Is volume and proof the same measurrment in beer and wine as hard alcohol?

Question

The argument is that % by volume is the same as proof but beer makers get by it by adding the words "by volume" meaning the same thing

Answer 1

yeah ... what HE said (answerer #1). thanks for the opportunity for 2 points, too.

btw: what 'argument?' whoever 'argued' that is WAY off base.

Answer 2

Proof is twice alcohol percentage and not followed by % but by "proof"  For example a spirit with 40% alcohol would say "80 proof." Wine and beer are measured by percentage of alcohol whereas spirits are measured, generally, by proof.

Wine and beer do not contain enough alcohol in order to be measured in the traditional method of checking proof, using gunpowder.  From Wikipedia: "In the 18th century and until recently, Britain defined alcohol content in terms of proof spirit, which was defined as the most dilute spirit that would sustain combustion of gunpowder. The term originated in the 18th century, when payments to British sailors included rations of rum. To ensure that the rum had not been watered down, it was “proved” by dousing gunpowder in it, then testing to see if the gunpowder would ignite. If it did not burn, the rum contained too much water — and was considered to be “under proof”. .

The method is never used anymore, but the proofs of spirits continue to be used in labelling.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV) is different than Alcohol by Weight (ABW) though. From Wikipedia: In the United States, many states regulate and tax alcoholic beverages according to alcohol by weight (ABW), expressed as a percentage of total mass. Some brewers print the ABW (rather than the abv) on beverage containers, particularly on low-point versions of popular domestic beer brands.

Alcohol percentage by weight is only 4/5 of alcohol percentage by volume (e.g., 3.2% ABW is equivalent to 4.0% abv).

You can see the ABW is a lower percentage than ABV, perhaps that is what you were referring to.