What is a ‘standard drink’? ICAP Report 5

Abstract

BACKGROUND The practice of standardizing drinks has long been implemented in commercial settings in which alcohol is available. Drink measures poured in licensed premises are used to standardize the volume of a given beverage sold to patrons and are controlled by licensing authorities. Commercial measures of most forms of beverage alcohol often vary from one country to another and are largely shaped by drinking customs. In many European countries, for example, wine is served in decilitre increments, and the British pint and half-pint are the staple servings of draught beer in pubs. Serving sizes of spirits are also often standardized in most industrialized countries.