Tim Powers

Law Offices of Tim Powers

940.580.2899

Denton, Texas

Going out to the bar and drinking with friends can be just what someone needs after a stressful week or a long day at work. However, whether it’s a ‘one relaxing beer’ kind of night, or you’re looking for something stiff to dilute the pain of the work week, it is always important to be aware of how much you’ve had to drink if you’re going to be driving home.

However, many people have a hard time judging whether or not they have had too much to drink or if they should drive home because most people do not understand the alcohol equivalents of different drinks. It can be hard to know if you’re over the legal limit if you don’t even know how many drinks it takes for your body to get to that point.

Having a better understanding of alcohol equivalence will help drinkers make wise choices when it comes to driving after a night at the bar. First, it is important to understand what constitutes as a “drink” and how much alcohol is in a standard serving size. Let’s see how much you already know about alcohol equivalence:

True or False: Beer and wine contain just as much alcohol as liquor in standard servings.

True! Many people are fooled into thinking that “just having a couple of beers” before driving home from the bar is safer than having a couple glasses of wine or a few shots of your favorite scotch. This is typically because the percentage of alcohol in beer (around 5%) is much lower than in wine (12%) and liquor (around 40%). However, what many people tend to forget is the serving size that these drinks come in.

Beer is typically served in 12 ounce glasses, wine in 5 ounce glasses and liquor in 1.5 ounce shot glasses. When you factor in these serving sizes, it works out that different factors that can affect the amount of alcohol in a standard serving size:

Beer: While an average beer has an alcohol percentage around 5%, different types of beers can alter the percentage. For instance, an “ice” beer can have an alcohol content as high as 7%, but a light beer may be as low as 3%. Also, malt beer is usually much higher in alcohol content than an average beer.

Mixed Drinks: Mixed drinks are calculated as having around 1.5 ounces of an 80-proof liqueur. However, the range of proof in liqueurs can range greatly depending on the maker and the brand. For instance, some rum may be around the average of 80 proof, while other rum, “151″ is named after its proof.

Knowing about the standard size and alcohol equivalence of different drinks can help eliminate the danger of misusing alcohol and allow drivers to make wise choices when driving after a night of drinking. No matter what type of drink you prefer, it is always important to drink responsibly.

If you are seeking aggressive criminal representation by an experienced criminal defense attorney for your Denton County DWI case or arrest in Denton County, contact the offices of Tim Powers today. There is no charge or obligation for the initial consultation. 940.580.2899

*Tim Powers is an attorney licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice. For legal advice about any specific legal question you should directly consult an attorney.

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