What does ABV mean? ABV stands for alcohol by volume, the percentage of a drink's volume that is pure alcohol. A 40% ABV vodka is 40 ml of pure alcohol in every 100 ml. In the US, proof is double the ABV, so 80 proof means 40% ABV.
ABV is the number that makes drinks comparable. A pint of beer and a shot of spirits look nothing alike, but once you know the volume and ABV, you can work out how much alcohol each one holds. This guide explains ABV and proof, gives a conversion chart, and shows how to use the figure.
ABV meaning, with examples
ABV tells you what share of the liquid is ethanol. The rest is mainly water, plus flavour, sugar, and other compounds.
| Label | Meaning | Pure alcohol in 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5% ABV | Often sold as "non-alcoholic" in the US | 0.5 ml |
| 5% ABV | Typical lager | 5 ml |
| 12% ABV | Lighter wine | 12 ml |
| 16% ABV | Very strong wine | 16 ml |
| 40% ABV | Typical spirit | 40 ml |
So "16 ABV" means 16% alcohol by volume. A 5 oz glass of 16% wine contains 0.8 oz of pure alcohol, or about 1.3 US standard drinks. A 125 ml glass is 2 UK units. For typical strengths by drink, see the alcohol percentage chart for beer, wine, and spirits.
How is ABV different from alcohol by weight?
Alcohol is lighter than water, so a percentage by weight (ABW) is lower than the same drink's ABV. To convert, multiply ABV by 0.79. A 5% ABV beer is about 4% ABW. Almost all labels today use ABV, but you may still see ABW in older references.
What is proof in alcohol?
In the US, proof is twice the ABV. The relationship is simple:
US proof = ABV × 2
ABV = US proof ÷ 2
| US proof | ABV | Commonly seen on |
|---|---|---|
| 60 proof | 30% | Lighter flavoured spirits |
| 70 proof | 35% | Spiced spirit drinks |
| 80 proof | 40% | Standard vodka, gin, whiskey, rum |
| 86 proof | 43% | Many whiskies |
| 90 proof | 45% | Stronger gins and whiskies |
| 100 proof | 50% | Bonded whiskey |
| 151 proof | 75.5% | Overproof rum |
| 190 proof | 95% | Neutral grain spirit |
What does 80 proof mean?
80 proof means 40% alcohol by volume. It is the most common strength for vodka, gin, and whiskey in the US, and a 1.5 oz pour of it is one US standard drink.
Proof vs ABV: which should you use?
Use ABV. It is printed on nearly every label, works the same in every country, and plugs straight into the formulas below. Proof is mostly a marketing and tradition term, and the US label will usually show ABV alongside it.
The UK used a different proof scale until it moved to ABV. On the old British system, proof is about 1.75 times the ABV, so a 40% spirit was about 70 proof. That is why old British references can look confusing next to American ones.
Low-alcohol and alcohol-free labels
Very low ABV terms can trip people up, and they differ by country. In UK government guidance, "alcohol-free" means no more than 0.05% ABV, "de-alcoholised" means no more than 0.5%, and "low alcohol" means no more than 1.2%. In the US, "non-alcoholic" generally means less than 0.5%. Always check the label if you are avoiding alcohol completely, such as during pregnancy.
How to use ABV: the formulas
Multiply the volume by the ABV and you have the amount of pure alcohol. Everything else follows from that.
UK units = ml × ABV ÷ 1,000
US standard drinks = fluid ounces × ABV (as a decimal) ÷ 0.6
Example 1: a pint of 5% beer (UK units)
568 × 5 ÷ 1,000 = 2.84 units
Example 2: a 12 oz can of 5% beer (US standard drinks)
12 × 0.05 = 0.6 oz of pure alcohol, and 0.6 ÷ 0.6 = 1 standard drink
Example 3: a 1.5 oz pour of 100 proof whiskey
100 proof ÷ 2 = 50% ABV. Then 1.5 × 0.50 = 0.75 oz, and 0.75 ÷ 0.6 = 1.25 standard drinks
The alcohol units calculator and the standard drink calculator take volume and ABV and do the sums for you. The same inputs are the basis of calculating the ABV of a cocktail, where each ingredient is worked out separately.
Why ABV matters for tracking
Small percentage differences add up across a drink or a week:
- Beer varies widely. A pint at 4% is 2.3 units, and a pint at 6.5% is 3.7 units.
- Wine varies too. A 175 ml glass at 12% is 2.1 units, and at 14.5% it is 2.5 units.
- "One drink" hides this. A strong craft beer in a 16 oz can at 8% is about 2.1 US standard drinks.
If you log drinks, recording the ABV is the single best improvement you can make to accuracy. [Alcohol Tracker°](/) lets you log volume and ABV for each drink on iPhone and Apple Watch and keeps a weekly total.
ABV tells you how much alcohol is in a drink, not how it affects you. Units and standard drinks do not measure impairment. Never use them to decide whether you can drive. If you have been drinking, arrange a sober lift, a taxi, or public transport.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ABV stand for?
ABV stands for alcohol by volume. It is the percentage of a drink's total volume that is pure alcohol.
Is 40 ABV the same as 80 proof?
Yes, on the US scale. US proof is exactly double ABV, so 40% ABV equals 80 proof.
Is 5% ABV a lot?
5% is typical for a regular lager. A 12 oz serving is one US standard drink, and a 568 ml pint is about 2.8 UK units. It is the volume that often catches people out.
What does 100 proof mean?
100 proof means 50% alcohol by volume on the US scale. A 1.5 oz pour contains 1.25 US standard drinks.
Does higher ABV mean stronger effects?
For the same volume, a higher-ABV drink contains more alcohol. Effects also depend on how much you drink, how quickly, whether you have eaten, your body, and any medication you take, so ABV alone cannot predict them.
The quick answer
ABV means alcohol by volume: the percentage of a drink that is pure alcohol. In the US, proof is twice the ABV, so 80 proof is 40% ABV and 100 proof is 50%. Multiply volume by ABV to find pure alcohol, then convert it to UK units or US standard drinks.
Sources: NIAAA: What is a standard drink?, CDC: About standard drink sizes, NHS alcohol units, TTB conversion tables, and GOV.UK: Low alcohol descriptors.
Keep exploring
Use the calculator or continue with a related guide:
Put the guide into practice
Keep a clearer drink diary.
Track units, standard drinks, cost, calories, dry days and estimated BAC on iPhone and Apple Watch.
