How many standard drinks are in a beer?
"One beer" sounds like one drink. It usually isn't. A schooner of full-strength beer is about 1.6 Australian standard drinks, and a pint is closer to 2.2. Because a "beer" comes in half a dozen glass sizes and three different strengths, the honest answer depends on what's in your hand. Here's a clear table, the simple formula, and what it means for staying under the guidelines.
The short answer
A standard drink is a fixed amount of alcohol, but a beer is not a fixed amount of anything — the glass size and the strength both move the number. As a quick guide for full-strength beer (around 4.8% ABV):
- A pot / middy (285ml) ≈ 1.1 standard drinks
- A can / stubbie (375ml) ≈ 1.4 standard drinks
- A schooner (425ml) ≈ 1.6 standard drinks
- A pint (570ml) ≈ 2.2 standard drinks
So the only common beer that's genuinely close to a single standard drink is a mid-strength can or a small pot of full-strength. Everything else is more — sometimes a lot more.
What is an Australian standard drink?
An Australian standard drink contains 10 grams of pure alcohol, no matter the type of drink or the size of the glass. It's the fixed unit behind every guideline and every label. Because 10 grams is a set weight, the volume of beer that delivers it changes with strength. According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, one standard drink of full-strength beer is only about 285ml — a pot, not a pint.
This is where "one beer" gets slippery. A schooner isn't a standard drink; it's a schooner. Ordering three schooners of full-strength beer is closer to five standard drinks than three.
Standard drinks by beer size and strength
Australian beer comes in three broad strengths: full-strength (about 4.8%), mid-strength (about 3.5%) and light (about 2.7%). Here's how the common glass and can sizes work out for each:
| Serve | Full (4.8%) | Mid (3.5%) | Light (2.7%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot / middy — 285ml | ~1.1 | ~0.8 | ~0.6 |
| Can / stubbie — 375ml | ~1.4 | ~1.0 | ~0.8 |
| Schooner — 425ml | ~1.6 | ~1.2 | ~0.9 |
| Pint — 570ml | ~2.2 | ~1.6 | ~1.2 |
| Longneck — 750ml | ~2.8 | ~2.1 | ~1.6 |
The pattern is worth remembering: a full-strength schooner is more than one and a half standard drinks, a full-strength pint is more than two, and a longneck to yourself is nearly three. Mid-strength knocks roughly a quarter off every figure, and light beer close to half.
The formula (it's genuinely simple)
You can work out the standard drinks in any beer with one line of maths:
For a 425ml schooner at 4.8% ABV: 0.425 × 4.8 × 0.789 = 1.6 standard drinks.
The 0.789 is the specific gravity of ethanol — the weight of one litre of pure alcohol in kilograms. It converts the volume of alcohol into its weight, so the answer lines up with the 10-grams-per-standard-drink rule. You only need the two numbers already on the can: how much liquid, and how strong.
Why "a couple of beers" adds up fast
The trouble with beer isn't any single glass — it's the pace and the round. Because a schooner slips down easily and the number on it feels like "one", a relaxed afternoon can move past the guidelines without any moment that felt like a big drink.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) advises healthy adults to have no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day and no more than 10 in a week to reduce the risk of harm. Put a session next to that:
- Three full-strength schooners ≈ 4.8 standard drinks — already past the daily guideline.
- Two full-strength pints ≈ 4.4 standard drinks — likewise over.
- A six-pack of full-strength cans ≈ 8.4 standard drinks — more than double the daily guideline, and most of the weekly one.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation stresses these are guidelines for reducing risk, not targets — and that the less you drink, the lower your risk of alcohol-related harm over time.
Simple ways to keep count
You don't need to do sums at the bar. A few habits do most of the work:
- Know your glass. A schooner is not one drink — treat a full-strength schooner as "about 1.5" and a pint as "about 2" in your head.
- Order mid-strength. It cuts roughly a quarter of the alcohol from every glass while still tasting like a beer, which adds up over a session.
- Check the can. Every packaged beer in Australia prints its standard-drinks figure — craft cans especially, where the strength can surprise you.
- Alternate with water. It slows the round down and keeps you hydrated.
That's exactly what the Drink Buddy app is built for. Tap the beer you're having — pot, schooner, pint or can — and it keeps a running tally of your standard drinks, estimates your blood alcohol concentration in real time, and shows a live sobriety timer counting down to zero. No more guessing whether "a few beers" quietly became a lot.
Frequently asked questions
How many standard drinks are in a schooner of beer?
A 425ml schooner of full-strength beer (~4.8%) is about 1.6 standard drinks. Mid-strength is around 1.2 and light about 0.9. A full-strength schooner is not one standard drink.
Is a can of beer one standard drink?
Usually not. A 375ml can of full-strength beer is about 1.4 standard drinks. Only mid-strength cans (~3.5%) sit near one, and light cans around 0.8.
How do you calculate standard drinks in beer?
Volume in litres × ABV percentage × 0.789. For a 425ml schooner at 4.8%: 0.425 × 4.8 × 0.789 = about 1.6 standard drinks.
How many standard drinks are in a pint?
A 570ml pint of full-strength beer is about 2.2 standard drinks, a mid-strength pint about 1.6, and a light pint about 1.2.
Does mid-strength beer make a real difference?
Yes — moving from 4.8% to 3.5% cuts roughly a quarter of the alcohol from each glass, which over a session can keep you under a limit you'd otherwise pass.