Education
What exactly is a standard drink?
Different drinks can have completely different serving sizes while containing approximately the same amount of pure alcohol.
United States reference
≈ 0.6 fl oz
A standard drink is commonly defined in the United States as containing approximately 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol.
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Regular beer
Typical serving12 oz
Example ABV5%
Pure alcohol≈ 0.6 oz
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Table wine
Typical serving5 oz
Example ABV12%
Pure alcohol≈ 0.6 oz
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Distilled spirits
Typical serving1.5 oz
Example ABV40%
Pure alcohol≈ 0.6 oz
Why this matters
Saying "I had three drinks" doesn't necessarily describe how much alcohol was consumed. Three 12-ounce beers at 5% ABV contain a different amount of alcohol than three large cocktails with significantly higher alcohol content.
The calculator therefore tracks the estimated amount of pure alcohol rather than relying only on the number of glasses, cans, or shots.