Beer · Explainer
How many standard drinks are there in a speciality beer?
A standard drink contains about 10 grams of alcohol, about 12 millilitres pure. A 33 centilitre bottle of speciality beer with 8 percent by volume contains 26.4 millilitres of alcohol and therefore counts as well over two standard drinks. At 10 percent by volume that is 33 millilitres, almost three standard drinks. A small glass of lager of 250 millilitres with 5 percent by volume comes to 12.5 millilitres and counts as one standard drink.
In brief
The key figures
| Standard drink | about 10 grams of alcohol, about 12 millilitres pure |
|---|---|
| Pils 25 centilitres, 5 percent ABV | 12.5 millilitres of alcohol, about 1 standard drink |
| Specialty beer 33 centilitres, 8 percent by volume | 26.4 millilitres of alcohol, about 2.2 standard glasses |
| Quadrupel 33 centilitres, 10 percent by volume | 33 millilitres of alcohol, about 2.8 standard drinks |
| Imperial stout 33 centilitres, 12 percent by volume | 39.6 milliliters of alcohol, about 3.3 standard glasses |
| Bottle of 75 centiliter, 8 volumeprocent | 60 millilitres of alcohol, about 5 standard glasses |
| Label tolerance up to and including 5.5 percent by volume | 0.5 percent by volume |
| Label tolerance above 5.5 percent by volume | 1 percent by volume |
How do you calculate standard drinks?
Multiply the volume in millilitres by the alcohol percentage, divide by one hundred and divide the result by twelve.
The Trimbos-instituut counts a standard drink as about 10 grams of alcohol, which comes to about 12 millilitres of pure alcohol. For a 330 millilitre bottle at 8 percent by volume the calculation goes like this: 330 times 8 is 2640, divided by one hundred is 26.4 millilitres of alcohol, divided by twelve is 2.2 standard drinks. The same calculation works for any glass and any bottle.
Why does a bottle of specialty beer count for more than a pils?
A specialty beer is often at 8 to 11 percent by volume, twice as much as pils, and also comes more often in a bottle of 33 centilitres.
Twee factoren werken op elkaar in: de fles is groter en het percentage is hoger. Een vaasje pils van 250 milliliter met 5 volumeprocent geeft 12,5 milliliter alcohol. Een fles tripel van 330 milliliter met 8 volumeprocent geeft 26,4 milliliter, ruim het dubbele. Wie drie flessen tripel drinkt, zit op ongeveer zes standaardglazen. NIX18: wij verkopen geen alcohol onder de achttien.
How accurate is the percentage on the label?
For beer above 5.5 percent by volume the actual alcohol content may deviate by 1 percent by volume from what is on the label.
The permitted deviation is set out in the labelling rules under Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. For beer up to and including 5.5 percent by volume the tolerance is 0.5 percent by volume, above that 1 percent by volume. A bottle with 8 percent by volume on the label may therefore contain between 7 and 9 percent by volume. In standard drinks that makes a difference between 1.9 and 2.5 per 33 centilitre bottle.
Does every beer state the alcohol percentage?
Drinks with more than 1.2 percent alcohol by volume must state the actual alcoholic strength by volume on the label.
The obligation is in article 9 of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. For the same drinks the obligation to give an ingredient list and a nutrition declaration does lapse, under article 16 paragraph 4. On a bottle of beer of 8 percent by volume the percentage is therefore stated, but the number of calories need not be. Alcohol-free beer up to 1.2 percent by volume falls outside that exemption.
How many standard drinks are in a 75 centilitre bottle?
A bottle of 750 millilitres at 8 volume percent contains 60 millilitres of pure alcohol and therefore roughly five standard glasses.
The large bottle is meant for sharing. With four people, each gets about 1.3 standard glasses. At 10 percent by volume, the bottle holds up to 75 millilitres of alcohol, well over six standard glasses. So pour such a bottle in small glasses and put water on the table too.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which beers of 8 percent ABV or more are available in Bathmen?
The shop in Bathmen stocks 395 beers from 126 different brands from 11 countries. Prices range from € 1.65 to € 109.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 8% to 20%.
- 't Zwarte Schoap Bliejschoap! Tripel 8.7% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- 't Zwarte Schoap De Verschoappeling Pale Dubbel Bock 8.4% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- 't Zwarte Schoap Het Lam Oaked Quadrupel 10% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- 't Zwarte Schoap Het Lam Oaked Quadrupel 10% · 75 cl · Netherlands
- Abbaye d'Aulne Cuvee Royale 9% · 75 cl · Belgium
- Achel Tripel Abdijbier 8% · 33 cl · Belgium
- Affligem Tripel 9% · 720 cl · Belgium
- Affligem Tripel 9% · 30 cl · Belgium
- Barbar Blond Honingbier 8% · 33 cl · Belgium
- Barbar Bok 8.5% · 33 cl · Belgium
Related questions
Is beer gluten-free?Is beer from a can different from beer from a bottle?Can beer freeze, and is it still good afterwards?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- How many standard glasses are there in a crate of pils?
- A crate of 24 bottles of 30 centilitres of pils at 5 percent alcohol by volume contains 360 millilitres of pure alcohol, about 30 standard glasses.
- Is a standard glass the same everywhere?
- No. The Netherlands uses about 10 grams of alcohol per standard glass; other countries use other values, so guidelines cannot be compared without conversion.
- How much alcohol is there in non-alcoholic beer?
- According to the Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, alcohol-free beer contains at most 0.1 percent alcohol by volume. A 33 centilitre bottle thus comes to at most 0.33 millilitres of alcohol.
- Does a radler count too?
- Yes. Go by the percentage on the label: 250 millilitres of radler of 2 percent by volume gives 5 millilitres of alcohol, about 0.4 standard glass.
The reasoning
Sources
- Drinkadvies alcohol, Trimbos-instituut, Expertisecentrum Alcohol (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Handleiding bij Etiketteringsverordening 1169/2011, Nederlandse Brouwers (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Verordening (EU) nr. 1169/2011 betreffende de verstrekking van voedselinformatie aan consumenten, EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Warenwetbesluit Gereserveerde aanduidingen, Overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-07)
- Handboek Accijns, bier: alcoholpercentage en Platogehalte, Douane (accessed 2026-09-07)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 2 October 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.