# Is drinking a fifth of alcohol in one day dangerous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430 "2004-03-20T19:31:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/61 "2017-09-14T13:41:08Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > … Lemmy from Machinehead … I sentence you to sing Orgasmatron at your local karoke place. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/62 "2017-09-14T14:21:52Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Interesting - I always thought a fifth was the equivalent to a mickey (a hip flask size bottle). Had no idea it was the 26 equivalent. > > I remember once when I was studying in the States and we were drinking in the dorm. I mentioned a mickey and got blank stares from everyone, both Americans and other foreign students. I’d never realized it was a Canadianism. Yeah, here “mickey” means something else, but it’s pretty old timey (like film noir) slang to me, as in the phrase “slip him a mickey.” [Here’s the definition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Finn_(drugs)). I didn’t know this, but apparently it’s named after Mickey Finn, a bartender here in Chicago. I didn’t realize the local connection. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/63 "2017-09-14T14:36:12Z")
There’s also a nasty malt liquor called “Mickey’s”: [mickey's big mouth - Bing images](https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mickey's+big+mouth) The bottle is distinctive with the large opening that facilitates chugging. If I heard some young US person talking about “drinking a mickey” I’d assume he/she meant some of these. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/64 "2017-09-14T14:43:16Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There’s also a nasty malt liquor called “Mickey’s”: [mickey's big mouth - Search Images](https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mickey's+big+mouth) > > The bottle is distinctive with the large opening that facilitates chugging. > > If I heard some young US person talking about “drinking a mickey” I’d assume he/she meant some of these. Ah, yes, of course! Forgot about those. Never had one of those down-market malt liquor drinks. Always been kind of curious, but never curious enough to actually buy it, or any of the “bum wine” like Wild Irish Rose. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/65 "2017-09-14T14:52:48Z")
IIRC from my college & USAF days of yore Mickey’s tastes a lot like any other generic American lager. Think slightly stronger-flavored Budweiser. The incremental alcohol never seemed significant to me. IOW, pretty meh. Nothing much wrong with it but also nothing much to recommend it except low price. At least back then. For all I know it’s more expensive than ordinary beer these days. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/66 "2017-09-14T15:18:55Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There’s also a nasty malt liquor called “Mickey’s”: [mickey's big mouth - Search Images](https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mickey's+big+mouth) > > The bottle is distinctive with the large opening that facilitates chugging. > > If I heard some young US person talking about “drinking a mickey” I’d assume he/she meant some of these. In my circle, having a six or case of Mickey’s at a party is something we do ironically. And at the end of the night they are all gone, although everyone complains while drinking it. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/67 "2017-09-14T15:40:13Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I can definitely agree, a clean bleach smelling toilet is way more pleasant to vomit into than something with residual ‘organic’ smells. Even better than a clean toilet is an emesis bag. You can get them for less than 50 cents apiece. It’s a lot nicer to be sitting in a comfortable chair or in your bed rather than crouching on the bathroom floor, no matter how clean it is in there. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/68 "2017-09-14T15:44:31Z")
What’s this about it not being so bad if you down that fifth mixed-drink style instead of straight shots? You are still drinking as much alcohol…but now you have a lot more fluid to upchuck, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/69 "2017-09-14T16:07:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Just a tip – if you’re planning on getting balls out drunk, NEVER consume ginger ale in the same time period. Ginger ale tastes horrible the second time around. (Also, it’s true what they say about bacon sandwiches and hangovers) Really? I find that [fruit salad](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/tropical-fruit-salad-10-can/99907831.html) and ginger ale taste the same going down and back up. Common combo to get in hospital. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/70 "2017-09-14T16:10:11Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Even better than a clean toilet is an emesis bag. You can get them for less than 50 cents apiece. It’s a lot nicer to be sitting in a comfortable chair or in your bed rather than crouching on the bathroom floor, no matter how clean it is in there. I use the family tradition of a 1 gallon past a pot. Big enough to hold anything you can hurl at it [snicker] and easy to clean - keep it by the bedside for those ninja vomits that hit before you can get up and run to the bathroom. I found out my EVE Online corp were wusses - couple times I didn’t manage to mute my mic on teamspeak when a vombomb happened [medication driven nausea, sucktastic when you are physically handicapped and can’t get up and run to the bathroom …] Line the pot with a puppy pee pad or diaper to eliminate random splash and bob’s your uncle 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/71 "2017-09-14T16:13:01Z")
> [@Oly](#): > > Rule of thumb is that “average” people metabolize ethanol at the rate of about one standard drink per hour. As for spirits (40% ethanol) a standard drink is 1.5 ounces. There are 128 ounces in a gallon. A fifth of 128 is 25.6. 25.6 divided 1.5 equals about 17. > > So if an average person drank a fifth over 17 hours, at an actual rate near 1 drink per hour, their metabolism would keep pace with consumption, they would cop only a marginal buzz and emerge, all else equal, unscathed. If you drank it in half that time, you would be done in about 8-9 hours, and will have accumulated about 8-9 standard drinks. How drunk would you be? One standard drink raises your blood alcohol level about 0.02%. So with 8-9 drinks, you’d be at about 0.16-0.18%. Pretty well lit, but “harmful”, in any lasting sense? Probably not for the “average” person, once they recover from their epic hangover. Depends on your weight- for me it would take more like an hour and a half, not an hour. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/72 "2017-09-14T17:59:28Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I use the family tradition of a 1 gallon past a pot. Big enough to hold anything you can hurl at it [snicker] and easy to clean - keep it by the bedside for those ninja vomits that hit before you can get up and run to the bathroom. … Line the pot with a puppy pee pad or diaper to eliminate random splash and bob’s your uncle 😛 I made some chili, would you like to try it? Oh, no. Not hungry. Really. No, not hungry at all. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/73 "2017-09-14T18:44:06Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ok, I’ll play. What do they say about bacon sandwiches (is this a normal thing?) and hangovers? The best thing for a hangover is a bacon sandwich. The last time I had a killer one, I went out to lunch with my mother and got a nice juicy BLT and some greasy fries. Killed that fucker dead. > [@aruvqan](#): > > Really? I find that [fruit salad](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/tropical-fruit-salad-10-can/99907831.html) and ginger ale taste the same going down and back up. Common combo to get in hospital. It DOES taste the same, which is what makes it so vile. Ginger ale does NOT mix well with stomach acid. The only thing I’ve ever found that doesn’t really bother me coming back up is grape kool-aid. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/74 "2017-09-14T18:53:43Z")
For me, it’s pickle juice, but bacon sandwiches I’m sure sounds better to most people. 🙂 Actually, anything sour and salty will do, like sauerkraut soup or menudo with a good squeeze or two of lime in it. I didn’t even know bacon sandwiches was a thing. Is it just bacon between two pieces of bread, or does anything else go on it? Mayo? Mustard? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/75 "2017-09-14T19:19:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I didn’t even know bacon sandwiches was a thing. Is it just bacon between two pieces of bread, or does anything else go on it? Mayo? Mustard? I am familiar with the [BLTA sandwich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BLT) which consists of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes between two pieces of bread. Avocado, mayo, and mustard are optional. I was not aware that such a sandwich is considered a hangover cure, moreso than any other greasy breakfast. I have heard of the “hair of the dog”, that is, more alcohol, but that is unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/76 "2017-09-14T20:25:45Z")
Whoa, let’s not get all LGBTQ on the BLT, OK? Avocado gets no billing here. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/77 "2017-09-14T20:54:46Z")
For those curious about the effect, here’s a blood alcohol calculator: [http://educalcool.qc.ca/en/facts-tips-and-tools/tools/blood-alcohol-calculator/#.WbrpyMh96Hs](http://educalcool.qc.ca/en/facts-tips-and-tools/tools/blood-alcohol-calculator/#.WbrpyMh96Hs) You can use 5 glasses for 3 time periods and select “Cocktail 40% 50ml” to get 750ml of 40% alcohol and the wiki page on the effects of various BACs: [Blood alcohol content - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Effects_by_blood_alcohol_content) Consumed over about an hour, that would give a 170lbs man a BAC of about 400mg/100ml of blood which is the point at which the human central nervous system starts to behave like Windows ME and you might end up with the Big Blue Screen. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/78 "2017-09-14T21:05:05Z")
> [@Sami41](#): > > Astro, you said you’re a social drinker, but who’s to say exactly what that entails for the individual drinker. In my experience, it usually means ‘an alcoholic’. Just one who hasn’t recognized or won’t admit it yet. People who actually are social drinkers don’t need to go around proclaiming that. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/79 "2017-09-14T21:09:40Z")
ETA: I read the OP from way back and correcting for consuming the alcohol over about 12 hours, that still gives a 250-300 BAC which is still drunk enough to induce loss of consciousness. I remember drinking about 13 ounces of Southern Comfort in fruit juice over an evening. I made sure to space out each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. I was coherent during the evening and had no hangover the next morning even though I had little to no tolerance for alcohol. So, I guess if you pace yourself and hydrate, you might be fine. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430/80 "2017-09-14T21:11:10Z")
I know a lot of folks who drink about a fifth a day and have for years. When I was drinking heavy I still hadn’t quite reached that as my daily intake but was approaching it fast and on occasions would exceed it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-drinking-a-fifth-of-alcohol-in-one-day-dangerous/235430.md?page=5)