What is a standard drink in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, one standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol. This is different from other countries: the US standard is 14 grams, the UK is 8 grams (one unit), and Australia is also 10 grams. The formula is: standard drinks = volume (litres) x alcohol percentage (ABV) x 0.789 (density of ethanol in kg/L). For example, a 330ml can of 5% beer contains 330 x 0.05 x 0.789 / 10 = 1.3 standard drinks.

How many standard drinks is a glass of wine?

A standard 150ml glass of wine at 13% ABV contains approximately 1.5 standard drinks. A large 250ml glass at 14% ABV contains approximately 2.8 standard drinks. A full 750ml bottle of wine at 13% ABV contains approximately 7.7 standard drinks. Wine servings at restaurants and bars are often larger than people realise.

What are the NZ low-risk drinking guidelines?

The current NZ alcohol guidelines recommend: for both men and women, no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any single occasion. At least 2 alcohol-free days per week are recommended. These guidelines were updated in 2020 to align with emerging research on alcohol and health. Pregnant women are advised not to drink alcohol at all.

How do I calculate standard drinks?

The formula is: Standard drinks = Volume (in litres) x ABV (%) x 0.789 divided by 10. The 0.789 figure is the density of ethanol (alcohol) in kilograms per litre. The 10 is because one NZ standard drink equals 10 grams of pure alcohol. For example: a 500ml bottle of craft beer at 6.5% ABV = 0.5 x 6.5 x 0.789 / 10 = 2.56 standard drinks.

Why does NZ use 10 grams and the US uses 14 grams?

Different countries chose different reference amounts when establishing their drinking guidelines. New Zealand and Australia both use 10 grams, which aligns with WHO recommendations. The US uses 14 grams, the UK uses 8 grams (called a 'unit'), and Japan uses 19.75 grams. This means drinking guidelines are not directly comparable between countries without converting to the same standard.

Standard Drink Calculator NZ

Work out how many New Zealand standard drinks are in your beer, wine, spirits, RTD, or cider. One NZ standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol. Enter the volume and alcohol percentage of your beverage below, or use the quick presets for common drink types. Understanding standard drinks helps you track your intake against New Zealand's low-risk drinking guidelines.

Country	Grams of Pure Alcohol
New Zealand	10g
Australia	10g
United Kingdom	8g (1 unit)
United States	14g
Canada	13.6g
Japan	19.75g
WHO recommendation	10g

Country

Grams of Pure Alcohol

New Zealand

10g

Australia

10g

United Kingdom

8g (1 unit)

United States

14g

Canada

13.6g

Japan

19.75g

WHO recommendation

10g

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Standard Drink Calculator NZ

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Standard Drinks by Country

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