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 Alcohol

  KNOW IT		  Alcohol

• All alcoholic drinks contain pure alcohol (ethanol) in different amounts. The strength of the alcoholic drinks is shown on the label by a number followed by ‘Alcohol % vol’, ‘% vol’ or ‘% ABV.’ The higher the percentage, the stronger the drink.

• One way of comparing the amount of alcohol in different types of drinks is using ‘units’. One unit is the same as 1 cl of pure alcohol. Each of the following contains one unit.
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A small glass of wine (9% ABV, but many wines are 11 or 12% ABV) = 1 UNIT Half pint of ordinary strength lager/beer/cider = (3.5% ABV, but many bottled beers are 4-5% ABV) = 1 UNIT

A 25ml pub measure of spirit (40% ABV) = 1 UNIT

 A 330 ml bottle of alcopops (5% ABV) = 1.7 UNITs

(ABV = alcohol by volume)

• Alcopops often contain more alcohol than many beers, lagers or ciders.


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