausea, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, a loss of coordination, internal bleeding, heart problems, and difficulties in breathing. Alcohol can also make a medication less effective. For more information, see Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines.
Examples of medical conditions for which its safest to avoid drinking include liver disease (such as from hepatitis C), bipolar disorder, abnormal heart rhythm, and chronic pain.
Among the dangers of underage drinking:
- Each year, an estimated 5,000 people under age 21 die from alcohol-related injuries.
- The younger people are when they start to drink, the more likely they are to develop alcohol use disorder at some point in their lives.
- Underage drinking is illegal—an arrest can lead to losing a job, a drivers license, or a college scholarship.
Even moderate amounts of alcohol can significantly impair driving performance and your ability to operate other machinery, whether or not you feel the effects of alcohol.
Heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause brain damage and other serious problems in the baby. Because it is not yet known whether any amount of alcohol is safe for a developing baby, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not drink.
About 50% of people who drink in this group have alcohol use disorder.
This “increased risk” category contains three different drinking pattern groups. Overall, nearly 20% of people who drink in this category have alcohol use disorder.
Only about 2% of drinkers in this group has alcohol use disorder.
A U.S. standard drink contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of pure alcohol (also known as an alcoholic drink-equivalent). Thats the amount in 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of table wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
Distilled spirits include vodka, whiskey, gin, rum, and tequila.
Light to moderate drinking
- Men: Up to 2 drinks per day
- Women: Up to 1 drink per day
Heavy or at-risk drinking
- Men: More than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week
- Women: More than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week
Men: No more than 4 drinks on any day and no more than 14 per week
Women: No more than 3 drinks on any day and no more than 7 per week
People with a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism have a higher risk for becoming dependent on alcohol. For many, it may be difficult to maintain low-risk drinking habits.
Pace yourself: Its best to have no more than one standard drink per hour, with nonalcoholic “drink spacers” between alcohol beverages. On any day, stay within low-risk levels of no more than 4 drinks for men or 3 for women. Note that it takes about 2 hours for the adult body to completely break down a single drink. Do not drive after drinking.
For comparison, regular beer is 5% alcohol by volume (alc/vol), table wine is about 12% alc/vol, and straight 80-proof distilled spirits is 40% alc/vol.
The percent alcohol by volume (alc/vol) for distilled spirits is listed on bottle labels and may be found online as well. It is half the “proof,” such that 80-proof spirits is 40% alc/vol.
Print Preview What’s a Standard Drink Measurment? – Rethinking Drinking | NIAAA
Not necessarily. Although they have fewer calories, many light beers have almost as much alcohol as regular beer—about 85% as much, or 4.2% versus 5.0% alcohol by volume, on average.
Check the alcohol content of your beverage. Malt beverages are not required to list their alcohol content on the labels, so you may need to visit the bottlers Web site.
Jiggers 101 | How to Use a Jigger | Beginner Bartender Guide
FAQ
What is in a standard bar?
What is a standard measure of liquor?
What is a standard drink pour?
How many counts is a 2 oz pour?
What is a bar measurement unit?
Its official symbol is “bar”; the earlier “b” is now deprecated, but still often seen especially as “mb” rather than the proper “mbar” for millibars. Bar is a measure of pressure. Get more information and details on the ‘bar’ measurement unit, including its symbol, category, and common conversions from bar to other pressure units.
What is the standard bar height?
The standard bar height is 42 inches tall, but you can customize a bar for a specific height. You can find bars that measure closer to 36 inches, and that is the standard height for a counter table. It is common to find bars that measure 40 inches tall, but 42 inches is the universal standard bar height. Do You Need Handyman Services?
Is bar a metric unit?
It really is only relevant in liquid or gaseous systems. The bar is a metric unit of pressure. It is not part of the International System of Units (SI). The bar is commonly used in the industry and in the meteorology, and an instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure is called barometer.
Is bar a unit of pressure?
The bar (symbol bar ), decibar (symbol dbar) and the millibar (symbol mbar, also mb) are units of pressure. They are not SI units, but they are anyhow also used with (although discouraged) for use with the SI. The bar is still used in descriptions of pressure because it is about the same as atmospheric pressure.