ServSafe Alcohol Practice Exam

True or False: A 12-ounce beer contains less alcohol than 1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof vodka.

1. True

2. False

3. Depends on the beer brand

4. Cannot determine without ABV

The correct answer is: False

The statement that a 12-ounce beer contains less alcohol than 1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof vodka is false. To understand this, consider the alcohol content in both beverages. A standard 12-ounce beer typically has an alcohol by volume (ABV) ranging from about 4% to 6%. If we take an average beer with around 5% ABV, the amount of pure alcohol in that beer can be calculated as follows: 12 ounces multiplied by 0.05 equals 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. On the other hand, 80-proof vodka is 40% ABV, meaning that 1 1/2 ounces of vodka contains 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol (1.5 ounces multiplied by 0.40). Therefore, both the 12-ounce beer and the 1.5 ounces of vodka contain approximately the same amount of pure alcohol, demonstrating that the beer does not contain less alcohol than the vodka. Understanding these measurements and calculations helps clarify why the answer is false, as it highlights that the alcohol content in various drinks can be compared directly through their pure alcohol content.