The Alcohol Percentage Contents by Beverage Type

Consuming alcohol is legal in the majority of the U.S. for adults ages 21 and older. Alcohol is a beverage made from fermented grains or fruit, and it has been part of human civilization for at least 10,000 years. There are many kinds of alcohol from many cultures across the globe, although the types of alcohol are standardized to beer, wine, and liquor in the United States to help structure laws around drinking.

There are several subcategories to beer, wine, and liquor, and if you really want to taste, liquor stores in Vail, CO offer a range of liquors and wines of the best quality. It is best to buy it from there.

Understanding the specifics of alcohol types and content helps manufacturers, retail salespeople, bartenders, and consumers determine how much alcohol is in one serving, and therefore how much is consumed.

Alcohol Percentage in Drinks

• Vodka | ABV: 40-95%
• Gin | ABV: 36-50%
• Rum | ABV: 36-50%
• Whiskey | ABV: 36-50%
• Tequila | ABV: 50-51%
• Liqueurs | ABV: 15%
• Fortified Wine | ABV: 16-24%
• Unfortified Wine | ABV: 14-16%
• Beer | ABV: 4-8%
• Malt Beverage | ABV: 15%

Types of Alcohol

• Vodka: Made from the same fermentation process as beer or wine, with the added step of distilling to increase the strength of the drink, vodka is typically made from grains like wheat, sorghum, and corn, although Russian vodka is allegedly made from potatoes. Vodka has an ABV starting around 40 percent, but it can range as high as 95 percent.
  
• Gin: This type of liquor starts with a neutral distilled spirit, to which juniper berries and other aromatic botanicals are added. It is clear and has an ABV of 36-50 percent.
  
• Rum: Rum is fermented sugarcane, molasses, beet sugar, or other type of non-fruit sugar. It is then distilled to remove any sediment. It legally has 36-50 percent ABV.
  
• Whiskey: Subdivided into scotch, bourbon, and Irish and Canadian whiskeys, these types of whiskey are aged in oak barrels that give them a unique caramel color. ABV can range from 36 percent to 50 percent ABV, depending on how long it has aged.
  
• Tequila: Tequila is a Central and South American beverage made from fermented agave, which originally had some hallucinogenic properties in addition to being alcoholic. Tequila sold in the US is not allowed to have any additional drugs in it besides alcohol. The ABV is typically around 50-51 percent.
  
• Liqueurs: These beverages are distilled spirits combined with fruit, cream, sugar, or herbs to create a potent but flavorful beverage. Liqueurs include triple sec, amaretto, schnapps, and Sambuca. They may not have more than 15 percent ABV, on average.

Wine

• Fortified wine: This is a type of fruit and/or honey alcohol that, either due to the addition of brandy or because it has been fermented long enough, has an ABV of 16-24 percent.
• Unfortified wine: This is a standard fruit or honey alcohol, such as mead or ice wine, with 16 percent or less ABV. The average ABV for wine is around 14 percent, although some, such as port, may be a little stronger. States may have individual mandates on how much sugar wine may contain as well.

Beer

• Beer: This includes lagers, pilsners, flavored beers, and ale. The ABV on beers ranges greatly, depending on the brewing process. Generally, the ABV is between 4 percent and 8 percent, with 5-6 percent being the standard for most beers in the United States. Some craft beers nowadays are as high as 12 percent.
• Malt beverage: While this category can include some types of beer, the ABV can range up to 15 percent, so it includes beers with additional alcohol added.