🔢 Standard Drink Count Calculator
A US standard drink contains about 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol. Enter your drink's volume and ABV to see how many standard drinks it contains — purely an arithmetic conversion, not a recommendation.
Volume times strength, divided by 0.6
The count comes from the pure alcohol in the glass, not from how big the glass is:
pure alcohol (fl oz) = volume × ABV / 100
standard drinks = pure alcohol / 0.6The defaults - 5 oz at 12% - give 0.60 oz of alcohol, exactly one standard drink. The reason the familiar servings all count as one is that they land on the same 0.6 oz from different directions:
| Serving | ABV | Pure alcohol | Drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 oz beer | 5% | 0.60 oz | 1.00 |
| 5 oz wine | 12% | 0.60 oz | 1.00 |
| 1.5 oz spirit | 40% | 0.60 oz | 1.00 |
| 16 oz craft IPA | 7% | 1.12 oz | 1.87 |
Dilution changes the ABV but not the count
This is where cocktails catch people out. A 3 oz Negroni leaves the mixing glass at 26.7%, which is 0.80 oz of alcohol and 1.33 standard drinks. Stir it out to 3.85 oz and the ABV falls to 20.8% - but 3.85 × 0.208 is still 0.80 oz, so it is still 1.33 drinks. Melting ice makes a drink milder and longer, never smaller.
Frequently asked questions
How many standard drinks are in a cocktail?
Usually one and a half to two. A drink built on 2 oz of 40% spirit holds 0.8 oz of alcohol, which is 1.33 standard drinks whatever else goes in it.
Is a glass of wine one standard drink?
Only at 5 oz and 12%. Home pours run nearer 8 oz and many reds are 14%, which works out at 1.87 drinks - almost two.
Does this tell me my blood alcohol level?
No. It counts what is in the glass. Blood alcohol depends on body weight, sex, food, and how long you have been drinking, none of which this tool knows.