What is the alcohol percentage of beer in the US?
NIAAA lists regular beer at about 5% alcohol by volume. Some light beers are around 4.2%, malt liquor and flavored malt drinks about 7%, and some craft beers reach 10%.
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Alcohol Content and Calories Chart (PDF)
ABV, proof, calories, carbs and grams of alcohol per serving for beer, wine, spirits and liqueurs. Every line shows its source and the date we read it. Print it or keep it on your phone.
- Typical beer, wine and spirits strengths from the NIAAA
- USDA values for typical drinks and the makers' own figures for Kahlua, Baileys, Cointreau, Patron, Tito's and more
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We use your email only for this download.Beer strength by type
| Type | ABV (NIAAA) |
|---|---|
| Some light beers | 4.2% |
| Regular beer | 5% |
| Malt liquor, flavored malt drinks | 7% |
| Some craft beers | 10% |
NIAAA’s standard drink is 12 fl oz of regular beer, 14 grams of pure alcohol. A 10% craft beer of the same size has about double the alcohol, roughly two standard drinks in 12 fl oz (our calculation).
Check the label
Strength varies widely by brand, so read the can or bottle. Larger containers add up: NIAAA’s chart lists 16 fl oz of 5% beer as 1 and 1/3 standard drinks and 40 fl oz as 3 1/3.
Try the standard drink calculator for your beer.
People also ask
What is the average ABV of beer?
NIAAA lists regular beer at about 5%. It does not publish a single average.
How strong is craft beer?
NIAAA notes some craft beers are as high as 10% ABV.
How many drinks are in a 16 oz beer?
1 and 1/3 standard drinks if it is 5% ABV.
Sources
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