A fifth is a unit of

volume Volume is a measure of regions in three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch) ...

formerly used for

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

and

distilled beverage Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. While the ...

s in the United States, equal to one fifth of a US liquid gallon, or ; it has been superseded by the

metric Metric or metrical may refer to: Measuring * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics ...

bottle size of 750 mL, sometimes called a metric fifth, which is the standard capacity of

wine bottle A wine bottle is a bottle, generally a glass bottle, that is used for holding wine. Some wines are fermentation (wine), fermented in the bottle while others are bottled only after fermentation. Recently the bottle has become a standard unit of ...

s worldwide and is approximately 1% smaller.

History

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); and approximately 1130 mL, the "imperial wine quart". Beer and cider bottles had a different range of sizes. In 1842, it was reported that ordinary wine bottles were 1/6 of an imperial gallon, that is, 758 mL. After its independence, the United States continued some British measures, but altered others (''e.g.'', the U.S. liquid gallon). In the late 19th century, liquor in the U.S. was often sold in bottles which appeared to hold , but in fact contained less than a quart and were called "fifths", "short quarts", or commercial quarts.Municipal League of Los Angeles, ''Municipal Affairs'' 2:1 (January 1907
p. 4
/ref> 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, and thus the difference between a drinking saloon or barroom and a dry-goods store. The fifth was the usual size of bottle for distilled beverages in the United States until 1980. Other authorized units based on the fifth included pint, called a tenth, and pint. During the 1970s, there was a push for

metrication Metrication or metrification is the act or process of converting to the metric system of measurement. All over the world, countries have transitioned from local and traditional Unit of measurement, units of measurement to the metric system. This ...

of U.S. government standards. In 1975, the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention ...

, in cooperation with the

Distilled Spirits Council of the United States The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) is a national trade association representing producers and marketers of distilled spirits sold in the United States. DISCUS was formed in 1973 by the merger of three organizations (the B ...

, proposed metric-standard bottle sizes to take effect in January 1979, with a one-year changeover period in which both sets of sizes were legal; these standards were incorporated into Title 27 of the

Code of Federal Regulations In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulatory law, regulations promulgated by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government of the ...

.27 CFR Chapter I, Part 5, Subpart E, Section 5.47a Metric standards of fill for distilled spirits bottled after December 31, 1979 These new sizes were 50 mL (a miniature), 100 mL, 200 mL, 375 mL (355 mL for cans), 500 mL (discontinued for distilled beverages in June 1989, but not for wine), 750 mL (the usual size of a wine bottle), 1 liter, and 1.75 liter (a metric half-gallon or "handle"). Wine also has a standard measure and uses 1.5 liters (a magnum) instead of 1.75.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Units of volume Alcohol law in the United States Metricated units Alcohol measurement

History

See also

References