Alcohol by volume facts for kids
Alcohol by volume (or ABV) is a way to measure how much pure alcohol is in a drink. It tells you the percentage of ethanol in an alcoholic drink. This measurement is usually taken at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).
For example, cider often has 3-5% ABV. Beer usually has 4-7% ABV. Wine typically has 12-14% ABV. Stronger drinks, called spirits, have more than 20% ethanol. These spirits are made through a process called distillation.
Since 1976, a rule from the European Union has required that all alcoholic drinks sold there must show their alcohol content using the ABV measurement. This helps people know exactly how much alcohol is in what they are drinking.
Other Ways to Measure Alcohol
Scientists have found other ways to measure alcohol content over time. Two important people in this area were Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac (1777-1850) and Johann Georg Tralles (1763-1822). They both created scales to measure alcohol.
Their scales often used "degrees," like °GL or °GT. The scale Gay-Lussac developed is very similar to the ABV scale we use today. The main difference is that Gay-Lussac took his measurements at 15 degrees Celsius, not 20 degrees. This small temperature change can cause a slight difference in the final number.
Images for kids
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The alcohol by volume shown on a bottle of absinthe.
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Change in volume with increasing ABV.
See also
In Spanish: Graduación alcohólica para niños
