Even beyond its intoxicating properties, alcohol is a key component in all distilled spirits. “Alcohol provides structure and texture, and drives flavor — just like acidity in wine,” explains Maggie Campbell, president and head distiller of Massachusetts’ Privateer Rum. The key to crafting a high-quality spirit, Campbell says, is finding the balance between alcohol content and flavor profile.
Spirits aficionados with a keen eye for detail may have noticed that this balance seems to be found at 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), or 80 proof. Many popular spirits, including vodka, tequila, and white rum are almost exclusively bottled at this strength. But examine the labels of aged liquors, such as whiskey, and it’s soon clear that this is not always the case. For these spirits, alcohol strengths vary wildly from 80 proof all the way up to 120 proof and beyond.
Such disparity raises an intriguing question: Why are so many spirits bottled at precisely 80 proof? And while this appears to be the sweet spot for some types of liquor, why does proof then vary so widely in others?
The strength of liquor is measured in proof, which is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume. For example, 80-proof vodka contains 40% alcohol. 100-proof whiskey contains 50% alcohol.
The History and Economics of 80-Proof Liquor
One of the main reasons so many spirits are 80 proof is somewhat simple: It’s the minimum level allowed by law in the U.S. A seemingly arbitrary number, the 80-proof minimum actually holds historic significance, according to drinks historian David Wondrich.
There are two ways of measuring the strength of spirits, he explains: alcohol by volume [proof] and alcohol by weight. Historically, the English used alcohol by weight. “The minimum proof they would tolerate was around 30 degrees under proof by weight, which is 39.9 percent ABV,” says Wondrich, adding, “Beyond that, things begin to get a bit watery.” Conveniently rounded up to 40 percent ABV, the benchmark most likely guided American legislators when they passed the Federal Alcohol Administration Act in 1936.
While distillers are free to produce spirits above this proof, there are economic advantages for sticking to the baseline. “The principle is simple: The higher the proof, the higher the tax,” says Allen Katz, co-founder of Brooklyn-based New York Distilling Company (NYDC).
Katz chooses not to be guided by this principle at NYDC. The distillery’s portfolio even includes a precisely potent 57 percent ABV Navy-strength gin. However, he says, it does make sense for scale brands that rely on selling high volumes at competitive prices to stick to the lower, less expensive 80 proof.
In the case of aged spirits, which take years to mature and have the additional cost of oak barrels in their production, diluting to this strength also allows producers to stretch out their stocks. The combination of lower taxes and larger volumes of product is surely an attractive proposition for any business. But this in turn raises a different question: Why is it so common to find aged spirits bottled as high as 63 percent ABV?
The Science of Bottling at 80 Proof (and Above)
The aromas and flavors found in alcoholic spirits come from volatile flavor compounds. Unlike a glass of wine, which requires swirling to coax out those notes, the volatile compounds in spirits evaporate naturally. The more a spirit is diluted, the quicker those compounds evaporate, meaning a lower concentration of aromas. This may be desirable for spirits like vodka, but a product with a weak profile is unlikely to make waves in the whiskey world.
For aged spirits producers, therefore, the crucial task is to find balance between proof and profit margins. Then, there are consumer preferences to consider: “If you want a bolder, more complex flavor, you start racking up the percentage (or diluting less),” says Oregon-based spirits educator Hoke Harden. For the full experience, this means bottling at cask strength. But high-proof bottlings can be off-putting for consumers, so whiskey distillers typically dilute their flagship offerings to somewhere between 86 and 100 proof, Harden says.
Privateer Rum’s Campbell also takes consumer preferences into account for her distillery’s New England White Rum — the only spirit it bottles at 80 proof. “We found that in our community, a lot of people are buying spirits for casual, approachable drinking at home,” she says. “Eighty proof is something they have told us they really like.” Campbell adds it’s still possible to produce a spirit that is aromatic, textured, and deeply flavored at this strength by using high-quality base material (in this case, molasses).
Similarly, tequila is made with mature agave plants, or piñas. The process includes multiple steps, during which the piña is cooked, crushed, fermented, distilled, and aged. Each step contributes complexity. “You can get nuance and still maintain a baseline of 40 percent ABV,” says NYDC’s Katz. (In Mexico, tequila is typically sold and bottled at less than 80 proof.)
In vodka, there are further scientific reasons for sticking to the 80-proof level or thereabouts. When you drink a high-ABV spirit, the alcohol combines with specific receptors throughout the body and sends a pain message (think: heat) to the brain, says Gwen Conley, director of quality and innovation at San Diego’s Cutwater Spirits. When the spirit is diluted, or includes high concentrations of flavor compounds from processes like barrel aging, the receptors bind to those instead. “Vodka doesn’t have those compounds, so you’re just getting the burn,” Conley says.
Top 8 – 80 Proof Whiskeys
FAQ
Is 80 proof considered strong?
Can 80 proof get you drunk?
What is 80 proof strength?
How strong is 100 proof?
Is 80 proof stronger than 100 Proof?
In general, the higher the proof number, the higher the percentage of pure alcohol present in that liquor. For example, a bottle labeled as 100 proof contains 50% alcohol by volume, which is about 25% more than an 80 proof spirit at 40% ABV. Is 80 Proof Strong? A Historical Perspective Nowadays, many folks consider 80 proof to be relatively strong.
Why are so many spirits 80 proof?
One of the main reasons so many spirits are 80 proof is somewhat simple: It’s the minimum level allowed by law in the U.S. A seemingly arbitrary number, the 80-proof minimum actually holds historic significance, according to drinks historian David Wondrich.
What is the 80-proof minimum?
A seemingly arbitrary number, the 80-proof minimum actually holds historic significance, according to drinks historian David Wondrich. There are two ways of measuring the strength of spirits, he explains: alcohol by volume [proof] and alcohol by weight. Historically, the English used alcohol by weight.
What is 80 proof vodka?
Proof is a standard unit of measurement that indicates the percentage of alcohol contained within a distilled spirit. It‘s calculated by doubling the alcohol by volume (ABV) percentage. So an 80 proof vodka contains 40% ABV. Here‘s a quick reference table to show this relationship for some common proof levels: