Beer Strength: 3.2 Vs 6, What's The Difference?

The difference between 3.2% beer and 6% beer is largely in the distinction between how their alcohol content is measured. While 3.2% low-point beer is measured by weight, 6% strong beer is calculated by volume. When the 6% drink is calculated by weight, it totals 4.7% alcohol, making the difference in alcohol content between the two less significant than it first appears.

The difference in alcohol content is not as significant as it seems

The difference in alcohol content between 3.2% beer and 6% beer may seem significant, but there are a few reasons why the distinction may not be as pronounced as it seems. Firstly, the percentage of alcohol in beer is measured by volume, and a small difference in volume can lead to a relatively large difference in percentage. For example, a beer with 3.2% ABV contains slightly over half the alcohol of a 6% ABV beer by volume, but this may not translate to a noticeable difference in effect for the drinker.

Secondly, the overall alcohol content of a beer is only one factor in how it affects the drinker. The style of beer, the drinker's weight and metabolism, the presence of food in the stomach, and other factors can all influence the effects of alcohol. A person drinking 6% ABV beer may not feel the difference compared to a 3.2% beer if they are drinking slower or have food in their system, for example.

Additionally, the difference in alcohol content between the two types of beer may be less noticeable depending on the drinker's tolerance and experience with alcohol. A person with a higher tolerance or a regular drinker may not perceive a significant difference between the two beers. On the other hand, a person with a lower tolerance or less experience with alcohol may find even a small difference in alcohol content to be noticeable.

Finally, while a 6% ABV beer does contain more alcohol than a 3.2% beer, it is still within the range of what is considered a "standard drink" in terms of alcohol content. A standard drink is typically defined as containing approximately "14 grams of pure alcohol," which is equivalent to approximately 12 ounces of 5% ABV beer. Both 3.2% and 6% beers fall within this range, and the difference in alcohol content may not be as noticeable compared to beers with much higher or lower ABV.

3.2% beer is measured by weight, 6% by volume

The difference between 3.2% beer and 6% beer lies in how the alcohol content is measured. 3.2% beer is measured by weight, whereas 6% beer is measured by volume.

Historical Context

The 3.2% beer came about in 1933, nine months before Prohibition was repealed in the US. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act, compromising on 3.2% as the maximum alcohol content allowed in beer. This figure was entirely arbitrary, as beer historian Maureen Ogle explains: "There's nothing magical about it".

Alcohol by Weight

2% beer is measured by weight, meaning 3.2% of the total weight of the liquid is alcohol. This is a less common way of measuring alcohol content, with alcohol by volume being the standard for most beverages. Alcohol by weight is often abbreviated as ABW.

Alcohol by Volume

Alcohol by volume (ABV) is a standard measure of the volume of alcohol in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage. It is usually expressed as a volume percentage. For example, 6% ABV means that 6% of the total volume of the liquid is alcohol.

Conversion

The ABV value of a beverage is always higher than the ABW. At low ABVs, the alcohol percentage by weight is about 4/5 of the ABV. However, the relationship between ABV and ABW is not linear, and the conversion factor depends on the concentration of alcohol.

US Regulations

Some US states, such as Kansas, previously had a maximum alcohol limit of 3.2% by weight for beer sold in grocery and convenience stores. However, these laws are slowly changing, with Kansas now allowing up to 6% ABV beer in grocery stores.

6% beer has 1.5% more alcohol than 3.2% beer

The history of 3.2% beer dates back to the Prohibition era in the United States. During this time, there was a federal ban on the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol. However, the Prohibition era eventually came to an end with the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment in 1933, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment.

Following the end of Prohibition, states wanted to be cautious about allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol. As a result, they permitted the sale of beer with a low alcohol content, which was measured to be 3.2% by weight. This percentage was considered to be a low amount that would not easily intoxicate people, and it was referred to as a "non-intoxicating beverage".

Over time, however, the measurement of alcohol content in beverages shifted from weight to volume, which is now the standard metric used, known as ABV (alcohol by volume). When measured using ABV, 3.2% beer actually translates to 4.0% alcohol content, which is not significantly different from the alcohol content of regular beers, typically ranging from 4.2% to 4.5% ABV.

While the distinction between 3.2% and 6% beer may seem like a significant difference in alcohol content, the comparison is not as straightforward as it appears. The difference in measurement methods makes it more of a psychological difference than an actual alcohol content difference. However, it is important to note that the number of beers one can consume without feeling the effects will vary between the two types of beer. For example, drinking three 6% beers would be equivalent to consuming five 3.2% beers.

3.2% beer is a hangover from Prohibition times and is slowly disappearing

2 beer, also known as "three-two beer", is indeed a hangover from Prohibition times. In April 2019, Kansas became one of the last states to stop selling beer limited to 3.2% alcohol by weight, leaving just Minnesota as the final state to continue selling it.

The story of 3.2 beer begins in 1933, nine months before Prohibition was completely repealed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act, fulfilling a campaign promise. Because Prohibition was still the law, there had to be a limit on the amount of alcohol allowed in beer. The compromise was 3.2% alcohol by weight, an arbitrary number with "nothing magical" about it, according to beer historian Maureen Ogle.

After the federal government legalized liquor, the 3.2% standard took hold in many states as a middle course between allowing alcohol and not—a sort of "temperance light". In some states, it was the only drink allowed, and in others, it was more easily accessible than stronger beer, wine, and spirits.

The 3.2 beer was considered a non-intoxicating beverage, and in the 1970s, its sales were fuelled by teen consumption. Many states allowed 18-year-olds to drink 3.2 beer, and younger kids also found it easy to get. However, by the mid-1980s, the country adopted a uniform minimum drinking age of 21, and states started to scrap special rules for 3.2 beer.

The 3.2 beer has been unpopular among drinkers and brewers alike. Brewers found it a nuisance to make, and consumers generally disliked its taste. With the market for 3.2 beer drying up, it is slowly disappearing, leaving Minnesota as the last holdout.

Oklahoma and Kansas previously only allowed 3.2% beer in grocery stores

The history of 3.2% beer dates back to the Prohibition era in the United States. In 1933, nine months before Prohibition was fully repealed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act, which set the alcohol limit for beer at 3.2% by weight. This limit was arbitrary and not based on any scientific or health-related rationale.

After Prohibition ended, many states, including Oklahoma and Kansas, continued to regulate alcohol sales and maintained the 3.2% limit for beer sold in grocery and convenience stores. This type of beer became known as "three-two beer" or "light beer."

Oklahoma and Kansas had strict alcohol regulations due to their historical support for temperance and prohibition. Oklahoma's state constitution included the prohibition of alcohol when it became a state in 1907. Similarly, Kansas had a long history of temperance and was the first state to enact a constitutional prohibition on alcohol in 1881, which lasted until 1948.

In recent years, there has been a push to modernize alcohol laws in these states. In 2016, Oklahoma passed comprehensive alcohol law reforms, allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell stronger beer and wine. This change ended the restriction of 3.2% beer in grocery stores. Similarly, in 2019, Kansas updated its laws, and grocery stores were no longer limited to selling only 3.2% beer. The new maximum alcohol limit for beer sales in Kansas grocery stores was set at 6% alcohol by volume.

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