Research suggests that the average alcohol content of beer, wine and distilled spirits dropped significantly between 1950 and 2002.
Beverage | Year | % Change | |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | 2002 | ||
Wine | 16.75% | 11.45% | -31.64% |
Distilled Spirits | 42.71% | 36.93% | -13.53% |
Beer | 5.02% | 4.65% | -7.37% |
The study, supported by the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) was conducted by Dr. William Kerr and colleagues and is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
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Although the proportion of wine, distilled spirits and beer are different, standard drinks of each contain comparable amounts of alcohol -- about six-tenths of one ounce of alcohol. Standard drink refers to a 12 ounce can or bottle of beer, one-and one-half ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits (straight or in a mixed drink), or five ounces of wine. To a breathalyzer they’re all the same.
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