The science
How many calories are in alcohol?
Alcohol carries about 7 calories per gram — roughly 98 calories per US standard drink before mixers and carbs. Here's how beer, wine, and spirits compare.
How many standard drinks are in a 7% IPA?
A 16 oz pour of a 7% IPA is about 1.9 US standard drinks — nearly two. Here's the math, by can and by pint, and why hazy IPAs add up fast.
A US standard drink is a fixed amount of pure alcohol: 0.6 fluid ounces (about 14 grams). Every drink, no matter the style or strength, can be compared on this one scale. The formula is simple:
standard drinks = volume (oz) × ABV% ÷ 0.6
A 7% IPA by serving size
| Serving | Volume | Pure alcohol | Standard drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can | 12 oz | 0.84 oz | ≈ 1.4 |
| Pint | 16 oz | 1.12 oz | ≈ 1.9 |
| Imperial pint | 20 oz | 1.40 oz | ≈ 2.3 |
So a single hazy IPA pint is almost two standard drinks. Three pints over an evening is closer to six standard drinks — not three.
Why IPAs sneak up on you
Two things stack: IPAs run high ABV (7–9% is common), and they’re often poured as pints rather than 12 oz cans. A “couple of beers” at the brewery can quietly equal five or six standard drinks, which is why tracking by count alone is misleading.
The fix is to log what you actually drink in standard-drink terms — that’s exactly what PitchCount does automatically.
Frequently asked questions
How many standard drinks are in a 12 oz can of 7% IPA?
About 1.4 US standard drinks. A 12 oz can at 7% ABV contains 0.84 fl oz of pure alcohol, and one US standard drink is 0.6 fl oz — so 0.84 ÷ 0.6 ≈ 1.4.
How many standard drinks are in a 16 oz pint of 7% IPA?
About 1.87 standard drinks — call it two. A 16 oz pour at 7% ABV is 1.12 fl oz of alcohol, divided by 0.6 fl oz per standard drink.
Is a 7% IPA stronger than a regular beer?
Yes. A typical light lager is around 4.5% ABV, so a 7% IPA has roughly 55% more alcohol per ounce — and IPAs are often served in larger pours, which compounds the difference.
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The science
What is a standard drink? The complete guide
A US standard drink is a fixed amount of pure alcohol — 0.6 fl oz (14 g), about one 12 oz beer, a 5 oz glass of wine, or a 1.5 oz shot. Here's how to count any drink accurately.