Calculate Alcohol Units
Select a drink preset or enter custom values:
Your Alcohol Units
Track Your Weekly Units
Enter your daily alcohol units to track against the NHS 14 unit weekly limit. Aim for 2-3 alcohol-free days per week.
Weekly Summary
Important: Drink Driving
Many people are still over the drink-drive limit the morning after drinking. The only thing that reduces blood alcohol is time - approximately 1 hour per unit.
Alcohol Clearance Estimate
Hidden Calories in Alcohol
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram - nearly as much as fat (9 cal/g). A night out can easily add 500-1000+ empty calories.
Calories & Cost Breakdown
Compare Different Drinks
See how different drinks compare in terms of alcohol units. Stronger drinks pack more units in the same volume.
Standard UK Drink Units
| Drink | Volume | ABV | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pint of Lager | 568ml | 4% | 2.3 |
| Pint of Strong Lager | 568ml | 5% | 2.8 |
| Pint of Craft Beer | 568ml | 5.5% | 3.1 |
| Pint of Cider | 568ml | 4.5% | 2.6 |
| Small Glass Wine | 125ml | 13% | 1.6 |
| Medium Glass Wine | 175ml | 13% | 2.3 |
| Large Glass Wine | 250ml | 13% | 3.3 |
| Bottle of Wine | 750ml | 13% | 9.8 |
| Single Spirit | 25ml | 40% | 1.0 |
| Double Spirit | 50ml | 40% | 2.0 |
| Alcopop | 275ml | 5% | 1.4 |
| Prosecco Glass | 125ml | 12% | 1.5 |
| Champagne Glass | 125ml | 12% | 1.5 |
| Can of Lager | 440ml | 4% | 1.8 |
| Bottle of Beer | 330ml | 5% | 1.7 |
NHS Alcohol Guidelines 2025/26
The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend:
Key Guidelines
- Maximum 14 units per week for both men and women
- Spread drinking over 3+ days if you drink up to 14 units
- Have several alcohol-free days each week
- Avoid binge drinking (8+ units men, 6+ units women in one session)
- Pregnant women should avoid alcohol completely
What Does 14 Units Look Like?
14 units is equivalent to:
- 6 pints of standard lager (4%)
- 6 medium glasses of wine (175ml, 13%)
- 14 single measures of spirits (25ml, 40%)
- 1.5 bottles of wine
Health Risks of Exceeding Guidelines
Regularly drinking more than 14 units per week increases your risk of:
- Liver disease: Fatty liver, cirrhosis, liver cancer
- Cancers: Mouth, throat, breast, liver, bowel
- Heart disease: High blood pressure, stroke
- Mental health: Depression, anxiety, memory problems
What is an Alcohol Unit?
One UK alcohol unit equals 10 millilitres (10ml) or 8 grams (8g) of pure alcohol. This is approximately the amount an average adult can process in one hour.
The Formula
Examples
- Pint of 4% beer: (568 × 4) ÷ 1000 = 2.27 units
- 175ml glass of 13% wine: (175 × 13) ÷ 1000 = 2.28 units
- 25ml spirit at 40%: (25 × 40) ÷ 1000 = 1.0 unit
Why ABV Matters
ABV (Alcohol by Volume) varies significantly between drinks:
| Drink Type | Typical ABV Range |
|---|---|
| Light Beer / Low Alcohol | 0.5% - 2% |
| Standard Lager | 3.5% - 4.5% |
| Craft Beer / Strong Lager | 5% - 8% |
| Cider | 4% - 8% |
| Wine | 11% - 15% |
| Fortified Wine (Sherry, Port) | 17% - 22% |
| Spirits | 37.5% - 40% |
Tips for Reducing Your Alcohol Intake
1. Track Your Units
Most people underestimate how much they drink. Use this calculator or the Drinkaware app to track your actual consumption against the 14 unit weekly limit.
2. Use Smaller Glasses
Wine glasses have grown from 125ml to 250ml. Switch to smaller glasses and you'll automatically drink less. Measure your home pours - they're often 50-100% larger than pub measures.
3. Alternate with Water
Have a glass of water between each alcoholic drink. This slows your consumption, keeps you hydrated, and reduces hangover symptoms.
4. Choose Lower ABV Options
Switching from 5.5% craft beer to 4% session lager reduces units by 27%. Low-alcohol beers (0.5%) are now widely available and taste much better than they used to.
5. Have Alcohol-Free Days
Give your liver time to recover. The NHS recommends several alcohol-free days per week. Start with 2-3 days and build up.
6. Avoid Rounds
Buying rounds means drinking at the fastest person's pace. Buy your own drinks and drink at your own speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
One UK alcohol unit equals 10ml (8g) of pure alcohol. It's the amount an average adult can process in approximately one hour. The formula is: Units = (Volume in ml × ABV%) ÷ 1000. So a pint of 4% beer contains (568 × 4) ÷ 1000 = 2.3 units.
The safest approach is not to drink at all if you're driving. The UK drink-drive limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (or 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has a lower limit of 50mg/100ml blood.
As a rough guide, this could be exceeded by just 1-2 units, but it depends on many factors including body weight, metabolism, gender, and whether you've eaten. Many people are still over the limit the morning after drinking.
On average, your liver processes one unit of alcohol per hour. Nothing can speed this up - coffee, food, water, and sleep don't help. If you drink 8 units, expect it to take about 8 hours to clear your system completely.
This is why many morning-after drivers are still over the limit. If you drink 10 units (4-5 pints) finishing at midnight, alcohol won't leave your system until approximately 10am the next morning.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming 8 or more units in a single session for men, or 6 or more units for women. This is roughly:
- 3-4 pints of beer for men
- 2-3 pints of beer for women
- About half a bottle of wine
Binge drinking causes acute health risks including accidents, injuries, and alcohol poisoning, as well as long-term liver damage.
Not necessarily. UK law allows drinks labeled "alcohol-free" to contain up to 0.05% ABV. "Low-alcohol" drinks can contain up to 1.2% ABV.
However, even at 0.5% ABV, you'd need to drink about 50 pints to reach the same alcohol content as 14 units of regular beer. Alcohol-free options are a much safer choice for reducing consumption.
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram - nearly as much as fat (9 cal/g) and more than protein or carbs (4 cal/g). These are "empty calories" with no nutritional value. Examples:
- Pint of lager: 180-230 calories
- Large glass of wine: 200-250 calories
- Bottle of wine: 600-750 calories
- Double vodka + mixer: 150-200 calories
A typical night out can easily add 500-1000+ calories from alcohol alone.
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