Alcohol FAQs

Yes. If your label or advertisement does not include any nutrient content statements or claims, you may provide the same truthful and accurate per-serving alcohol content information that is allowed as part of a Serving Facts statement under TTB Ruling 2013-2. This information should be provided under the heading "Alcohol Facts," to distinguish it from a "Serving Facts" statement, and must include the serving size (in accordance with TTB Ruling 2013-2), the number of servings per container, and the percentage of alcohol by volume together with a numerical statement of the number of fluid ounces of pure ethyl alcohol per serving (rounded to the nearest tenth). If you wish to make any type of nutrient content statement or claim on the label or advertisement, along with optional per-serving alcohol content information, you should use a Serving Facts statement in accordance with TTB Ruling 2013-2.

Serving sizes for purposes of Alcohol Facts labeling must be consistent with the sizes set forth in TTB Ruling 2013-2, and are specified in the chart below.

The number of servings per container is calculated by dividing the total net contents by the serving size as specified by AF2. The number of servings in a container must be rounded to the nearest quarter of a serving. Examples of determining the number of servings per container are shown below.

16 fluid ounce can of beer at 12 percent alcohol by volume:

• Alc. by vol.: 12%
• Total net contents:  16 fl. oz.
• Serving size:  5 fl. oz.

Servings per container:  16 fl. oz. ÷ 5 fl. oz. = 3.20 rounded to the nearest quarter of a serving = 3 1/4 servings per container.

1 liter bottle of distilled spirits at 40 percent alcohol by volume

• Alc. by vol.: 40%
• Total net contents: 1 Liter (1000 ml)
• Serving size:  1.5 fl. oz. (44 ml)

Servings per container:  1000 ml ÷ 44 ml = 22.73 rounded to the nearest quarter of a serving = 22 3/4 servings per container

750 ml bottle of wine at 13.5 percent alcohol by volume

• Alc. by vol. 13.5%
• Total net contents: 750 ml
• Serving size: 5 fl. oz. (148 ml)

Servings per container:  750 ml ÷ 148 ml = 5.07 rounded to the nearest quarter of a serving = 5 servings per container

The number of fluid ounces of alcohol per serving is calculated by multiplying the number of fluid ounces in a serving by the percentage of alcohol by volume and rounding to the nearest tenth of a fluid ounce. Examples are set forth below:

Wine at 14 percent alcohol by volume
Serving size:  5 fl. oz.  Alcohol by volume:  14% (or 0.14)
Fl.  oz. of alcohol per serving:  5 x 0.14 = 0.7 fl. oz. of alcohol per serving

Malt beverage at 4 percent alcohol by volume
Serving size:  12 fl. oz.  Alcohol by volume:  4% (or 0.04)
Fl.  oz. of alcohol per serving:  12 x 0.04 = 0.48 fl. oz. of alcohol per serving (rounded to 0.5)

Distilled spirits at 40 percent alcohol by volume
Serving size:  1.5 fl. oz.  Alcohol by volume:  40% (or 0.4)
Fl. oz. of alcohol per serving:  1.5 x 0.4 = 0.6 fl. oz. of alcohol per serving

An Alcohol Facts statement appearing on a label or an advertisement may be stated per container size only if the container size is equal to or less than a single serving size. However, as an option, the Alcohol Facts statement may be presented in a format that provides information both per serving size and per container size.

Generally, there are no minimum type size requirements for Alcohol Facts statements; however, the information should be readily legible and appear on a contrasting background. If it is being used to satisfy an alcohol content statement requirement on labels or in advertisements, it must meet the type size and placement requirements for that information.

The TTB labeling regulations require an alcohol content statement, expressed as a percentage of alcohol by volume, for certain products. Because the Alcohol Facts statement includes a statement of the percentage of alcohol by volume, it will satisfy those requirements as long as it complies with the placement and type size requirements set forth in the regulations.

No, if an approved label is being changed only to include an Alcohol Facts statement following the guidelines in these FAQs, and the format used is one that is depicted in the examples provided in AF9, the submission of a new application for label approval is not necessary.

Examples of acceptable Alcohol Facts statements are depicted below. If one of these formats is used, the submission of a new COLA application for the sole reason of including this additional information is unnecessary.

• The following Alcohol Facts statement illustrates an acceptable panel display for a 750 milliliter bottle of wine containing 14 percent alcohol by volume.

• The following Alcohol Facts statement illustrates an acceptable linear display for a 24 fluid ounce can of beer containing 5 percent alcohol by volume and includes information about the fluid ounces of alcohol per can.

• The following Alcohol Facts statement illustrates an acceptable display for a 50 milliliter bottle of distilled spirits containing 40 percent alcohol by volume.

• The following Alcohol Facts statement illustrates an acceptable display for a 16 fluid ounce malt beverage bottle containing 8 percent alcohol by volume and includes information about the fluid ounces of alcohol per bottle.

Other formats for per-serving alcohol content information will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will necessitate the submission of a new COLA application.