Gauging
Gauging is the measurement of the volume and proof of spirits, corrected for temperature, to determine proof gallons. The TTB prescribes gauging procedures and tables in 27 CFR Part 30.
Accurate gauging is the foundation of compliance and costing: every storage, production, and excise figure depends on it. Because alcohol volume changes with temperature, readings are corrected using the TTB gauging tables to a standard 60 degrees Fahrenheit before converting to proof gallons.
Why is temperature correction needed in gauging?
Alcohol expands and contracts with temperature more than water, so a hydrometer reading at, say, 75 degrees does not equal the true proof at the TTB standard of 60 degrees. Gauging Table 1 corrects the apparent reading to true proof, which our TTB gauging calculator reproduces.
What governs gauging procedures?
The TTB sets gauging methods, instruments, and tables in 27 CFR Part 30 (eCFR Title 27). Following them keeps measured proof gallons defensible in an audit.
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