One standard alcoholic drink contains approximately how many ounces of pure alcohol?

• A. 0.6 ounces
• B. 0.5 ounces
• C. 1.0 ounce
• D. 0.3 ounces

Answer: (A)

A standard drink is defined by the amount of pure alcohol, not the beverage’s volume. In the United States, that amount is about 14 grams of ethanol, which is roughly 0.6 fluid ounces. This means different beverages deliver about the same amount of alcohol: a 12-ounce beer at about 5% ABV, a 5-ounce glass of wine at about 12% ABV, and a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor at about 40% ABV each provide roughly 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. So the value most people use for a standard drink is about 0.6 ounces. Choices like 0.5, 1.0, or 0.3 ounces are simply different approximations or multiples, but 0.6 ounces is the standard reference.