Editing Alcohol proof (section)

==Governmental regulation==

===European Union===
The [[European Union]] (EU) follows recommendations of the [[International Organization of Legal Metrology]] (OIML). OIML's International Recommendation No. 22 (1973)<ref>{{cite book |title=Recommendation No. 22, International Alcoholmetric Tables |publisher=International Bureau of Legal Metrology |location=Paris |url=http://www.oiml.org/en/files/pdf_r/r022-e75.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104060309/http://www.oiml.org/en/files/pdf_r/r022-e75.pdf |archive-date=2013-11-04 |url-status=live }}</ref> provides standards for measuring alcohol strength by [[volume]] and by [[mass]]. A preference for one method over the other is not stated in the document, but if alcohol strength by volume is used, it must be expressed as a percentage of total volume at a temperature of {{cvt|20|C}}. The document does not address alcohol proof or the labeling of bottles.

===United Kingdom===
On 1 January 1980, Britain adopted the ABV system of measurement prescribed by the European Union, of which it was then a member. The OIML recommendation for ABV used by the EU states the alcohol by volume in a mixture containing alcohol as a percentage of the total volume of the mixture at a temperature of {{convert|293.15|K|disp=sqbr}}. It replaced the [[Bartholomew Sikes|Sikes]] [[hydrometer]] method of measuring the proof of spirits, which had been used in Britain for over 160 years.<ref name=scotch/><ref>{{cite book |last=Regan |first=Gary |year=2003 |title=The Joy of Mixology |publisher=Clarkson Potter |location=New York |isbn=0-609-60884-3 |pages=356–357}}</ref>

===United States===
In the United States, alcohol content is legally mandated to be specified as an ABV percentage. For bottled spirits over {{Convert|100|ml|abbr=on}} containing no solids, actual alcohol content is allowed to vary by up to 0.15% of the ABV stated on the label. By contrast, bottled spirits which are less than 100 ml (as well as those which otherwise contain solids) may vary by up to 0.25%.<ref name="Title27">{{cite book |date=1 April 2000 |chapter=Title 27 Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Chapter 1, §5.37 |title=Code of Federal Regulations |publisher=Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Department of the Treasury |chapter-url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2000-title27-vol1/pdf/CFR-2000-title27-vol1-sec5-37.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304182449/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2000-title27-vol1/pdf/CFR-2000-title27-vol1-sec5-37.pdf |archive-date=2021-03-04 |url-status=live |page=61}}</ref> Proof (the term ''degrees proof'' is not used), defined as being twice the percentage of alcohol by volume, may be optionally stated in conjunction with the ABV. For example, whisky may be labeled as 50% ABV and as 100 proof; 86-proof [[whisky]] contains 43% ABV.<ref name=scotch/> The most typical bottling proof for spirits in the United States is 80 US proof, and there is special legal recognition of 100-proof spirits in the [[bottled in bond]] category defined since 1897.

The [[Code of Federal Regulations]]<ref>{{nowrap|27 CFR}} {{nowrap|[4-1-03 Edition]}} §&nbsp;5.37 ("Alcohol content")</ref> requires that liquor labels state the percentage of ABV at a temperature of {{cvt|60|F}}. The regulation permits, but does not require, a statement of the proof, provided that it is printed close to the ABV number.<ref name="Title27"/> In practice, proof levels continue to be stated on nearly all spirits labels in the United States, and are more commonly used than ABV when describing spirits in journalism and informal settings.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

===Canada===
Beverages were labelled by alcohol proof in Canada until 1972,<ref>{{cite web|year=1972|title=Alcohol|url=http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/ledain/nonmed2b.htm|work=The Report of the Canadian Government Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs|publisher=Drug Library}}</ref> then replaced by ABV.<ref>{{cite web |title=Labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages |date=23 April 2015 |publisher=Canadian Food Inspection Agency |url=http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/alcoe.shtml |access-date=27 February 2014 |archive-date=28 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228094856/http://inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/alcoe.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>