What Counts as One Standard Drink? Beer, Wine and Soju

A standard drink is a fixed amount of pure alcohol, not a glass. Many countries, including Australia, Korea and much of Europe, use about 10 g of alcohol; the US uses 14 g and the UK counts 8 g units. Because glasses and cans vary, two "drinks" can hold very different amounts of alcohol.

The formula

Grams of alcohol = volume (ml) × alcohol % ÷ 100 × 0.789. Divide by 10 to get standard drinks on the 10 g scale.

Common examples (10 g scale)

• Beer, 355 ml can at 5%: about 1.4
• Beer, 500 ml at 5%: about 2.0
• Wine, 150 ml glass at 12%: about 1.4
• Soju, 50 ml shot glass at 16.5%: about 0.65 — a 360 ml bottle is about 4.7
• Spirits, 44 ml shot at 40%: about 1.4
• Makgeolli, 250 ml bowl at 6%: about 1.2

Why it matters

Counting glasses hides big differences: a pint of strong craft beer can hold as much alcohol as three small glasses of light beer. Logging the real size and alcohol % gives you a number you can compare week to week.

Pawtle calculates this automatically when you log a drink: pick a preset or type the exact ml or oz, adjust the alcohol %, and the standard drink estimate appears before you save. It is a reference number, not medical advice.

How many standard drinks are in a bottle of soju?

A 360 ml bottle at 16.5% holds about 47 g of alcohol, or about 4.7 standard drinks on the 10 g scale.

Is a pint of beer one drink?

Usually not. A 473 ml pint at 5% is about 1.9 standard drinks, and stronger craft beers can be 3 or more.

Why do countries use different standard drinks?

Each health authority picked its own reference amount. Check your country's guidance, and use one scale consistently when you track.