Which combination correctly lists the standard beverage sizes that have similar alcohol content?

• A. 2 oz whisky, 8 oz wine, 16 oz beer
• B. 3 oz whisky, 6 oz wine, 8 oz beer
• C. 1-1/2 oz whisky, 5 oz wine, 12 oz beer
• D. 1 oz whisky, 4 oz wine, 8 oz beer

Answer: (C)

Standard drinks are defined as beverages that deliver roughly the same amount of alcohol, so you can compare how much you’ve consumed regardless of the drink type. One standard drink contains about 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. That amount comes from about 1.5 ounces of 80-proof whiskey, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. The combination that matches this equivalence is 1-1/2 ounces of whisky, 5 ounces of wine, and 12 ounces of beer, since each portion provides roughly the same amount of alcohol. The other sets use pours that are either larger or smaller, so they don’t balance to the same 0.6-ounce amount of ethanol.