Basic Alcohol Information
Booze, drink, beverage, bev(y), swally
Alcoholic drinks consist mainly of flavoured water and ethyl alcohol (ethanol). They are made by the fermentation of fruits, vegetables or grains. Beer, lager and cider are usually about one part ethanol to 20 parts water although some brands may be twice as strong as others. Wine is about twice to four times as strong and distilled spirits such as whisky, rum and gin are about half water and half ethanol.
Below is some information on the relative strengths of various kinds of alcoholic drinks. The term ABV means 'alcohol by volume' or what percentage of the total liquid is actually alcohol.
The unit of alcohol measure is used to determine medical guidelines as to what are supposed to be safe levels of drinking for men and women per week. Safe drinking limits are given as daily maximums.
Authorities recommend that men should drink no more than three to four units a day and women no more than two to three units a day. It is also suggested that having one or two alcohol free days per week is wise.
A unit of alcohol is equivalent to:
These are measures of alcohol as might be bought in a restaurant or pub. Many drinks poured at home will be more generous and so contain more units of alcohol.
Alcopops
Most of these have an ABV of 4 - 5.5% with a range of units from 1.5-1.75 per bottle. The most well-known brands are the alcoholic lemonades and there are also alcoholic colas, fruit flavoured drinks and those using spirits such as vodka and tequila.
Spirits
Most standard 700 ml bottles of whisky, vodka or rum have an ABV of around 40% containing 25-30 units of alcohol.
Wine
Most wines are produced with an ABV of around 10-13% in a standard 750ml bottle containing 7-10 units
of alcohol. Wines from hotter climates such as Italian and Californian wines tend to be stronger at 12 to 13% ABV while those from cooler climates such as Germany are usually 8 to 10%. Therefore a regular pub glass (125ml) of 12% wine is the equivalent of roughly 1.5 units. Fortified wines are even stronger, with drinks like Buckfast and Eldorado being as strong as 17%.
Sherry is usually produced with an ABV of 15-20% giving around 13-14 units of alcohol for a typical 750ml bottle
Cider
This varies in strength from the low alcohol varieties such as Strongbow LA with an ABV of just 0.9% up to the white ciders' with an ABV of around 8.4%. Bottles usually contain 330ml; cans 440ml. A can of one of the stronger ciders contains around 2.5-3.5 units of alcohol.
Beer and lager
Most popular types of bitter beer are around 3.5 to 4.1% ABV - giving around 2 -2.25 units for a pint and 1.5 to 1.75 units for a 440 ml can.
The strength of lager beers can vary widely and ranges from very low strength drinks like Barbican (0.02% ABV) to super strong' lagers at anything up to 10%. But like bitter beers, many popular lagers are around 3.5-4% ABV providing 1.5-1.75 units in a 440ml can and 2-2.25 units in a pint.
If you want a full list of the ABV and unit content of over 3,500 different drinks by brand name in a booklet called The Big List, contact Hard Rain Productions PO Box 38, Ashton-under-Lyme, Lancs OL6 8GT and ask for a copy of The Big List. It costs £1.95 each, 10 copies for £14.95. Further discounts available. Postage free in the UK; add 10% for Europe, 15% rest of the world.
A different type of alcohol produced from wood (methyl alcohol) is used in methylated spirits and surgical spirit. Some down and out alcoholics ('meths' drinkers) drink this type of alcohol because it is cheap. Methyl alcohol is poisonous and can cause blindness, coma and death.
Unlike most drugs, alcohol has food value and supplies calories. One gram of alcohol supplies seven calories, almost twice the number of calories as one gram of carbohydrate. A pint of beer can supply as many calories as six slices of bread. Beer provides very little protein or vitamin and distilled spirits provide none at all.
LATEST UK NEWS
Alcohol is our most popular drug. Over 90% of British adults drink alcohol. On average men drink the equivalent of a pint and a half of beer a day, women about half a pint. One in five men drink more than three pints of beer at least once a week.
Getting drunk is very common. Nearly half the male population and one in seven women will have been drunk in the past three months.
Young people drink more alcohol than older people. In the late teens and early twenties alcohol consumption is 40-50% higher. Despite the licensing laws about 60 per cent of 13 -17 year olds have bought alcohol in a pub or off-licence. In the 13 -16 year old age group about a third drink at least once a week. Some of this is in the home drinking small amounts.
However, many young people also drink in pubs and clubs as well as on the streets or in parks.
Young people tend to get drunk more often, drink more in one session and drink stronger beers, lagers and ciders. The last few years have seen new drinks coming on to the market which are targeted at the younger age group. Extra strong lagers and ciders have been followed by alcopops' - drinks with high alcoholic strength which do not taste of alcohol.
The UK has over 80,000 pubs and similar 'on-licensed' premises, over 50,000 off-licenses (an increasing number of which are in supermarkets), plus over 60,000 licensed restaurants and clubs.
Restrictions on advertising alcohol are less stringent than with tobacco. Unlike tobacco, alcohol is regularly advertised on T.V. Adverts are not supposed to be directed at young people, encourage excessive use or to link drink with driving.