What constitutes one standard drink?

• A. 8 oz beer, 6 oz wine, 1 oz hard liquor
• B. 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1.5 oz hard liquor
• C. 16 oz beer, 4 oz wine, 2 oz hard liquor
• D. 10 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1 oz hard liquor

Answer: (B)

One standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure ethanol, which is roughly 0.6 fluid ounces. In everyday terms, that’s about a 12-ounce beer (roughly 5% ABV), a 5-ounce glass of wine (about 12% ABV), or a 1.5-ounce shot of distilled spirits (80-proof, about 40% ABV). The option listed as 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, and 1.5 oz hard liquor matches these practical equivalents, so each beverage type contributes about the same amount of alcohol. The other choices mix volumes that would yield more or less ethanol than one standard drink, so they don’t represent a standard drink across the categories.