What is a Standard Drink?

 - Download the Standard Drink quick Reference Guide Here

Simply: A standard drink is any drink containing 10grams of alcohol. One standard drink always contains the same amount of alcohol regardless of container size or alcohol type (i.e. Beer, Wine, Spirit) A standard drink is a unit of measurement. In the same way one metre measures a particular distance traveled, one standard drink measures a particular amount of alcohol consumed. 

Counting standard drinks is a much more reliable way of keeping track of the amount of alcohol you've consumed then counting bottles, glasses or cans which can be misleading because they contain varying amounts of alcohol depending on the venue, bar staff or brand. 

In Australia the percentage of alcohol and the amount of standard drinks must be labelled on bottles and packaging. As part of their responsibilities for serving alcohol and their experience, bar staff should also have knowledge on the amount of standard drinks in the alcohol they're serving. 

How are standard drinks calculated?  

Volume of Liquid in Litres  X  % Alcohol by Volume (ml/100ml)  X  0.789*  =  # of Standard Drinks

 

E.g.  One stubbie (375mL) of full strength beer (5% alcohol by volume)

0.375  X  5  X  0.789*  =  1.5 Standard Drinks

*The specific gravity of ethyl alcohol is 0.789


Why should we count?

The main reason you should count your drinks, using standard drinks, is to ensure that the low risk levels set out in the Australian Alcohol Guidelines are not exceeded. The low risk levels define the number of standard drinks that can be drunk before the threat to a person's health and social well-being moves up into the "Risky" or "High Risk" categories. 

AAG recommendations

  • For healthy men and women consuming no more than 2 standard drinks on any day reduces your risk of harm from alcohol related disease or injury over a lifetime.
  • Drinking no more than 4 standard drinks on a single occasion reduces the risk of alcohol related injury on that occasion.