What Proof is 40% Alcohol? Demystifying ABV and Proof Standards
Before modern hydrometers, distillers in the UK historically ‘proved’ their spirits by mixing them with gunpowder – if it burned with a clear, blue flame, it was ‘proof’ enough. Today, 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), a standard strength for many whiskies, vodkas, and gins, translates directly to 80 proof in the United States. However, that […]