Why a 5% Beer Gets You Drunk So Much Faster than a 4% Beer

If you look at the alcohol percentage on beers, it doesnt seem like theyre all that different.

While thats true, Draft Magazine explains the science of how ABV actually works.

As youd expect, it has to do with how our bodies process alcohol.

Our bodies can process some alcohol continuously, this is known asunits of alcohol.

We process about one unit of alcohol per hour.

In that case, your body processes 1.0 units and leaves 0.4 to begin laying down that gentle buzz.

The next hour, youre at 1.2 units excess.

Its a neat (if oversimplified) way to measure intoxication.

Now, a 12-ounce beer of 5% strength has about 1.8 units.

That leaves 0.8 after your hour of your body doing what it does.

After another beer and another hour, youre at 1.6.

The next hour, youre at 2.4thats double the excess alcohol, and it only continues to accumulate.

Head over to Draft Magazine for a more detailed breakdown of all the math.

Why you still get drunk drinking session beers| Draft Magazine