Why do they call it a fifth of whiskey?
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The term “fifth” is a measurement of volume. But why is it called a fifth of whiskey? The answer lies in the fact that whiskey was traditionally sold by the barrel, which equals 128 fluid ounces. A fifth of whiskey would be one-fifth of that, or 32 fluid ounces.
There are various theories related to the answer of this question but there is no consensus. Alexander Dumas supported the theory that there are four ingredients in whiskey, water, rye, barley and yeast. He further stated that of these four components, whiskey is approximately 80% alcohol. Hence, the fifth will be approximately 20% alcohol. The first time this theory appeared was in a book written by John Nicholson in 1856.
A fifth of whiskey refers to a 750ml bottle of spirits. The term fifth comes from the fact that a standard bottle contains 25.6 fluid ounces, which is just shy of a fifth of a gallon. In the United States, a fifth is the most common size for distilled spirits.
Why do they call it a fifth of whiskey? The term fifth comes from the fact that a standard bottle contains 25.6 fluid ounces, which is just shy of a fifth of a gallon. In the United States, a fifth is the most common size for distilled spirits. The term fifth has become synonymous with whiskey, but it can technically apply to any type of distilled spirit.