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 FORUM:
Questions from the readers
3) I overheard someone at school saying that they took
a “shot” of alcohol that was “80 proof.” What
were they talking about?
In the U.S., a “shot” is another name for
a one ounce serving of alcohol (the size varies in other
countries). Generally this refers to hard alcohol (tequila,
rum, and vodka for example). People typically take “shots” using
a shot-glass, which is a small glass or plastic cup.
“Proof” refers to the percentage of actual
alcohol in a drink. For example, beer has 2-6% alcohol,
which is about 4-12 proof. Hard alcohols have anywhere
from 40-60% alcohol in them, which is anywhere from 80-120
proof. 100% alcohol would be 200 proof, 50% alcohol would
be 100 proof, and so on. “Everclear,” the brand
name of a pure grain alcohol, is the notable exception
to this rule at 190 proof, or 95% alcohol. So taking a
shot of Everclear is like having two shots of vodka at
the exact same time, which is also why it kills thousands
of people a year and is illegal in most states and the
rest of the world. Most of the alcohol that people buy
is 80 proof, or 40% alcohol.
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