Reference amounts compared
| Country | Reference name | Pure alcohol per reference | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Standard drink | 14 g | NIAAA |
| Australia | Standard drink | 10 g | Australian Government |
| United Kingdom | Alcohol unit | 8 g | NHS |
| Canada | Standard drink | 13.45 g | Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction |
| New Zealand | Standard drink | 10 g | Health New Zealand |
| Ireland | Standard drink | 10 g | HSE Ireland |
| Singapore | Standard drink | 10 g | Singapore HealthHub |
Key point: a standard drink or unit is a reference amount of pure alcohol, not a recommendation and not a measurement of impairment.
How to compare the same product
Start with pure alcohol in grams: volume in ml × ABV as a decimal × 0.789. Divide that total by the country reference in the table. A drink containing 14 g of pure alcohol is one U.S. standard drink, 1.4 Australian, New Zealand, Irish, or Singapore standard drinks, and 1.75 UK alcohol units.
Use the alcohol grams calculator to start with the common measure, or choose a country in the standard-drinks calculator for a direct result.
Country-aware tools and guides
- Singapore standard-drinks guide and calculator
- Australia standard-drinks guide
- Australia standard-drinks calculator
- UK alcohol-units calculator
- Standard drinks per container
Important limits
Definitions and official advice can change, so use the linked public-health source for the current local definition. These references explain alcohol amount only. They do not establish whether someone can drive, operate machinery, or make a medical or legal decision.