A fifth is a unit of volume formerly used for distilled beverages in the United States, and is equal to one fifth of a gallon, 4⁄5 quart, or 253⁄5 fluid ounces; It has been superseded by the metric system, 750 mL, which is the standard capacity of wine bottles world-wide and is approximately 1% smaller than ...

How much is in a fifth of alcohol?

<div role="note" dir="ltr">"26er" redirects here. For the type of bicycle, see <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Bike" title="Mountain Bike" dir="ltr">Mountain Bike</a>.</div>A fifth is a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_of_measurement" title="Unit of measurement" dir="ltr">unit</a> of <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volume" title="Volume" dir="ltr">volume</a> formerly used for <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_bottle" title="Wine bottle" dir="ltr">wine</a> and <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_beverage" title="Distilled beverage" dir="ltr">distilled beverages</a> in the United States, equal to one fifth of a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon#The_US_liquid_gallon" title="Gallon" dir="ltr">US liquid gallon</a>, or 25+3⁄5 <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_fluid_ounce" title="US fluid ounce" dir="ltr">U.S. fluid ounces</a> (757 <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millilitre" title="Millilitre" dir="ltr">milliliters</a>); it has been superseded by the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system" title="Metric system" dir="ltr">metric</a> bottle size of 750&nbsp;ml,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-1" dir="ltr">[1]</a> sometimes called a metric fifth, which is the standard capacity of <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_bottle" title="Wine bottle" dir="ltr">wine bottles</a> worldwide and is approximately 1% smaller.
<img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Bottle_of_Dewar%27s_whisky.jpg/220px-Bottle_of_Dewar%27s_whisky.jpg" width="220" height="330"><div class="caption" dir="ltr">A metric fifth of <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewar%27s" title="Dewar's" dir="ltr">Dewar's</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_whisky" title="Scotch whisky" dir="ltr">Scotch whisky</a></div><h2>History</h2>Before the mid 19th century, the capacity of British alcohol bottles used for wine and distilled liquors was nominally a quart, but the actual capacity varied considerably. Four primary styles existed, with different average capacities: 759±27 ml (715-810 range); 781±47 ml (724-880); 808±49 ml (739-835); ~1130 ml "imperial wine quart". Beer and cider bottles had a different range of sizes.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-2" dir="ltr">[2]</a> In 1842, it was reported that ordinary wine bottles were 1/6 of an imperial gallon, that is, 758 ml.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-3" dir="ltr">[3]</a>In the late 19th century, liquor in the US was often sold in bottles which appeared to hold one US quart (32&nbsp;US&nbsp;fl&nbsp;oz; 950&nbsp;ml), but in fact contained less than a quart and were called "fifths" <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-4" dir="ltr">[4]</a> or commercial quarts.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-MLLA-5" dir="ltr">[5]</a>At this time, one-fifth of a gallon was a common legal threshold for the difference between selling by the drink and selling by the bottle or at wholesale,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-MLLA-5" dir="ltr">[5]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-6" dir="ltr">[6]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-7" dir="ltr">[7]</a>
and thus the difference between a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_(establishment)" title="Bar (establishment)" dir="ltr">drinking saloon or barroom</a> and a dry-goods store.
The fifth was the usual size of bottle for distilled beverages in the United States until 1980.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-8" dir="ltr">[8]</a>
Other authorized units based on the fifth included 4⁄5&nbsp;pint, called a tenth, and 1⁄10&nbsp;pint.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-5.47a-9" dir="ltr">[9]</a>During the 1970s, there was a push for <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States" title="Metrication in the United States" dir="ltr">metrication</a> of U.S. government standards. In 1975, the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Alcohol,_Tobacco_and_Firearms" title="Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms" dir="ltr">Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms</a>, in cooperation with the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_Spirits_Council_of_the_United_States" title="Distilled Spirits Council of the United States" dir="ltr">Distilled Spirits Council of the United States</a>, proposed metric-standard bottle sizes to take effect in January 1979 and these standards were incorporated into <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_27_of_the_Code_of_Federal_Regulations" title="Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations" dir="ltr">Title 27</a> of the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Federal_Regulations" title="Code of Federal Regulations" dir="ltr">Code of Federal Regulations</a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-5.47a-9" dir="ltr">[9]</a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-10" dir="ltr">[10]</a>
These new sizes were 50 ml, 100 ml, 200 ml, 375 ml (355 ml for cans), 500 ml (discontinued for distilled beverages in June 1989, but not for wine),<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-11" dir="ltr">[11]</a>
750 ml, 1 liter, and 1.75 liter. Wine also has a standard 187 ml (6.3 fl. oz.) measure and uses 1.5 liters instead of 1.75.
<h2>References</h2><OL><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-1" dir="ltr">^</a> E. Frank Henriques, The Signet Encyclopedia of Wine, p. 298
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-2" dir="ltr">^</a> Olive R. Jones, Cylindrical English Wine and Beer Bottles 1735-1850, Studies in Archaeology and History, Environment Canada, 1986 <a rel="nofollow" href="https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/cylindricalenglishwinebook.pdf" dir="ltr">full text</a>, Appendix B, Tables 20-23
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-3" dir="ltr">^</a> Jones, p. 109
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-4" dir="ltr">^</a> United States Congress, "Report of hearings on H.R. 16925 to Regulate the Storage of Food Products in the District of Columbia", January 24, 1910, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=9wgwAAAAYAAJ&amp;pg=PA300&amp;dq=fifth+quart" dir="ltr">p. 300</a>
</LI><LI>^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-MLLA_5-0" dir="ltr">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-MLLA_5-1" dir="ltr">b</a> Municipal League of Los Angeles, Municipal Affairs 2:1 (January 1907) <a rel="nofollow" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=e6Y_AAAAYAAJ&amp;pg=PT135&amp;lpg=PT135&amp;dq=" dir="ltr">"commercial+quart" p. 4</a>
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-6" dir="ltr">^</a> The Southwestern Reporter 55, 1900, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=vx4LAAAAYAAJ&amp;pg=PA212" dir="ltr">p. 212</a>
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-7" dir="ltr">^</a> Annual report of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners (California), 1894, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=RLsSAAAAYAAJ&amp;pg=RA4-PA71" dir="ltr">p. 71</a>
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-8" dir="ltr">^</a> testimony of Carl L. Alsberg, "Amendments to the Pure Food and Drugs Act", Commonwealth of Virginia, 1919, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=jRkz3TnxQVAC&amp;pg=PA17" dir="ltr">p. 17</a>: "The ordinary whisky bottle contains one-fifth of a gallon, or 253⁄5&nbsp;ounces [...] They are either marked 25&nbsp;ounces, or one-fifth of a gallon."
</LI><LI>^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-5.47a_9-0" dir="ltr">a</a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-5.47a_9-1" dir="ltr">b</a> 27 CFR Chapter I, Part 5, Subpart E, Section 5.47a Metric standards of fill for distilled spirits bottled after December 31, 1979
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-10" dir="ltr">^</a> "Old Standard Fifth Due New Moniker", Indiana Evening Gazette, 16 July 1975, p. 40
</LI><LI><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-11" dir="ltr">^</a> 
<cite dir="ltr"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://archive.today/20150312071341/http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/alcohol.html" dir="ltr">"Packaging regulations for alcoholic beverages"</a>. Colostate.edu. Colorado State University. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/alcohol.html" dir="ltr">the original</a> on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.</cite>
</LI></OL>

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

A fifth is a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_of_measurement">unit </a>of <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volume">volume </a>formerly used for <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_bottle">wine </a>and <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_beverage">distilled beverages </a>in the United States, equal to one fifth of a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon#The_US_liquid_gallon">US liquid gallon </a>, or 25

3 ⁄5 <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_fluid_ounce">U.S. fluid ounces </a>(757 <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millilitre">milliliters </a>); it has been superseded by the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system">metric </a>bottle size of 750 ml,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-1">[1] </a> sometimes called a metric fifth , which is the standard capacity of <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_bottle">wine bottles </a>worldwide and is approximately 1% smaller.

Before the mid 19th century, the capacity of British alcohol bottles used for wine and distilled liquors was nominally a quart, but the actual capacity varied considerably. Four primary styles existed, with different average capacities: 759±27 ml (715-810 range); 781±47 ml (724-880); 808±49 ml (739-835); ~1130 ml "imperial wine quart". Beer and cider bottles had a different range of sizes.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-2">[2] </a> In 1842, it was reported that ordinary wine bottles were 1/6 of an imperial gallon, that is, 758 ml.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-3">[3] </a>

In the late 19th century, liquor in the US was often sold in bottles which appeared to hold one US quart (32 US fl oz; 950 ml), but in fact contained less than a quart and were called "fifths" <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-4">[4] </a> or commercial quarts .<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-MLLA-5">[5] </a>

At this time, one-fifth of a gallon was a common legal threshold for the difference between selling by the drink and selling by the bottle or at wholesale,<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-MLLA-5">[5] </a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-6">[6] </a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-7">[7] </a> and thus the difference between a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_(establishment)">drinking saloon or barroom </a>and a dry-goods store.

The fifth was the usual size of bottle for distilled beverages in the United States until 1980.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-8">[8] </a> Other authorized units based on the fifth included 4 ⁄5  pint, called a tenth , and 1 ⁄10  pint.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-5.47a-9">[9] </a>

During the 1970s, there was a push for <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States">metrication </a>of U.S. government standards. In 1975, the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Alcohol,_Tobacco_and_Firearms">Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms </a>, in cooperation with the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_Spirits_Council_of_the_United_States">Distilled Spirits Council of the United States </a>, proposed metric-standard bottle sizes to take effect in January 1979 and these standards were incorporated into <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_27_of_the_Code_of_Federal_Regulations">Title 27 </a>of the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Federal_Regulations">Code of Federal Regulations </a>.<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-5.47a-9">[9] </a> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-10">[10] </a> These new sizes were 50 ml, 100 ml, 200 ml, 375 ml (355 ml for cans), 500 ml (discontinued for distilled beverages in June 1989, but not for wine),<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_note-11">[11] </a> 750 ml, 1 liter, and 1.75 liter. Wine also has a standard 187 ml (6.3 fl. oz.) measure and uses 1.5 liters instead of 1.75.

<ol><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-1">^ </a> E. Frank Henriques, The Signet Encyclopedia of Wine , p. 298 </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-2">^ </a> Olive R. Jones, Cylindrical English Wine and Beer Bottles 1735-1850 , Studies in Archaeology and History , Environment Canada, 1986 <a href="https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/cylindricalenglishwinebook.pdf">full text </a>, Appendix B, Tables 20-23 </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-3">^ </a> Jones, p. 109 </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-4">^ </a> United States Congress, "Report of hearings on H.R. 16925 to Regulate the Storage of Food Products in the District of Columbia", January 24, 1910, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=9wgwAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA300&dq=fifth+quart">p. 300 </a> </li><li>^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-MLLA_5-0">a </a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-MLLA_5-1">b </a> Municipal League of Los Angeles, Municipal Affairs 2 :1 (January 1907) <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=e6Y_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PT135&lpg=PT135&dq=">"commercial+quart" p. 4 </a> </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-6">^ </a> The Southwestern Reporter 55 , 1900, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=vx4LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA212">p. 212 </a> </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-7">^ </a> Annual report of the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners (California) , 1894, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=RLsSAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA4-PA71">p. 71 </a> </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-8">^ </a> testimony of Carl L. Alsberg, "Amendments to the Pure Food and Drugs Act", Commonwealth of Virginia, 1919, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=jRkz3TnxQVAC&pg=PA17">p. 17 </a>: "The ordinary whisky bottle contains one-fifth of a gallon, or 253 ⁄5  ounces [...] They are either marked 25 ounces, or one-fifth of a gallon." </li><li>^ <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-5.47a_9-0">a </a><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-5.47a_9-1">b </a> 27 CFR Chapter I, Part 5, Subpart E, Section 5.47a Metric standards of fill for distilled spirits bottled after December 31, 1979 </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-10">^ </a> "Old Standard Fifth Due New Moniker", Indiana Evening Gazette , 16 July 1975, p. 40 </li><li><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_(unit)#cite_ref-11">^ </a> <cite><a href="https://archive.today/20150312071341/http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/alcohol.html">"Packaging regulations for alcoholic beverages" </a>. Colostate.edu . Colorado State University. Archived from <a href="http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hillger/laws/alcohol.html">the original </a>on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015 . </cite> </li> </ol>

Fifth (unit) - Wikipedia

How much is in a fifth of alcohol?

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