| Size | US drinks | UK units | Irish | Australian | Canadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 fl oz can or bottle (355 ml) | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| 16 fl oz can (473 ml) | 1.3 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| 24 fl oz can (710 ml) | 2.0 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.1 |
US drinks: US standard drinks (0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol). UK units: 10 ml of pure alcohol. Irish: standard drinks of 10 g. Australian: standard drinks of 10 g. Canadian: standard drinks of 341 ml of 5% beer.
12 fl oz can or bottle (355 ml) of hard seltzer at other strengths
Find the % vol or ABV on your label. The numbers are our arithmetic, not typical strengths.
| Strength | US drinks | UK units | Irish | Australian | Canadian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | 0.8 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 |
| 4.5% | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| 5% | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| 6% | 1.2 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| 7% | 1.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 |
| 8% | 1.6 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
Hard seltzer cans in standard drinks
At 5%, a 12 fl oz can of hard seltzer holds the same alcohol as a 12 fl oz can of 5% beer: 1.0 US standard drinks. A 16 fl oz can at 5% is 1.3 and a 24 fl oz can at 5% is 2.0.
At 8%, those three cans hold 1.6, 2.1 and 3.2 US standard drinks.
NIAAA's hard seltzer example
NIAAA's chart counts 8 to 10 fl oz of malt liquor or flavoured malt beverage, such as hard seltzer, at about 7% as one standard drink, shown in a 12 oz glass. A full 12 fl oz can at 7% is 1.4 standard drinks, which is why the strength on your can matters more than its size.
Hard seltzer in UK units
With the NHS formula (strength × ml ÷ 1,000), a 330 ml can at 4% is 1.3 units and at 5% 1.7; a 12 fl oz can at 5% is 1.8 units.
Work it out for your hard seltzer
The calculator opens on the 12 fl oz can or bottle (355 ml) at 5%. Change the size or strength to match yours.
A typical strength is filled in. Check your label.
That is
1.0 US standard drinks
= 1.8 UK units
= 1.4 Irish standard drinks
= 1.4 Australian standard drinks
= 1.0 Canadian standard drinks
Each one is 1.0 × one US standard drink:
Common questions
Is a 24 oz hard seltzer more than one drink?
Yes. A 24 fl oz can at 5% is 2.0 US standard drinks, and at 8% it is 3.2. For comparison, a 12 fl oz can at 5% is 1.0.
How many shots are in a hard seltzer?
By alcohol, a 12 fl oz can at 5% holds as much as 1.0 shots of 40% spirits of 1.5 fl oz each, since each of those shots is one US standard drink. A 24 fl oz can at 8% holds as much as 3.2.
How many units are in a can of hard seltzer?
At 4.5%, a 330 ml can is 1.5 UK units and a 12 fl oz (355 ml) can is 1.6. At 5% they are 1.7 and 1.8.
When to get help
This site offers self-help tools and information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, or call one of the lines below, if:
- you feel shaky, sweaty, sick or anxious when you haven't had a drink;
- you find it hard to stop once you start, or you want to cut down and can't;
- drinking is causing problems with your health, work or the people close to you.
Before you stop: It can be very dangerous to stop drinking suddenly if you are dependent on alcohol. If you get withdrawal symptoms, get medical help before you try to stop drinking.
Free, confidential helplines
- United States:SAMHSA National Helpline1-800-662-HELP (4357)Treatment referral and information, 24/7.
- United States:988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988Free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7.
- United Kingdom:Drinkline0300 123 1110The national alcohol helpline, free and in complete confidence. Weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm.
In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Sources
- What Is A Standard Drink?. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). niaaa.nih.gov
- How Many Drinks are in Common Containers?. NIAAA Rethinking Drinking. rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov
- Alcohol units. NHS. nhs.uk
- Weekly low-risk alcohol guidelines. Health Service Executive (Ireland). hse.ie
- Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. ccsa.ca
- Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. National Health and Medical Research Council. nhmrc.gov.au
Page last reviewed 2026-10-04.
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