How long does it take for the body to get rid of alcohol in one standard drink?

On average, your liver can metabolize one standard drink per hour. But it can vary up to 2 hours, depending on the person and the drink itself. If you drink an alcohol beverage over a period of time and not all at once, you may not get drunk because your liver can eliminate the alcohol in your system as you are consuming it. Men, larger-statured people and people who drink regularly tend to metabolize alcohol more quickly. On average, it takes an adult male with a healthy liver approximately two hours to process one shot of 80-proof liquor, 11 ounces of beer or five ounces of wine.