27 CFR § 5.87 - “Barrel Proof” and similar terms.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t27/s5.87"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "27 CFR § 5.87 - “Barrel Proof” and similar terms."
title_number: 27
title_name: "Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms"
section_number: "5.87"
section_name: "“Barrel Proof” and similar terms."
chapter_name: "ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "ALCOHOL"
part_number: "5"
part_name: "LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF DISTILLED SPIRITS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "26 U.S.C. 5301, 7805, 27 U.S.C. 205 and 207."
regulatory_source: "T.D. TTB-176, 87 7579, Feb. 9, 2022, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "5"
---


# 5.87 “Barrel Proof” and similar terms.

(a) The term “barrel proof” or “cask strength” may be used to refer to distilled spirits stored in wood barrels only when the bottling proof is not more than two degrees lower than the proof of the spirits when the spirits are dumped from the barrels.

(b) The term “original proof,” “original barrel proof,” “original cask strength,” or “entry proof” may be used only if the distilled spirits were stored in wooden barrels and the proof of the spirits entered into the barrel and the proof of the bottled spirits are the same.