Counting drinks in units rather than glasses lets you compare different drinks. The NHS says strength (ABV %) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000 = units, and that if you drink most weeks, men and women shouldn’t regularly drink more than 14 units a week, spreading it over 3 or more days if you drink that much. Enter the strength and volume from the label below. This sets out the NHS page “Calculating alcohol units”.
1. Units = ABV (%) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000. A pint (568 ml) of 5.2% lager is 2.95 units.
2. No more than 14 units a week for men and women — spread over 3 or more days if you drink that much.
3. To cut down, have several drink-free days each week.
Updates as you type. Units use the NHS formula strength (ABV %) × volume (ml) ÷ 1,000; 14 units a week is the NHS low-risk guideline. Grams use “1 unit = 8g of pure alcohol” (NHS). The default 16.5% × 360 ml assumes a bottle of soju — our example; enter the figures on your bottle.
NHS examples — units per drink
| Drink | NHS units | Recalculated (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Small shot 25 ml, 40% | 1 unit | 40 × 25 ÷ 1,000 = 1.0 |
| Small wine 125 ml, 12% | 1.5 units | 12 × 125 ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 |
| Standard wine 175 ml, 12% | 2.1 units | 12 × 175 ÷ 1,000 = 2.1 |
| Large wine 250 ml, 12% | 3 units | 12 × 250 ÷ 1,000 = 3.0 |
| Pint (568 ml), 3.6% | 2 units | 3.6 × 568 ÷ 1,000 = 2.04 |
| Pint (568 ml), 5.2% | 3 units | 5.2 × 568 ÷ 1,000 = 2.95 |
The NHS rounds 2.04 and 2.95 to 2 and 3 units in its list. It adds that a large (35 ml) single measure of spirits is 1.4 units.
Korean drinks — our examples
| Inputs (our example) | Sum | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Soju bottle 16.5% × 360 ml | 16.5 × 360 ÷ 1,000 | 5.94 units |
| Beer can 4.5% × 500 ml | 4.5 × 500 ÷ 1,000 | 2.25 units |
| Makgeolli bottle 6% × 750 ml | 6 × 750 ÷ 1,000 | 4.5 units |
These strengths and sizes are our examples of common Korean products; use the figures on your label. On these numbers, two and a half bottles of soju pass 14 units (5.94 × 2.5 = 14.85).
Reading the 14 units — NHS
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Guideline | If you drink most weeks, no more than 14 units a week for men and women | — |
| Spreading | If you drink as much as 14 units, spread it over 3 or more days | Not all at once |
| Cutting down | Have several drink-free days each week | — |
The guideline and table are explained in alcohol units; this post is the calculator for doing the sum.
Checklist
- ☐ Check the ABV (%) and volume (ml) on the label
- ☐ ABV × volume ÷ 1,000 = units
- ☐ Is the weekly total 14 units or less?
- ☐ Near 14: spread over 3+ days; add drink-free days
Questions that remain
Is this the Korean guideline?
This calculator uses the UK NHS guideline. We didn’t read Korean agency guidance this time.
What’s the daily limit?
This page gives no daily limit; it gives 14 units a week and spreading over 3 or more days.
Sources
- NHS — Calculating alcohol units — source (page shows: reviewed 27 August 2024, next review 27 August 2027; checked 19 October 2026). Formula, the 2.95-unit example, 14 units a week, 3+ days, drink-free days, 6 example drinks and the 35 ml 1.4-unit note (all recalculated).
- Also used. “1 unit = 8g of pure alcohol” from the same NHS unit explanation, as set out in our alcohol units post.
- Not read. Korean agency drinking guidelines.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where else to check
- The product label — exact strength and volume.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
