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Alcohol units calculator

UK units from volume and ABV, using the official definition of a unit as 10 ml of pure ethanol. Arithmetic shown in full.

What units are and are not

A unit is a measure of how much pure alcohol a drink contains. It is not a target, a budget or a score. WineHQ reports the arithmetic and nothing else: what constitutes sensible drinking for you is a matter for you and, if it is a concern, a clinician — not for a wine website.

Printed on every label

Result

2.3 UK units

Units per serving: 2.28Against the UK low-risk guideline: The UK Chief Medical Officers advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days.
How this was worked out

Formula

units = (volume in ml × ABV% ÷ 100) ÷ 10

Where

  • V = 175 ml — Volume. The amount of wine in one serving.
  • A = 13 % — ABV. Alcohol by volume, as printed on the label.
  • n = 1 — Servings. How many servings of this size.
  • 100 = 100 — Percentage conversion. Converts the ABV percentage into a fraction, giving millilitres of pure ethanol.
  • 10 = 10 ml — Unit definition. One UK unit is defined as 10 ml (8 g) of pure ethanol. This is set by UK health guidance, not by WineHQ.

Steps

  1. Pure alcohol in one serving: 175 ml × 13 ÷ 100 = 22.8 ml of ethanol = 22.8 ml ethanol
  2. Convert to units: 22.8 ml ÷ 10 ml = 2.28 units = 2.28 units — One UK unit is defined as 10 ml of pure ethanol.
  3. Multiply by servings: 2.28 × 1 = 2.3 = 2.3 units

What this assumes

  • Uses the UK definition of an alcohol unit: 10 ml (8 g) of pure ethanol.
  • Assumes the ABV on the label is accurate. Labelling tolerances permit small variation.

Where it stops being reliable

  • Units measure alcohol content, not its effect. How alcohol affects a person depends on body size, sex, food, medication and much else.
  • Other countries define a standard drink differently, so unit counts do not transfer between jurisdictions.
  • WineHQ publishes this as arithmetic. For guidance on drinking, consult your national health service.

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