How many units are in a pint of beer?
2.3units
That is a pint of 4% beer. One UK unit is 10ml of pure alcohol. The weekly guideline of 14 units works out at about 6 of these across a whole week.
A UK pint is 568ml. Strength is where pints differ, and it has moved recently: the 2023 duty change created a lower tax band at or below 3.4% ABV, and several familiar lagers were reformulated down to it.
Units by size and strength
| Drink | Size | Strength | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pint of 3.4% lager | 568ml | 3.4% | 1.9 |
| Pint of 3.8% bitter | 568ml | 3.8% | 2.2 |
| Pint of 4% beerMost common | 568ml | 4% | 2.3 |
| Pint of 4.5% lager | 568ml | 4.5% | 2.6 |
| Pint of 5% lager | 568ml | 5% | 2.8 |
| Pint of 5.6% strong lager | 568ml | 5.6% | 3.2 |
| Half pint of 4% | 284ml | 4% | 1.1 |
Four pints of 5% lager is 11.4 units, which is most of a week in a single evening and above the level at which a single session counts as heavy drinking.
How this is worked out
units = volume (ml) × ABV (%) ÷ 1000
For a pint of 4% beer: 568 × 4 ÷ 1000 = 2.3 units.
Try the unit calculatorThe weekly guideline
The UK Chief Medical Officers advise no more than 14units a week for men and women alike, spread over three days or more, with several drink-free days. Drinking a week's worth in one session carries its own risks, separate from the weekly total.
If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Speak to your GP before cutting down sharply.
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