Units and calories in ale and stout

Beers, including ales and stout, are the most bought type of alcoholic drink in pubs in Great Britain.¹

And Drinkaware research has found that ale and stout are also commonly drunk at home by people who consume more than the UK low risk drinking guidelines² - It’s safest not to drink more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days, with several drink-free days - and no bingeing.

Regularly drinking more than the low risk drinking guidelines increases your risk of serious health conditions including heart problems, high blood pressure and poor mental health. Drinking alcohol also causes at least seven types of cancer, including breast, bowel, mouth and throat cancers.

But how much alcohol is in ale and stout, and how many calories? Get the facts here, and find out how you can cut down.

How much alcohol is in ale or stout?

Checking an ale or stout's ABV (alcohol by volume) tells you what percentage of the drink is made up of alcohol. For example, an ale with 5% ABV is five percent pure alcohol – and the higher the percentage, the more alcohol there is. 

On average, beers – including ale and stout - sold to be drunk at home in the UK are 4.6% ABV.³ But that’s only an average – some can be much stronger. The only way to be sure of the strength of a particular ale or stout is to check the label. 

A good way to keep track of how much you’re drinking is to know how many units of alcohol are in your drink. One unit of alcohol is 10ml (ten millilitres) of pure alcohol – and the number of units you are drinking depends on the drink’s size and strength. 
For example, a pint (568ml) of 5% ABV ale has 2.8 units in it.

Download the free MyDrinkaware app to track your units 

How many calories are in ale or stout?

Alcohol is high in calories. It contains around seven calories a gram - almost as many as pure fat.⁴

A pint of ale or stout with 5% ABV can contain over 250 calories, the same amount in a whole bagel.

Calories from alcohol are often described as 'empty calories', meaning they have no nutritional value because they are consumed in addition to the calories your body needs. And drinking alcohol affects the way your body processes fat for energy.⁵ You are more likely to store fat around your middle – which is an area where men in particular tend to show weight gain, sometimes referred to as a ‘beer belly’.^6,7

What’s more, if you find that you eat more junk food after a drinking session, you won’t be alone. That’s because drinking affects the hormones that control your appetite,⁸ as well as making you less inhibited and therefore less likely to make healthy choices.⁹

Find out more about alcohol, calories and maintaining a healthy weight

Alcohol-free and low alcohol alternatives to ale or stout

Alcohol-free and low alcohol ales and stout are made using the same ingredients as standard equivalent – but with less alcohol:¹⁰

• Low alcohol beer contains 1.2% ABV, or less
• Most ‘alcohol-free’ beer contains 0.05% alcohol by volume (ABV), or less
  The 0.05% limit for alcohol-free is based on voluntary government guidance – in practice some ‘alcohol-free’ beers have up to 0.5% ABV

Because they still contain some alcohol, these types of drink aren’t suitable if you want or need to avoid alcohol. But if you want to cut down without stopping completely, switching – not adding them as extra drinks - can be a good way to cut your overall alcohol consumption and stick to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines.

Drinkaware research has found regular drinkers of alcohol-free products thought the taste had improved over recent years. Negative perceptions of taste were more common amongst people who hadn’t tried them, with many people pleasantly surprised with the taste when they did.¹¹ So if you’re thinking of switching to alcohol-free ale to cut your consumption, there’s never been a better time to try it.

Find out more about alcohol-free beer