How many is too many?

Well that depends on the size of your drink and what you're drinking. And this seems to be where a lot of us get caught out as not all drinks are equal.

Alcohol affects everyone in different ways and it’s important to know that drinking is never completely safe.

The Australian Alcohol Guidelines* recommend:

  • healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks in a week, and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day
  • people under 18, and women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding shouldn't drink any alcohol.

*Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Alcohol (NHMRC 2020)

What is a standard drink?

A standard drink might be less than you think because alcoholic drinks are sold and served in many different sizes. This can make it difficult to know how many standard drinks you’re having. For example, a bottle of beer or a glass of wine is often more than one 'standard drink'.

An Australian standard drink contains 10g of alcohol (12.5ml of pure alcohol). One standard drink is 285ml of full-strength beer, a 100ml glass of wine, or 30ml of spirits.

Tracking how many standard drinks you’re consuming can help you follow the guidelines so you can stay as healthy as possible. If you’re driving, track your standard drinks to make sure you stay under the limit.

 

  • Light beer

    425ml 2.7% alc/vol

  • Sparkling wine

    100ml 13% alc/vol

  • Mid-strength beer

    375ml 3.5% alc/vol

  • Wine

    100ml 13% alc/vol

  • Full-strength beer

    285ml 4.9% alc/vol

  • Regular cider

    285ml 4.9% alc/vol

  • Pre-mixed spirits

    275ml 5% alc/vol

  • Straight spirits

    30ml 40% alc/vol

Last updated: April 2024