The amount of alcohol in a distilled spirit — for instance, vodka or whiskey — is known as the ”proof.”
Different countries have different standards for an alcoholic beverage’s proof. In the United States, a spirit’s proof is double its alcohol by volume (ABV).
Alcohol by volume (ABV) is the number of millimeters (mL) of pure ethanol in every 100 mL or 3.4 ounces (oz) of fluid (fl).
This way of communicating a distilled spirit or liquor’s potency helps distinguish the product from other alcoholic beverages.
The use of proof as a measure for the amount of alcohol present in a beverage dates back to the 1500s, making this unit of measurement as old as Renaissance artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo.
The British government created the system to distinguish between liquids of varying alcoholic potency and put a tax on so-called “proof spirits” with a proof of 100 or more.
Alcohol manufacturers in the United States are no longer required to list a product’s proof on its label. Manufacturers who do wish to include the proof must adhere to set standards.
Although alcohol manufacturers in the United States aren’t required to list or label a product’s proof, they‘re required to list its ABV.
It’s important to note that proof and ABV calculations aren’t the same in each country. In France, for example, proof is equal to ABV.
Proof is a useful measure for the strength of a distilled spirit like brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey.
In the United States, a product’s proof is double its ABV. Most spirits are 80-proof or higher.
John Loeppky is a disabled freelance journalist who currently resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on Treaty 6 territory. His work has appeared for CBC, FiveThirtyEight, Defector, Insider, and a host of other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] and his goal in life is to have an entertaining obituary to read.
Last medically reviewed on May 1, 2023Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our
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For example, 80-proof vodka contains 40% alcohol. 100-proof whiskey contains 50% alcohol. 150-proof rum contains 75% alcohol. The difference between 100 and 151-proof liquors is that the higher-proof liquors are more concentrated and therefore have a much higher level of ethanol (alcohol).
Straight up liquor can go as low as 80 proof, before becoming “flavored”. But it can also go as high as 192 proof before becoming “rocket fuel.” The absolute strongest bottle of alcohol you can legally buy and then drink in the United States is Spirytus vodka, the Polish vodka weighs in at 96 percent alcohol (192 proof), stronger by just a bit than Everclear’s 190 proof labeling.
Some of the lowest proof liquors? Flavored rum like Malibu (42 proof), flavored vodkas (~ 70 proof) and flavored whiskeys like Fireball (66 proof) are all much weaker than their full-bodied peers, which must be bottled no lower than 80 proof.
No matter what proof is on your label, always drink responsibly. And do so with the knowledge that while the proof system is totally voluntary at this point, and largely obscure outside of the United States, it’s still something we put on our bottles to remind us that we once tested our hooch with gunpowder like real patriots, taxed our alcohol based on its strength and that we still don’t use the metric system. Take that, Canada.
What those old soldiers might have been testing for, had they known it at the time, was bottled alcohol served at 50 percent strength or more. Any alcohol listed above 100 proof – 50 percent ABV – is straight up flammable and would therefore not hinder the ability of gunpowder to fire.
The scale used to be different in the U.K., where “proof” was equal to about 1.821 times the ABV. Which made proof numbers different in the U.K than in the U.S., and surely lead to several confused and drunken individuals traveling abroad. Today though, proof in the EU, the UK, and Canada have all gone the way of ABV, and as per the usual, the U.S. stands alone with a strange and arbitrary measurement system (see feet, pounds, et al).
John Loeppky is a disabled freelance journalist who currently resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on Treaty 6 territory. His work has appeared for CBC, FiveThirtyEight, Defector, Insider, and a host of other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] and his goal in life is to have an entertaining obituary to read.
Alcohol by volume (ABV) is the number of millimeters (mL) of pure ethanol in every 100 mL or 3.4 ounces (oz) of fluid (fl).
Although alcohol manufacturers in the United States aren’t required to list or label a product’s proof, they‘re required to list its ABV.
Alcohol manufacturers in the United States are no longer required to list a product’s proof on its label. Manufacturers who do wish to include the proof must adhere to set standards.
Last medically reviewed on May 1, 2023Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our
Is 100-proof alcohol strong?
FAQ
What is 100 proof strength of alcohol equivalent to?
What proof is the strongest alcohol?
Is 1 shot of 100 proof liquor a standard serving?
What percentage of alcohol is 100 Proof?
Some high-proof liquors—primarily whiskeys and rums—reach over 50 percent ABV (100 proof). You will also notice that many flavored vodkas and similar liquors are bottled at 35 percent ABV (75 proof). Liqueurs tend to range from 15 percent to 30 percent ABV or 30 to 60 proof. Some are 40 percent ABV (80 proof).
What is the proof of an alcoholic beverage?
Different countries have different standards for an alcoholic beverage’s proof. In the United States, a spirit’s proof is double its alcohol by volume (ABV). Alcohol by volume (ABV) is the number of millimeters (mL) of pure ethanol in every 100 mL or 3.4 ounces (oz) of fluid (fl).
What is a good alcohol proof?
Stronger drinks do exist, however, with some liquors reaching up to 95% ethanol by volume or 190 proof. These are typically used only for industrial purposes or as novelty items. In general, then, anything between 60 and 100 proof can be considered “normal” alcohol proof.
What is a 100 proof whiskey?
The most typical bottling proof for spirits in the United States is 80 US proof, and there is special legal recognition of 100-proof spirits in the bottled in bond category defined since 1897. The Code of Federal Regulations requires that liquor labels state the percentage of ABV.