An alcohol units chart is useful because “one drink” does not describe one consistent amount of alcohol. A short beer, a strong pint, a small wine, and a cocktail can all be called a drink while containing very different quantities of pure alcohol.
The chart below gives common examples for beer, cider, wine, spirits, and cocktails. It is designed as a starting point for tracking. Product strength and serving size vary, so the most accurate entry always uses the ABV and volume printed on the label or measured in the glass.
Alcohol units chart: the quick view
In the UK system, units are calculated from volume and alcohol by volume. The formula is:
Units = volume in millilitres × ABV percentage ÷ 1,000
The table uses typical strengths. Your drink may be higher or lower.
| Drink | Typical serving | Typical ABV | Approximate units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-strength beer, lager, or cider | 568 ml pint | 3.6% | 2.0 |
| Ordinary lager or beer | 568 ml pint | 4.0% | 2.3 |
| Strong lager or cider | 568 ml pint | 5.2% | 3.0 |
| Beer or lager bottle | 330 ml | 5.0% | 1.7 |
| Beer or lager can | 440 ml | 5.0% | 2.2 |
| Beer or lager can | 500 ml | 5.5% | 2.8 |
| Small wine glass | 125 ml | 13.0% | 1.6 |
| Standard wine glass | 175 ml | 13.0% | 2.3 |
| Large wine glass | 250 ml | 13.0% | 3.3 |
| Wine bottle | 750 ml | 13.0% | 9.8 |
| Single spirit measure | 25 ml | 40.0% | 1.0 |
| Double spirit measure | 50 ml | 40.0% | 2.0 |
| Liqueur measure | 50 ml | 20.0% | 1.0 |
These figures are rounded for readability. A 175 ml glass at 12% ABV is 2.1 units; the same glass at 14% ABV is 2.45 units. The glass has not changed, but the alcohol content has.
Why beer units change so much
Beer is often described by container size: a can, bottle, or pint. That is only half of the calculation. Two 500 ml cans can contain very different amounts of alcohol if one is 3.5% ABV and the other is 7% ABV.
Here are three 500 ml examples:
- 500 ml at 3.5% ABV = 1.75 units
- 500 ml at 5% ABV = 2.5 units
- 500 ml at 7% ABV = 3.5 units
The difference is large enough to matter over a week. A pint of 4% lager is about 2.3 units, while a pint at 5.2% is about 3 units. If you drink three pints, the difference between those examples is more than two units across the session.
Craft beers, double IPAs, imperial stouts, strong ales, and some alcohol-free or low-alcohol products need particular care. “Beer” is a category, not a unit value. Check the can rather than relying on the name or colour of the drink.
If you want to calculate a product not listed here, use the Alcohol Units Calculator. It accepts the serving volume and ABV, which are the two inputs the chart cannot know for every brand. For the primary pint-specific answer, read How Many Units Are in a Pint of Beer?; for weekly context behind the totals, read the UK alcohol units guide.
Wine units depend on both the glass and the bottle
Wine is one of the easiest drinks to underestimate because home pours are rarely measured. A standard-looking glass might contain 125 ml, 175 ml, or 250 ml. Those are not small differences:
- 125 ml at 13% ABV = 1.625 units
- 175 ml at 13% ABV = 2.275 units
- 250 ml at 13% ABV = 3.25 units
A 750 ml bottle at 13% ABV works out to 9.75 units. At 14.5% ABV, it is 10.875 units. A lower-strength 11% bottle contains 8.25 units. The label is more informative than the phrase “a bottle of wine.”
The same calculation applies to sparkling wine, rosé, fortified wine, and dessert wine. Fortified wines often have a higher ABV, while the serving measure may be small. Calculate the liquid actually poured, not the category average.
If you are tracking wine for calories as well as units, keep the pour size in the record. A larger glass increases both the alcohol and the calories from the alcohol itself, and mixers or sweet wines can add more energy.
Spirits: small serving, high strength
Spirits contain more alcohol per millilitre because their ABV is high. A 25 ml measure at 40% ABV is 1 unit. A 50 ml measure is 2 units. A 35 ml measure is 1.4 units.
Cocktails can contain several measures. For example, a simple drink with 50 ml of 40% gin contains 2 units before tonic or other mixers. A cocktail with 25 ml of 40% vodka, 25 ml of 40% tequila, and 20 ml of 20% liqueur contains:
- Vodka: 25 × 40 ÷ 1,000 = 1 unit
- Tequila: 25 × 40 ÷ 1,000 = 1 unit
- Liqueur: 20 × 20 ÷ 1,000 = 0.4 units
- Total: 2.4 units
Free-poured cocktails are estimates. If the drink is served in a bar and you do not know the measures, record the ingredients and use a sensible range rather than pretending the result is exact.
A more detailed chart with the formula behind it
| Example | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 330 ml beer at 5% | 330 × 5 ÷ 1,000 | 1.65 units |
| 440 ml beer at 5% | 440 × 5 ÷ 1,000 | 2.2 units |
| 568 ml pint at 4% | 568 × 4 ÷ 1,000 | 2.27 units |
| 125 ml wine at 12% | 125 × 12 ÷ 1,000 | 1.5 units |
| 175 ml wine at 13% | 175 × 13 ÷ 1,000 | 2.28 units |
| 750 ml wine at 13% | 750 × 13 ÷ 1,000 | 9.75 units |
| 25 ml spirit at 40% | 25 × 40 ÷ 1,000 | 1 unit |
| 50 ml liqueur at 20% | 50 × 20 ÷ 1,000 | 1 unit |
One unit is 10 ml, or about 8 grams, of pure alcohol. The formula is a convenient way of estimating that amount from a label. It does not turn a serving into a safety score.
How to use the chart for weekly tracking
Start with the original drink details. If you had two 440 ml cans at 5% ABV and one 175 ml glass of wine at 13% ABV:
- Two cans: 2 × 2.2 = 4.4 units
- Wine: about 2.3 units
- Session total: about 6.7 units
If the same person has that session twice, the weekly total is about 13.4 units. That may look close to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk weekly guideline of 14 units, but the guideline also says to spread drinking over three or more days rather than saving the total for one session. A weekly total cannot describe every part of the pattern.
Use a diary or app to record each day, not only a weekly total. Note drink-free days, serving sizes, and changes in product strength. Over time, the record can reveal whether the biggest source of variation is a larger pour, a stronger product, a second serving, or a mix of all three.
Alcohol Tracker° keeps the drink name, volume, ABV, units, calories, and timing together so the total remains explainable. If you prefer to calculate manually, the Standard Drink Calculator can help compare measurement systems, while the BAC Calculator is a separate educational estimate with its own limitations.
Units are not the same as standard drinks
The word “standard” changes by country. A UK unit is 10 ml or 8 grams of pure alcohol. In the United States, one standard drink is approximately 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is different. Australia, Canada, and other countries use their own definitions and guidance.
That means a page or app that says “one standard drink” may not be using the UK unit system. Check the country, definition, and units before comparing advice. The CDC guide to standard drink sizes and NIAAA explanation of a US standard drink are useful references for the US system.
What a units chart cannot tell you
An alcohol units chart describes the amount of alcohol in a serving. It cannot tell you your BAC, how impaired you are, whether you are fit to drive, or how alcohol will affect a particular medical condition. Food, body composition, medicines, drinking pace, sleep, and many other factors affect what happens after drinking.
Never use a chart or calculator to decide to drive. If you have been drinking, arrange a sober way home. If you are concerned about your drinking or experience withdrawal symptoms, contact a qualified healthcare professional. Anyone who is pregnant, taking medicines that interact with alcohol, or managing a medical condition should ask for individual advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many units are in a pint of beer?
It depends on the pint’s ABV. A 568 ml pint at 4% ABV contains about 2.3 units. A pint at 5.2% ABV contains about 3 units. Use the label or menu strength for a more accurate calculation.
How many units are in a glass of wine?
A 175 ml glass at 13% ABV contains about 2.3 units. A 125 ml glass at 12% ABV contains about 1.5 units, while a 250 ml glass at 13% ABV contains about 3.3 units.
Is a bottle of wine 10 units?
Often, but not always. A 750 ml bottle at 13% ABV is 9.75 units. A 14% bottle is 10.5 units and a 12% bottle is 9 units. Check the ABV on the specific bottle.
Is one shot one unit?
A 25 ml shot at 40% ABV is one UK unit. Measures vary, and a 35 ml or 50 ml pour contains more. Cocktails may also contain several shots.
What is the official UK weekly guidance?
The NHS says that if adults drink, they should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days. See the NHS drink-less guidance for current advice.
The takeaway
Use the chart to estimate, but use the label to track. Volume and ABV are the two details that turn a drink into a unit calculation. The same serving size can contain far more alcohol when the product is stronger, and the same product can contain far more when the pour is larger.
The most useful chart is the one attached to your actual drinks. Record the details, keep country-specific definitions separate, and treat units as context for awareness rather than a test of safety.
Keep exploring
Use the calculator or continue with a related guide:
Put the guide into practice
Keep a clearer drink diary.
Track units, standard drinks, cost, calories, dry days and estimated BAC on iPhone and Apple Watch.
