Proofin'

[Okie]

Watching the history channel and a great program on moonshine vs bourbon.
Love the explaination of Proofing with gunpowder and alcohol. If I only knew this when I was little my brother and I could have had some fun in my with my Dad's reloading powder and some of his Johnny Walker.

[CrispyCritter]

Wouldn't the old-style gunpowder method of proofing require black powder rather than smokeless?

At any rate, I remember reading somewhere that it wasn't especially accurate; 100 proof by powder was more like 57% ABV, aka 114 proof by modern methods. The 57% ABV lives on, though, in OGD 114 at least.

[ILLfarmboy]

Wouldn't the old-style gunpowder method of proofing require black powder rather than smokeless?


I 'spect it would.

And I doubt the old method is any more accurate than what an experienced hand could accomplish by judging the size and longevity of bubbles when you hit a bottle with the palm of your hand. I reckon it was more a way to prove to customers they weren't getting ripped off, sort of like the traditional worm in a bottle of mescal.

[Shuboy]

Wouldn't the old-style gunpowder method of proofing require black powder rather than smokeless?

At any rate, I remember reading somewhere that it wasn't especially accurate; 100 proof by powder was more like 57% ABV, aka 114 proof by modern methods. The 57% ABV lives on, though, in OGD 114 at least.
Springbank 100 Proof is also 57% ABV and I believe the original British proof system was derived from that ratio.