Have you ever heard someone say they get more drunk with a certain type of alcohol? Maybe they’ve complained that they can’t drink gin anymore because they just get too drunk every time they do, so they stick to beer and wine.
This may make you wonder if different types of alcohol can actually make you more intoxicated. If you know you’re going to be driving later, does this mean there are certain types that you should avoid even more?
All alcohol has the same impact
The truth, however, is that alcohol is alcohol, and it is best to avoid any sort before taking the wheel. If you decide to drink something, you need to look at the alcohol content of each type of drink. For instance, most beers are about 5% alcohol, but a shot of gin is closer to 40% alcohol.
This is why paying attention to drink sizes is so important. People often say they will have “one drink.” Typically, one beer is considered a drink, as is one shot of hard alcohol. One glass of wine is also a drink, though it generally is only 5 oz, rather than the 12 oz of beer or 1.5 oz in a shot. Yet, sometimes, people serve drinks in non-standard sizes. This is especially true if you go to someone’s house. A bar needs to watch its drink sizes for reasons of profit. Yet, when you visit your brother at Christmas, he may fill the glass to the brim or use a larger glass.
No matter what you’ve been drinking, if you get behind the wheel afterward, you could find yourself facing DWI charges. Several defense options are available and saying you misjudged the drink strength is unlikely to be your best choice.
