This involved multiplying the serving size of the drink (millilitres) by the alcohol content (% ABV) of the drink and dividing by 1.25 (1 ml=1.25 g) to establish the grams of pure alcohol in that specific drink (Table 1). To establish the standard drink in Ireland, the first step was to calculate the amount of pure alcohol in each of the alcoholic beverages.
It is therefore not appropriate to use the UK unit measure when describing a standard drink in Ireland. Although the UK unit was used in Ireland, it did not reflect the typical strength or serving measure of drinks sold in Ireland, where a single measure of spirits is larger, at 1/4 gill. A ‘UK unit of alcohol’ is found in a half pint of beer (3.5% ABV) or a small glass of wine (100 ml) or a single measure of spirits (1/6 gill) and equals 8 grams of pure alcohol. The measure used was called a ‘unit of alcohol’ and related to the most common drinks and alcohol content of drinks served in the UK. The purpose was to help scientists and health professionals in the clinical setting estimate alcohol consumption for comparative purposes. The UK unit was devised in the early 1970s as a simple method to calculate the alcoholic strength in different drinks. Part of the confusion stems from the use of the ‘UK unit’, which is inappropriate in the Irish context. In Ireland, there is much confusion about what constitutes a typical or ‘standard drink’.
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