In Australia one standard drink is any drink that contains 10 grams of alcohol. All bottles, cans and casks of alcohol packaged for sale are required by law to state on the label the approximate number of standard drinks contained.
It can sometimes be difficult to estimate standard drinks in real-life situations because:
A standard drink =
|
Container |
Amount |
Standard drinks |
|
Light beer |
(2.7% alcohol) |
|
|
1 middy or pot |
285ml |
0.5 standard drinks |
|
1 can or stubbie |
375ml |
0.8 standard drinks |
|
Mid beer |
(3.5% alcohol) |
|
|
1 middy or pot |
285ml |
0.7 standard drinks |
|
1 can or stubbie |
375ml |
1 standard drink |
|
Regular beer |
(4.9% alcohol) |
|
|
1 middy or pot |
285ml |
1 standard drink |
|
1 can or stubbie |
375ml |
1.5 standard drinks |
|
Wine |
(9.5% to 13% alcohol) |
|
|
1 standard serve |
100ml |
1 standard drink |
|
1 average serve |
180ml |
1.8 standard drinks |
|
1 bottle |
750ml |
7-8 standard drinks |
|
Spirits |
(40% alcohol) |
|
|
1 nip |
30ml |
1 standard drink |
|
1 bottle |
750ml |
24 standard drinks |
|
Premixed spirits |
(5% alcohol) |
|
|
1 can or bottle |
375ml |
1.5 standard drinks |
|
Source: NHMRC, 2001 |
||
Note: Some cocktails contain more than 3 standard drinks.
