Alcohol Unit & Drink Calculator
Convert one drink into standard units, UK units, US drinks, pure alcohol grams, and calories. Add drinks to the optional weekly total only when you need it.
Calculate alcohol units and standard drinks
Single drink
Drink calculator
Start with one drink. Change the volume, ABV, or quantity to compare standard units, UK units, US drinks, grams, and calories.
Weekly total (optional):
What are alcohol units?
Different countries use different reference sizes. This calculator keeps them separate:
- Standard units: 10g of pure alcohol, used by WHO AUDIT examples and close to the standard-glass idea used in many European countries, including France and Germany.
- UK units: 10ml, or about 8g, of pure alcohol.
- US standard drinks: 14g of pure alcohol.
- Pure alcohol grams: the neutral baseline for comparing all systems.
Alcohol units vs standard drinks vs pure alcohol grams
UK alcohol units
One UK alcohol unit equals 10ml (approximately 8g) of pure alcohol. The formula is: (volume in ml × ABV%) / 1000. So a 500ml beer at 5% ABV contains 2.5 UK units.
Standard units
Some countries and health organizations use 10g of pure alcohol as a standard drink reference. A 500ml beer at 5% ABV contains about 2.0 standard units.
US standard drinks
A US standard drink contains 14g of pure alcohol. This is equivalent to about 1.8 UK units or 1.4 ten-gram standard drinks. A 500ml beer at 5% ABV contains about 1.4 US standard drinks.
Common drink examples
| Drink | Volume | ABV | UK units | Standard units | US standard drinks | Pure alcohol grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | 500ml | 5% | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 19.7g |
| Wine | 175ml | 12% | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 16.6g |
| Wine | 250ml | 12% | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 23.7g |
| Spirit | 25ml | 40% | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 7.9g |
| Spirit | 50ml | 40% | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 15.8g |
| Cider | 330ml | 4.5% | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 11.7g |
Weekly drinking patterns
Use the weekly builder above to track your typical weekly consumption. Seeing your drinks added together can help you understand patterns over time. The interpretation messages (low, moderate, higher) are based on UK unit guidelines and are provided as neutral information, not as medical advice or diagnosis.
FAQ
How do you calculate alcohol units?
UK alcohol units are calculated as volume in millilitres multiplied by ABV percentage, then divided by 1000. Pure alcohol grams are calculated as volume in millilitres multiplied by ABV as a decimal, then multiplied by 0.789.
What is a UK alcohol unit?
One UK alcohol unit is 10ml, or about 8g, of pure alcohol. A 500ml beer at 5% ABV contains about 2.5 UK units.
What is a US standard drink?
A US standard drink contains 14g of pure alcohol. This calculator divides pure alcohol grams by 14 to estimate US standard drinks.
What is a standard unit?
A standard unit in this calculator is 10g of pure alcohol. WHO AUDIT examples use this basis, and it is close to the standard-glass idea used in many European countries, including France and Germany.
Are alcohol units the same in every country?
No. Standard units, UK alcohol units, and US standard drinks use different reference amounts. Comparing through pure alcohol grams is the clearest way to move between systems.
How many units are in a beer?
A 500ml beer at 5% ABV contains about 2.0 standard units, 2.5 UK units, 1.4 US standard drinks, and 19.7g of pure alcohol.
How many units are in a glass of wine?
A 175ml glass of wine at 12% ABV contains about 1.7 standard units, 2.1 UK units, 1.2 US standard drinks, and 16.6g of pure alcohol.
Can this calculator tell me if I drink too much?
No. The calculator estimates alcohol amounts and weekly patterns, but it does not diagnose drinking or give personal medical advice. If you are concerned about your drinking, consider speaking with a qualified health professional.
Does Mindrink store my calculator data?
No. This calculator is stateless in V1. Your inputs are used in the browser for the current page session and are not stored after you leave or refresh the page.
Understand patterns over time
Tracking over time can make drinking patterns easier to understand.
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