After watching people in Saghetti Westerns and Civil War Documentaries shoot whiskey like it was nothing, I was wondering about the strength of alcohol in the 19th century. Obviously the actors in these media outlets aren't actually drinking, but I am curious all the same. Was the Whiskey about 80 proof like is the standard now, or was it stronger or weaker? Why is that?
hi! FYI, there have been lots of chats about saloon drinks in here, but so far no-one's really been able to chip in with the strength of the whiskey. Hopefully someone can help with that (perhaps alcohol expert /u/Qweniden?), but anyway, you may be interested in this post from last weekend, which includes links to a few more