Alcohol Unit Calculator
Calculate the alcohol content, standard drinks, and calories in your alcoholic beverages. This calculator helps you understand how much pure alcohol you're consuming and compares it to US standard drinks and UK units. Make informed decisions about your alcohol intake and stay within recommended guidelines.
Volume of the drink
Percentage of alcohol in the drink
How many of this drink
What is a standard drink or alcohol unit?
In the US, a standard drink contains about 14 grams (0.6 oz) of pure alcohol. This equals approximately 12 oz of regular beer (5% ABV), 5 oz of wine (12% ABV), or 1.5 oz of distilled spirits (40% ABV). In the UK, one unit equals 10g of pure alcohol. Different countries have different standards, so always check local guidelines.
What are the recommended safe drinking limits?
US guidelines recommend up to 2 standard drinks per day for men and 1 for women. Weekly limits are 14 drinks for men and 7 for women. UK guidelines suggest no more than 14 units per week for both sexes, spread over 3+ days. These are upper limits, not targets—less is better for health. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol completely.
How many calories are in alcoholic drinks?
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, nearly as much as fat (9 cal/g). A standard drink has about 100-150 calories from alcohol alone. Mixed drinks, sweet wines, and craft beers can have 200-400+ calories due to added sugars. Beer (12 oz) ≈ 150 cal, wine (5 oz) ≈ 120 cal, spirits (1.5 oz) ≈ 100 cal, cocktails ≈ 200-500+ cal.
How long does alcohol stay in your system?
The liver metabolizes about one standard drink per hour on average, but this varies by person. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) decreases at roughly 0.015% per hour. Alcohol can be detected in breath for 12-24 hours, in urine for 12-48 hours (up to 80 hours with advanced tests), and in hair for up to 90 days. Time since last drink is the only way to sober up—coffee, cold showers, and food don't speed up alcohol metabolism.