A guide to alcohol units and measures

Alcohol units and measurements are put in place to help people understand how much alcohol is in a drink. Some alcoholic drinks are stronger than others and a pint of beer won’t affect you the same way a pint of vodka would.

That being said, calculating the exact amount of alcohol in a drink you choose and the way it impacts your body as you drink it can sometimes be confusing. This is especially hard for a person determined to control their drinking precisely and also for people like us who help with alcohol recovery and staying clear of too much alcohol.

What are units of alcohol?

The concept of counting alcohol units was first introduced in the UK in 1987. The practice was intended to help people keep track of their drinking. Units are a simple way of showing exactly how much pure alcohol is in one drink. So, in the UK:

One unit = 10ml or 10gr of pure alcohol.

Let’s take a pint of average-strength beer, for example. Pints in the UK are 568ml and this example beer has 4% alcohol by volume alcohol in it (called ABV). This average-strength pint of beer has about two units in it.

An adult’s liver on average processes one unit of alcohol in one hour. This means, in theory, that after an hour there should be no alcohol left in the bloodstream, but of course, this can vary from person to person.

Do all countries measure alcohol units equally?

Our earlier-mentioned example of a UK pint might already have some readers scratching their heads. A “pint” in the US equals 473ml, almost 100 ml less than in the UK (imperial vs metric, some other time…). Therefore a pint equalling 2 units in the UK cannot equal the same amount of units as a pint in the US.

There is no international consensus on exactly how much alcohol constitutes one “unit,” which some countries call a “standard drink.” During the fermentation process, one tank’s precise volume of alcohol can go up or down, which can muddy the percentage or ABV of the liquid. That’s why some countries have breweries that create a “minimum ABV,” the minimum amount of alcohol the drink likely contains.

Having an understanding of units helps you stay more in control of your drinking habits and how “drunk” you’re likely to be after certain drinks. That being said, let’s take a moment to illustrate how actual levels of drunkenness can be hard to measure.

Why is measuring levels of drunkenness complicated?

We generally divide alcohol into three broad categories: beers, wines and liquors. There are further sub-categories of drinks, but these three have distinct differences in their ingredients.

So, while their ingredients certainly differ, they all share the same common process of fermentation, where yeasts transform fructose and glucose (sugars) into ethanol (alcohol).

The amount of alcohol inside a drink is measured as a percentage, called ABV (alcohol by volume). The ABV percentage is measured mathematically, but the way it affects a person as they drink can never be as precise.

Simply put, alcohol affects people differently.

Let’s create a hypothetical scenario. Imagine 10 pints of beer on a table with two people drinking 5 pints each. One is a 35-year-old sumo wrestler weighing 25 stone, and the other is an 18-year-old ballet dancer weighing 6.5 stone.

They both guzzle down 5 pints each, and, of course, they’re affected by the drinks very differently. This scenario goes to show that the way alcohol affects a drinker is vastly different from person to person.

What are the health and safety concerns for alcohol?

Alcohol is frequently used for celebratory occasions. We often “cheers” a friend or loved one for positive reasons, which in some ways contradicts the classification of alcohol as a depressant. Depressant substances reduce arousal and stimulation and in large volumes, alcohol profoundly alters your physical capabilities and the way your body works.

Have you ever seen footage of darts players playing professionally in the 80s? Almost every player would drink beer as they played. It wasn’t until 1989 that the league body decided professional dart players couldn’t drink while playing. This example shows how consuming alcohol, in some ways, alters physical performance, for better or for worse, and could certainly affect how someone performs in the workplace.

In sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 all employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare of their staff. That means that if an employer allows their staff to use alcohol (or drugs) while working and others are placed at risk, they might be liable for charges.

There are no specific employment laws enforced in the UK on drinking alcohol while working, so organisations develop their own policies that reflect workplace risk factors. Some industries do have laws to prohibit it. Industries like transportation or operating heavy machinery, for example.

So, how is work hindered by staff under the effect of alcohol?

The NHS’ statistics on alcohol show that 25 million adults in England regularly drink alcohol. While, of course, in moderation, what people do outside of work is not generally an employer’s concern. However, a night of heavy drinking comes with the dreaded “hangover” the next day. If this is a workday, their performance is likely to suffer.

A hangover is defined as the negative feelings you experience after a day or night of heavy drinking. The body experiences dehydration and suffers fatigue, headaches and many other negative symptoms, making you less productive at work the next day. In fact, lost productivity from drinking is estimated to cost the UK economy more than £7 billion annually.

So if someone is still under the effects of alcohol while working, the company is likely to suffer, as the person shows:

• Lack of coordination
• Impaired physical performance
• Lowered reaction times
• Trouble communicating clearly

Overall, work performance suffers, which goes to show the importance of understanding alcohol units and measurements. Knowing how unit numbers affect you helps prepare for alcohol’s negative effects, which can, unfortunately, bleed into your personal life.

ABV measurements of popular drinks

As we’ve seen, measuring the precise ABV of drinks can be quite complex, but there are general percentages of alcohol in drinks that can help you understand units and measurements. Having this understanding can contextualise drinking on a night out or help you plan how much alcohol you should consume.

Some general ABV percentages of popular drinks include:

• Beer: ABV: 4-8%
• Wine: ABV: 10-24%
• Whiskey: ABV: 36-50%
• Vodka: ABV: 40-95%
• Gin: ABV: 36-50%
• Rum: ABV: 36-50%
• Tequila: ABV: 50-51%
• Unfortified Wine: ABV: 14-16%

I want help with how much alcohol I drink

Here at UKAT, we understand exactly how hard it can be for a person to control their drinking. Countless factors impact how likely you are to drink. As we’ve seen, understanding alcohol units and measures can help combat alcohol abuse, but if you’re caught in the clutches of alcohol addiction, know that we’re here for you.

Our comprehensive alcohol treatment programmes are designed to lead you to complete sobriety. It includes medical detox and personalised therapy to make sure you’re in complete control of alcohol. Our expert staff are here to support you with the physical and emotional aspects of addiction and are trained to help you on the road to recovery.

If you’re affected by alcohol addiction, we offer our hand to you. We are only a decision away, so get in touch to return to a happier, healthier and alcohol-free life.