Alcohol equivalence is a system of standard drink sizes of various alcoholic beverages. The amount of alcohol (i.e., ethanol) that is contained in a standard drink varies widely by country.
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In New Zealand one standard drink, as defined by the Alcohol Advisory Council, contains 10 grams of ethyl alcohol which is approximately 12.7 mL. ^ This is approximately "a 330ml can of beer or a 100ml glass of table wine or a 30ml glass of straight spirits".[1]
In the UK, one standard drink or "unit" of alcohol is defined as 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. This equals one 25ml single measure of spirits,(ABV 40%), or a third of a pint of beer (ABV 5-6%), or half a standard (175ml) glass of red wine (ABV 12%).[2]
In the United States, a standard drink is defined as 0.6 fluid ounce of pure alcohol. In the United States, therefore, one standard drink is contained in:
Alcohol equivalence is emphasized as being important for drinking in moderation by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), American Dietetic Association, National Consumers League, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
| Standard Drink Chart (US)[3] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Amount in mL | Amount in fl. oz. | Colloquial amount | Alcohol % by vol. | Alcohol in fl. oz. |
| 80-proof liquor | 44 mL | 1.5 fl. oz. | one shot | 40 | 0.6 fl. oz. |
| Wine | 148 mL | 5 fl. oz. | one glass | 12 | 0.6 fl. oz. |
| Beer | 355 mL | 12 fl. oz. | one can | 5 | 0.6 fl. oz. |