Proof Reference

90 Proof to ABV

90 proof is 45% alcohol by volume on the US scale, with the formula and a quick way to verify it.

90 Proof equals 45% ABV

US scale. US proof is exactly twice the alcohol by volume.

Alcohol by volume
45% ABV
US proof
90proof
UK proof (approx)
78.8deg
ABV = proof / 2 = 90 / 2 = 45% ABV (US scale)
Open the interactive Proof Converter

What 90 proof means

In the United States, proof is set at exactly twice the alcohol by volume. A spirit labelled 90 proof therefore contains 45% ABV. To go the other way, multiply the ABV by 2.

The same figure is sometimes written as "90 proof to percent", which asks the same question. The percent here is percent alcohol by volume, so the answer is still 45%.

The UK once used a separate proof scale where 100 degrees proof sat at roughly 57.1% ABV. Spirits sold today are labelled in ABV almost everywhere, so the US two to one rule is the one you will use most.

Confirm the real strength: proof printed on a label is one thing, the spirit in your jar is another. A 0 to 200 proof alcoholmeter reads it directly at 20°C.

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Common questions

What is 90 proof in ABV?

On the US scale 90 proof equals 45% ABV. US proof is defined as exactly twice the alcohol by volume, so ABV is proof divided by 2.

Is proof the same in the US and UK?

No. The US scale sets proof at twice the ABV. The older UK scale is different, where 100 degrees of UK proof works out to about 57.1% ABV. Use the proof converter for UK figures.

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