Argument over Alcohol Content

[UFGator]

I have a question over the alcohol content of beers in different states. I am a student at the University of Florida and many of my friends from out of state tell me the beer i drink is less alcoholic than beer in other states. I have a feeling this isnt true or that it is a distortion of the truth. could someone please clear this up for me. thanks.

[chazwicke]

Not sure about Fla laws. I do know that they used to prohibit different size beer containers and bottles. Some states do have laws that control the amount of alcohol allowed and some are restrictive. Most of these laws seem to be slowly changing for the better though. There are old threads on the board dealing with this and other wierd laws. Welcome to the board!

[studentofbeer]

well i dont know the laws of florida (tho i dont think they have a prohibition of beer above a certain level alcohol)

but no matter what it depends on what you drink. a bud in florida is exactly the same as one in california or illinois. i dont know too many breweries (any actually) that market the same beer under different alcohol strengths.

so if you can get a westmalle trippel or dogfish head 120 minute ipa or whatever in florida, then the strength of beer isn't likely prohibited by law.

basically what im saying is if you are drinking the same beer as your friends, it's very likely it's also the same strength.

[UFGator]

thanks for your responses. when i was visiting friends in auburn they were trying to give us a hard time about florida beer being less alcoholic, which really didnt make sense b/c most of the beer we drink is brewed in other states. another friend of mine's dad said beer in main is a lot stronger than in florida. i figured it dealt with the percentage of alcohol in a beverage and whether or not you could call it beer, ale, etc. as far as im concerned beer is beer, and im not too worried about it.

[chazwicke]

Some states in the past have only allowed 3.2% beer. West Virginia was one of them for a long time and the Bud or Miller that you drank there was indeed lower in alcohol and not the same as other states. The WVA was changed long ago so now it probably would be the same.

[Caffinehog]

I know what your friends were talking about. In ohio, we used to only be able to buy beer of 7% alcohol or less. Now it's up to 11%. Florida probably has a similar law... so your friends in Maine are probably buying some cheap malt liquor at 9% alcohol, while the highest alcohol you can buy in florida may be 5% or 7%.....

[Richard English]

In the UK all alcoholic drinks must show, by law, their alcoholic strength in ABV (alcohol by volume). Some will also show the OG (original gravity) of the wort as well.

In some parts of the world the strength is shown as ABW (alcohol by weight) and, since alcohol is less dense than water, this will give a higher figure (which is why some like to use it).

There is probably more nonsense talked about the strength of beer than almost any other aspect of it. Young lads like to boast about how many pints of super-strength beer they have drunk and of how little it affected them.

Of course, the regular and serious drinker just sits at the bar, enjoying his drink, and smiling as the young lads, forcing down their chemical fizz, get more and more noisy and silly. He smiles again as he walks past them resampling their beer as it travels along their throats in the opposite direction and smiles yet again as they nurse their hangovers in the morning.

Fortunately there is a cure - it's called growing up.

[steveh]

Originally posted by Richard English
In some parts of the world the strength is shown as ABW (alcohol by weight) and, since alcohol is less dense than water, this will give a higher figure (which is why some like to use it).

It's just the opposite, a beer that is 4% ABV is 3.2% ABW. This was the basis for the great controversy here in the U.S. that Canadian beer was "stronger" than U.S. beer, when in fact they were both about the same. Canadian beers just used the ABV percentages.

Fortunately there is a cure - it's called growing up.

God forbid! ;D

S.

[barley ben]

In the UK all alcoholic drinks must show, by law, their alcoholic strength in ABV (alcohol by volume).

I guess they change their bottles for import. I have both Fuller's 1845 and London Porter in the fridge. The 1845 does show the ABV but the London Porter does not. You would think that if it is on one, they would put it on all of them. I could care less, they are both wonderful and I need to get across the pond to have it cask!!!

[Richard English]

Fuller's London Porter and IPA are both only available in export markets (mainly the USA). As neither is sold in the UK this would explain why the strength is not shown. 1845 is sold here and, as you have found, its strength is shown.

I understand that Fuller's are considering making the IPA (and maybe the London Porter) available in the UK so you will find that the bottles will start to show the strength.

Incidentally, neither 1845 nor Porter are available regularly on draught, although Fuller's did a limited run last year of each. I didn't like the draught 1845 so much as the bottled. The porter was good but I couldn't compare it with the bottled, obviously.

[skahtboi]

As with other folks on this board, I cannot vouch for the laws in Florida. However, I do know that just across the Red River from me (Oklahoma), they can only sell beer with an ABV of 3.2% in stores such grocery stores, c-stores, beer/wine stores.

[paul84043]

Same here in Utah...3.2% (4.0% ABV)

I have noticed alot of beers that show their alcohol content, I hear that it is discouraged to keep people from looking for high alcohol beers specifically, but every case of MegaFizz, and most bottles of anything else I can find all have it listed on them.

[Beaver]

Colorado is 3.2 in supermarkets, gas stations, etc. I don't think there is any limit in liquor stores.

[dennis3951]

It,s my understanding that in some states high alcohol brews can be sold but can't be called beer. They are called malt liquor.

[thewiz]

Aren't the effects of alcohol changed or altered by elevation?

[Beaver]

You get dehydrated quicker at higher altitudes, which would affect your tolerance.