alcohol proof
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Chris1272
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Sorry I don't understand the question. Could you elaborate what you mean by that?
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it is usually a number that is twice the alcohol by volume.
Example - 80-proof whiskey is 40% alcohol
Example - 80-proof whiskey is 40% alcohol
Here is the story of where the word "proof" came from.
Back in the moonshine days, the old timers had no way of telling what % of alcohol was in their brew. They eventually devised a way of measuring it by mixing the alc with an equal part gunpowder and lighting it on fire. If the mix didn't burn it was considered "under proof" meaning it was under 50% alc. If the mix burned with a bright flame, it was considered "over proof" or over 50% alc. If the mix burned with a steady blue flame, it was considered just right or "proof".
Hence 50% alc. is 100 proof, or the best possible %.
Back in the moonshine days, the old timers had no way of telling what % of alcohol was in their brew. They eventually devised a way of measuring it by mixing the alc with an equal part gunpowder and lighting it on fire. If the mix didn't burn it was considered "under proof" meaning it was under 50% alc. If the mix burned with a bright flame, it was considered "over proof" or over 50% alc. If the mix burned with a steady blue flame, it was considered just right or "proof".
Hence 50% alc. is 100 proof, or the best possible %.
DrJerryrigger
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I have heard that gunpowder trick as being the origin of "proofing", but I had though it was much older than moon shining, but went back to (British?) sailors rum rations. Though my source was some nerdy drunk guy at a bar...
and Wikipedia agrees with the drunk guy! I'm sure the same trick was used by many moonshiners too.
PGriff
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Interesting bit of trivia. We learn something new every day. 
Laughing_Gnome_Invisible
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Good info in this thread! Kinda begs the question though why proof still exists. Do they do it simply to confuse drunk people? 
Good info in this thread! Kinda begs the question though why proof still exists. Do they do it simply to confuse drunk people?
I suspect its the same reason that a barrel of oil, a bushel of wheat and a carat of diamond exist, because the industry uses the term so anyone entering the industry needs to learn the unit and then uses the unit and teaches it to people below them.
Plus when companies want to sell really strong stuff to college frat boys "Rum 151" sounds more impressive than "75.5%"
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