1934 What Shall We Drink by Magnus Bredenbek

White Wines Usually,the average man or woman figures only in volmne as,for instance,a pint of gin,a quart of brandy. He does not think of them in terms of oimces per pint or quart or gallon. I assume,therefore,that we can leave the weight percentages to be figured out by those who need to know it for technical or taxation reasons. This is a drinkers' book, not a technical treatise. Just one illustration might suffice to show how easily the difference is ascertained. Let us take the famous 3.2 per cent by weight beer permitted just before repeal, as an example. To find the alcohol by volume merely multiply by the decimal 1.25 and you get four per cent. Suppose, however, you had been given the 4 per cent volume figure. To find the alcohol by weight you simply would multiply by the decimal.80 and get 3.2 per cent. The appended table does not show every wine or other liquor, nor does it mention specific brands or "chateau" varieties,of which there are myriads. From those cited,how ever, one may estimate with fair accmacy the alcohohc con tent of similar types. Here's the table.

Beverage

Per cent By Volume

Absinthe

SS-oo

Ale

6.25 to 9.6

Beer (pre-repeal type) Beer (light German type)

4-oo 4-38 S-oo

Beer (lager) Benedictine

42.00 11.5°

Bordeaux Wine (red or white)

Brandy

40.00 to 43.8 10.00 to 11.2

Burgundy

California wines, dry (average) California wines, sweet (average)

11.30 19.00

Catawba

9-00 to 9.50 12.50 to 14.8 32.00 to 35.0

Champagne Chartreuse

Chianti

12.50

Cider (barreled) Cider (bottled)

3.50 to 5.6

6.00

Claret

9-oo to ii.i