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In this video:

The process began in England around the 16th century. Its original purpose was not consumer protection, but rather to ensure that the state (read: the King) collected the proper amount of taxes on the sale of the product (alcohol, called proof spirits, was taxed at a higher rate).

Want the text version?: http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2017/05/alcohol-proof-determined/

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140109-absinthe-a-literary-muse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_by_volume
http://www.andygreenlaw.com/posts/alcohol-volume-popular-whiskeys-vodka-gin-rum/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_proof
http://gizmodo.com/5935493/five-scientifically-surprising-facts-about-booze
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_gravity
https://socratic.org/questions/which-liquid-water-or-alcohol-has-stronger-intermolecular-forces
https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080908002250AArnUDu
https://www.britannica.com/demystified/why-is-alcohol-measured-by-proof
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-ethanol-less-dense-than-water
http://www.wormwoodsociety.org/index.php/102-news-and-information/items/187-yes-real-absinthe-is-leg...

Image Credit:

https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-161074391/stock-photo-pouring-whiskey-from-bottle-to-two-glas...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-81827957/stock-photo-higher-taxes
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-163217642/stock-photo-alcohol-burns-in-a-plate-of-blue-red-fl...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-108225452/stock-photo-martini-glass-with-purple-drink-is-on-f...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-111888110/stock-photo-scientific-researcher-holding-a-distill...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-146814071/stock-photo-rejected-illustration-on-toned-backgrou...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-178442452/stock-photo-rules-and-regulations-golden-gears-rule...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-131304113/stock-vector-banned-red-grunge-round-vintage-rubber...
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/ru/image-80541530/stock-photo-blackboard-with-the-chemical-formula-of-...

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