Overproof

Strength

Overproof means a spirit above 50% ABV (100 US proof), such as some rums that are far stronger than standard bottles.

Common modern use: Above 50% ABV (100 US proof)
Old British 100 proof: About 57.1% ABV
Wray & Nephew White Overproof: 63% ABV (126 US proof)
Navy strength: 54.5 to 57% ABV; sources differ

What Overproof means

Overproof rum is bottled above 50% ABV, or 100 US proof, which puts it well past most bottles. You meet it in tiki drinks, where a small amount goes a long way. Check the ABV on the label before you pour.

Proof is the older scale, and US proof is twice the ABV, so a 160 proof rum is 80% ABV. Old British 100 proof was about 57.1% ABV under the Sikes scale, so anything stronger was over proof. Wray & Nephew White Overproof is 63% ABV (126 US proof), a white overproof rum that shows the range well.

One popular idea is that Royal Navy pursers proved rum by lighting it with gunpowder. That test is a legend. Today proof is a number set by law and printed on the label, so read the label rather than the story. Each ounce of an overproof spirit carries more ABV, so smaller drinks are an easy choice.

How to use overproof rum in cocktails

Read the ABV first, then use a small amount or split it with a standard-strength rum.

1.Check the label, since above 50% ABV, or above 100 US proof, counts as overproof in modern use.
2.Divide US proof by 2 to get ABV, so 160 proof is 80% ABV.
3.Use a small amount, such as a 0.5 oz (15 ml) float in a tiki drink, or split it with a standard-strength rum.
4.Keep the bottle away from open flames, such as a candle or a flamed garnish, since overproof spirits catch fire easily.
5.Serve smaller drinks, since each ounce carries more alcohol than a standard rum.

Overproof compared

ProofProof is the scale, and an overproof spirit is one above 100 proof on it.
ABVABV is the alcohol percentage, and overproof spirits sit above about 50 to 57% ABV.
Navy strengthNavy strength is a narrower label for gin or rum at about 54.5 to 57% ABV.
Cask strengthCask strength means bottled at the strength it left the barrel, which is often but not always overproof.

Examples

Related terms

Ingredients

Put it to use in your next drink

Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.