h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Americans,

I'm writing an entry on How Much Alcohol is in common drinks and how much of it we should consume.

Can one of you please check what the alcohol content of a typical can of beer is? Let me know the size of the can in fluid ounces, and the percentage alcohol.

Here in Ireland, beer is typically 4.3% alcohol. Even American brands sold here have that value. But I suspect it is lower in the States.

Typically I threw out a few empty American beer cans this morning

I did notice over there though that not all cans/bottles have the abv on them, so I'm guessing they don't have to.

Canada is usually 5% as a standard but up to 7% in 'specialty'
micro-brewery brands. We also now offer 'lite' beers with US
levels of 3% and 4% for ladies, American tourists and the faint
of heart. Some US states have an even lower 2 or 3% version they
call 'Sunday beer' which is designed to circumvent laws in some
states where the usual 4% is illegal to sell or consume on the
Lord's Day. This is their most popular beverage while driving.
Of course there is also 'non-beer' being .5% available in grocery
stores anytime. It sorta tastes like beer (and most brands have a
version of it) but the ratio is something like ten to one if you want
the same kick as a standard 5%.

~jwf~

Your standard, mass-produced lagers like Budweiser are usually around 5%. Craft beers, like here, can vary anywhere between 3% and...well, the sky is the limit, really. A can would usually be either 12 or 16 fluid ounces.

This might help, from the local pub that stocks American beer:

http://www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk/beer/bikini-blonde
http://www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk/beer/coconut-porter
http://www.portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk/beer/mana-wheat

I want to make sure that these are American beers as sold in America, not American beers made for the European market, which are often different.

Gnomon, don't forget the spirit of the guide when you write this. The Encyclopedia Galactica may cover how many fluid ounces of alcohol are in drinks, but the Hitchhikers guide tells you where to get it and where you can rehabitate afterwards.

I've a feeling "binge drinking" will include drinking just one Pan-Galactic GargleBlaster.

And don't forget the Americans use the Alcohol Proof system whereas the English use Alcohol by Volume (ABV) typically ABV is half the value of Alcohol Proof.

You can get lots of info. from brewery websites also.

http://www.greeneking.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=69

I don't think that's necessarily true. I think federal law requires ABV to be given on the label, whereas Alcohol Proof isn't mandatory. Going on experience (rather than legal knowledge), proof tends to be used more with spirits.

Gosho would know, I think.

Yes, Gosho should know. He'd be the local authority, I'd suspect.

Meanwhile, I know on beers the ABV should generally be available... whether it's printed on the can/bottle I'm not sure (because I usually drink draft when I'm out and don't drink much at home). I recall hearing ABV in advertisements, though, like on radio or television. Since I'm usually only casually listening I can't tell you what they are on average though.

Just checked my refrigerator - dang, down to two bottles. One is a Full Sail Amber Ale which is 12 fl oz, 6.0% alc by vol. I do have a bottle of Heineken as well, but I can find nothing on the label for that one - I'm assuming that it is probably not as strong, since most ales are stronger here than lagers.

Each state has different liquor laws & different labeling requirements (even the advertising laws are different from state to state), so not all beer, ale, porter, etc is labeled with alcohol content UNLESS you're in one of the states which has "three two": that's "sort'a" beer that has LESS than 3.2% ABV (truly an abomination, if there ever was one!). In Oklahoma, where I live, 3.2 is technically NOT an alcoholic beverage (though you can still get arrested for drunk driving if you have too many) & can be sold chilled in grocery stores & convenience stores. Higher strength beer is only sold in separate liquor stores & can not be chilled. In Ohio, where I was raised, only 3.2 was available on Sundays & to those between 18 & 21 years old, but WAS considered an alcoholic beverage.

If your going to mention American beers in the US, that's going to get complicated because of the wide variety of rules & laws - the distribution channels aren't even the same in each state & some beers are only sold in certain places.

how do you keep up with that you can buy 6% beers in supermarkets here 7 days a week

Thanks for that, Stagehand. I can see there's no such thing as a standard beer in the US.

>>I'm writing an entry on How Much Alcohol/.. we should consume.



For what, for our health?

Yes.

Tricky, but I think despite the claims to the contrary, the healthiest amount is zero, on balance. Any health benefits in certain areas is outweighed by risks in others, and the correlation between moderate drinking and longevity cannot be attributed to the alcohol.

>> correlation between moderate drinking and longevity <<

Right you are. This is not a case of cause and effect but simply
two examples of a healthy, cautious approach to life in general.

Less is more. Really.

~jwf~