Whether you’re going to a party, event or drinking at your house, knowing how much wine it will take you to get drunk and how to mitigate it’s effects on you can save you from becoming overly intoxicated and making some decisions you might regret the next morning.
So How Much Wine Does It Take To Get Drunk?
The average person can expect to get drunk off of two to three five ounce glasses of wine. This of course varies by individual and many different factors which have been listed below.
Alcohol Tolerance
Alcohol tolerance will play the biggest factor in how much wine you can drink without becoming intoxicated. We all have different levels of alcohol tolerance. It will vary based on age, body weight, sex, and other factors. Also, if you are not a regular drinker, your tolerance level will be less than those who drink every day. Besides, if you drink wine on an empty stomach, the tolerance will be less. . Apart from all these, the wine type will be also be a deciding factor.
Wine Type
The alcohol level varies across different types of wines. If there is more alcohol, you will get drunk faster. In standard wines, the alcohol percentage is around 13.5%. Which is much more than most beers. So as you can imagine, it can take much less wine to get drunk than many people realize. The alcohol percentage in the wine is called Alcohol by Volume or ABV. It will measure the amount of alcohol in your drink. The ABV will impact the taste. When the amount is more, you will have a bolder feel. However, you can have a lighter taste with a low alcohol level. In lower alcohol wines, the ABV level will be under 12.5%. while high level wines average around a 14.5% ABV level. Some low-level alcohol wines are Muscadet, Californian Zinfandel, and Italian Asti. Spanish Sherry and French Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise will have a higher ABV. You can check the ABV on the bottle before considering any wine.
Body Weight
Your weight will also decide your alcohol tolerance. If you have a lower body mass, you can experience the effect more than people with a large body mass. Therefore, if you have less weight, you can get drunk much quicker so it is important to moderate yourself when drinking wine.
Age
As we get older, especially if we are regular drinkers, our alcohol tolerance can increase. This is due to many factors such as a slowing metabolism, higher body masses on average than when we were younger and more experience drinking alcohol. So if you are young, think twice before trying to keep up with the old man at the party.
Race
Believe it or not race actually plays a role in alcohol tolerance. GARD discovered that East Asian people will have more alcohol sensitivity than other races. They believe It might be due to the DNA sequencing that prevents alcohol or its specific part from breaking down as quickly as other races. As a result, you can experience heightened physical reactions. Therefore, you will have to consider your race to know when to stop.
Sex
You might be aware that women tend to get drunk faster than men. Studies have revealed that the tolerance level of women is less than men on average. This is important to know because it can cause women to experience severe health issues due to alcohol-related complications. They might have organ damage and stress with regular and excess consumption.
Empty Stomach
It is a well known fact that drinking on an empty stomach can cause you to get drunk faster. If you are trying to moderate your level of intoxication, you should avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Eating a large meal before drinking delays how quickly the alcohol gets metabolized and can make you appear as though you can really handle your alcohol. Alternatively, if you are drinking on a budget, you may want to choose to drink on an empty stomach to get buzzed more quickly.
Health
Staying in good health has a myriad of positive effects on us and it applies to alcohol consumption as well. Leading an active and healthy life can increase your livers ability to process and metabolize alcohol. If you have health conditions such as liver disease your alcohol tolerance can actually go down, and it may be detrimental to your health to drink at all, especially on certain medications.
Tips For Drinking More Wine Without Becoming Overly Intoxicated.
Hydrate and Eat Before Drinking
Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach leads to a quicker level of intoxication as we discussed above, however filling your stomach with water can also dilute the alcohol content in your stomach slowing the absorption also. A good practice is to drink a glass of water after every alcoholic drink.
Maintain a slow drinking pace and sip.
Many of us have the habit of finishing our drinks quickly. However, wine is generally best sipped, and this alone can slow your intoxication rate and allow you to stay coherent for longer into to the party or event.
Get Some Fresh Air
Alcohol and red wine especially can heat up your body temperature and cause you to feel hot and sweaty, stepping outside to cool off can help you feel better. Admittedly this is not going to lower your physical intoxication level, but it can make you feel better at least for a short period of time. Wine is notorious for causing you to feel hot and flushed in the face so some fresh air, especially on a chilly night can really make a difference.
Drink Wine with Low ABV
As we discussed, wines have different ABV levels so choosing to drink a wine with a lower ABV can make a difference on how quickly you get drunk.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why someone would want to limit their intoxication level while drinking, perhaps you are at a work related function and you want to socially drink to take the edge off while still maintaining your wit, or you’re needing to drive home from the party and want to stay within the legal limit. No matter what the reason is, being informed on how to make smart and safe drinking decisions is a tool everyone should have in life if they plan to drink. Hopefully this article helped you to do the same.
