Everclear is a brand of neutral grain spirit made by Luxco, a St. Louis company owned by MGP Ingredients. Its full-strength bottling is 190 proof, or 95 percent alcohol by volume, which makes it the same kind of spirit that vodka, gin and most liqueurs start from before they are diluted to drinking strength. It is sold at four proofs because several states cap how strong a spirit can be sold at retail. Here is what it is under federal rules, every proof and size, how many standard drinks are in a bottle, which state rules are actually on the books, how the brand got here, what Luxco says it is for, and two liqueurs you can make with it.
Last verified September 13, 2026. Producer, proof and size facts are from Luxco’s brand and product-specification pages and MGP Ingredients’ April 1, 2021 press release; the federal class from 27 CFR 5.142 and 5.71; state rules from the statutes named; standard drinks from NIAAA; flammability from supplier safety data sheets for 190-proof ethanol. Full list at the end.
| Everclear | Fact |
|---|---|
| What it is | Neutral spirits distilled from grain (27 CFR 5.142); label reads “Distilled from grain” |
| Producer | Luxco, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, a subsidiary of MGP Ingredients since April 1, 2021 |
| Proofs sold | 190 (95% ABV), 151 (75.5%), 120 (60%); a 189 proof (94.5%) bottling appears in retailer listings |
| Sizes | 50 mL, 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL, 1 L, 1.75 L, varying by proof |
| Standard drinks, 190 proof | 2.4 per 1.5 oz; 40 per 750 mL bottle |
| Flash point, 190 proof ethanol | 14 to 17 C (57 to 63 F): highly flammable liquid and vapor |
| Trademark registered | 1950, by American Distilling Company; advertised at 190 proof by 1936 |
| Strongest spirit sold in the US? | No. Spirytus Rektyfikowany is bottled at 96% (192 proof) |
What Everclear is under federal rules
The federal standard of identity that covers Everclear is 27 CFR 5.142. “Neutral spirits” or “alcohol” are distilled spirits distilled from any suitable material at or above 95 percent alcohol by volume (190 proof) and, if bottled, bottled at not less than 40 percent (80 proof). Under 27 CFR 5.71, a neutral spirit’s label has to name the commodity it was distilled from, which is why the bottle says “Distilled from grain.” Luxco’s own description is “100% neutral spirits distilled from grain.”
Two naming points. “Grain alcohol” and “grain neutral spirits” are the everyday terms and both are accurate. “Grain spirits,” on the other hand, is a defined TTB type for neutral spirits that have been stored in oak barrels, which Everclear has not, so that phrase does not apply. And vodka is legally the same class of spirit: 27 CFR 5.142(b) defines vodka as neutral spirits that may be treated with small amounts of sugar and citric acid and bottled at 80 proof or more. Everclear 190 is that spirit before the water goes in.
Every proof and size
Sizes are from Luxco’s product-specification pages, with retailer and state-store listings filling in the 190 proof sizes that Luxco’s pages did not load at verification time. The 120 proof bottling is listed by Luxco as “CA only” for most sizes, because California caps retail spirits at 60 percent alcohol (see the state table below).
| Proof | ABV | Sizes | Where the sizes were confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190 | 95% | 50 mL (export), 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL, 1 L, 1.75 L | Luxco (50 mL); Virginia ABC and retailer listings for the rest |
| 189 | 94.5% | 750 mL | Retailer listing only (Total Wine); Luxco has not published a reason for a 189 bottling |
| 151 | 75.5% | 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL (glass and PET), 1 L, 1.75 L | Luxco product specifications |
| 120 | 60% | 50 mL, 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL, 1 L, 1.75 L (most marked CA only) | Luxco product specifications |
Standard drinks in a bottle of Everclear
NIAAA defines a standard drink as 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol, which is a 1.5 oz shot of an 80 proof spirit. Everclear is more than twice that strength, so the same shot glass holds more than two drinks. The formula is (fluid ounces x ABV) / 0.6; a 750 mL bottle is 25.36 fl oz.
| Bottling | ABV | Pure alcohol in 1.5 oz | Standard drinks per 1.5 oz | Pure alcohol in 750 mL | Standard drinks per 750 mL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everclear 190 | 95% | 1.43 oz | 2.4 | 24.1 oz | 40.2 |
| Everclear 189 | 94.5% | 1.42 oz | 2.4 | 24.0 oz | 39.9 |
| Everclear 151 | 75.5% | 1.13 oz | 1.9 | 19.1 oz | 31.9 |
| Everclear 120 | 60% | 0.90 oz | 1.5 | 15.2 oz | 25.4 |
| 80 proof vodka, for comparison | 40% | 0.60 oz | 1.0 | 10.1 oz | 16.9 |
Put another way, a 750 mL bottle of Everclear 190 holds as much alcohol as about two and a third bottles of 80 proof vodka. That is why it cannot be swapped into a vodka recipe one for one, and why recipes written for it include enough water, juice or syrup to bring the finished drink down to a normal strength. If a recipe calls for vodka, use vodka; if it calls for Everclear, it will say so.
Where 190 proof is restricted
Lists of “states where Everclear is banned” circulate widely and disagree with each other; counts run from 11 to 17 depending on who is counting. We checked the actual statute or regulation in six states. In every one of them the restriction is on strength, not on the brand, and in most of them Everclear 151 is sold normally.
| State | What the law says | 190 proof | 151 proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Bus. and Prof. Code 23403: no retail licensee may sell undenatured alcohol “containing more than 60 percent of alcohol by volume” | Not sold | Not sold (75.5% is over the cap); 120 proof is exactly 60%, which is why Luxco makes it |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. 565.07: “A distilled spirit greater than 153 proof may not be sold or consumed in the state” | Not sold | Sold |
| Maryland | Alc. Bev. 6-316: no retail sale of a beverage “with an alcohol content by volume of 95% (190 proof) or more,” effective July 1, 2014 | Not sold | Sold |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. 340A.506: no sale of grain or corn spirits at 160 proof or more unless aged two years in wood | Not sold | Sold |
| Virginia | Va. Code 4.1-119(E): neutral grain spirits over 151 proof sold in state stores only on a Board permit for industrial or medical use | Permit only | Sold |
| Pennsylvania | 40 Pa. Code 11.3: state stores may stock 190 proof ethyl alcohol; buyers apply and affirm it is for nonpotable use | Permit, nonpotable use | Not confirmed |
Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington and West Virginia appear on one or more published lists as states that restrict 190 proof. We did not verify those against statute, and for Washington the evidence conflicts, so treat them as reported rather than confirmed. Everywhere in the US the minimum purchase age is 21, and what a store near you can sell is what your state allows.
How Everclear got here
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1860s | Graves Grain Alcohol, from C.H. Graves and Sons of Boston, is sold at 190 proof, the earlier branded grain alcohol |
| 1922 | Everclear is already being offered to pharmacists in trade publications |
| 1936 | Advertised as “Everclear Grain Alcohol, 190 proof” |
| 1950 | American Distilling Company registers the Everclear trademark; the date often quoted as the brand’s launch is really its trademark date |
| 1958 | David Sherman Corporation founded in St. Louis by David Sherman Sr. and Paul A. Lux |
| 1981 | David Sherman Corporation acquires the Everclear label from American Distilling |
| 2006 | David Sherman Corporation renamed Luxco |
| July 2014 | Luxco launches its “Make It Your Own” campaign around infusions, cocktail bases and botanical extraction; the same week, Maryland’s 190 proof retail ban takes effect |
| April 1, 2021 | MGP Ingredients of Atchison, Kansas completes its acquisition of Luxco; the press release names “Everclear Grain Alcohol” among the brands |
One correction to the usual story: Everclear is often called the strongest spirit in the world, and it is not. Spirytus Rektyfikowany, a Polish rectified spirit, is bottled at 96 percent (192 proof). VinePair reports that the Guinness Book of World Records listed Everclear as “Most Potent Potable” in 1968 and that Guinness stopped keeping drinking records in 1979; we could not check that against Guinness itself.
What Luxco says it is for
Luxco’s consumer site for the brand, diywitheverclear.com, describes Everclear as “the premier high-proof grain alcohol for your liquid creations” and lists the uses it is marketed for: liqueurs, bitters, tinctures, infusions and flavor extraction, plus a couple of kitchen uses such as pie crust. Virginia ABC’s own product listing calls it “ideal for making home infusions, bitters, and cocktails.” In practice that means:
- Infused liqueurs. Fruit peel, herbs and spices are steeped in the spirit, then the infusion is diluted with syrup and water to a normal liqueur strength. Limoncello is the classic example.
- Tinctures and bitters. Botanicals steeped in high-proof spirit, used by the dash.
- Extracts. Vanilla and other baking extracts are made the same way.
- Cooking. Small amounts in pie crust, where the alcohol bakes off.
In every one of these the spirit ends up diluted many times over before anyone drinks it.
Handling 190 proof
Supplier safety data sheets for 190 proof (95 percent) ethanol give a flash point of 14 to 17 C (57 to 63 F), flammable limits of 3.3 to 19 percent in air, and the GHS classification H225, “highly flammable liquid and vapor,” with the signal word “Danger.” Room-temperature Everclear gives off enough vapor to ignite, so keep it away from open flame, do not pour it near a lit burner, and do not add it to anything that is already on the stove. Keep the cap on; the vapor is the hazard as much as the liquid.
Recipes that use Everclear include water and syrup for a reason, and the finished liqueur should land in the same range as a store-bought one, typically 25 to 35 percent ABV.
Two liqueurs to make with it
Limoncello
The classic use. This recipe makes roughly 56 oz of finished limoncello at about 30% ABV.
Ingredients
- 10 lemons
- 1 bottle (750 mL) Everclear, 151 or 190 proof
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
Method
- Peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, taking only the yellow zest and leaving the white pith, which is bitter. Save the lemons for something else.
- Put the zest and the Everclear in a sealed jar and leave it somewhere cool and dark for at least four days and up to four weeks. Longer gives a deeper color and flavor.
- When the infusion is done, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved, about five minutes. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Strain the zest out of the alcohol, then stir the syrup into the infusion. Taste and add a little more water if you want it softer.
- Bottle and store in the freezer. It keeps for months.
Cucumber and chamomile liqueur
A lighter, garden-flavored liqueur that works in a spritz or over ice with soda. Makes about 24 oz.
Ingredients
- 6 oz Everclear
- 7 oz water
- 13 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, dissolved and cooled)
- 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers
- 1/4 cup chopped English cucumber
Method
- Combine the Everclear, water and chamomile in a jar and steep for one to two hours, tasting every half hour, until the chamomile flavor is where you want it.
- Strain out the chamomile and add the cucumber.
- Steep in a cool, dark place for 24 hours.
- Strain out the cucumber and stir in the simple syrup.
- Bottle and refrigerate. Use within a few weeks; the cucumber flavor fades over time.
Frequently asked questions
What proof is Everclear? 190 proof (95% ABV) at full strength, and also 151 proof (75.5%) and 120 proof (60%). A 189 proof (94.5%) bottling shows up in retailer listings.
Is Everclear vodka? It is the same class of spirit under federal rules, neutral spirits, but vodka is bottled at 80 proof or more with water added, and Everclear 190 is bottled at 95 percent. Legally, Everclear is “neutral spirits” or “alcohol,” not vodka.
Is Everclear the strongest alcohol you can buy? No. Spirytus Rektyfikowany is 96 percent (192 proof). Everclear 190 is 95 percent.
How many shots are in a bottle of Everclear? A 750 mL bottle holds 16.9 shots of 1.5 oz, like any 750 mL bottle, but each shot of 190 proof is 2.4 standard drinks, so the bottle is 40 standard drinks.
Why is Everclear 151 sold where 190 is not? Because state caps are set by proof: Florida’s is 153, Minnesota’s 160, Virginia’s 151, Maryland’s 190. Everclear 151 comes in under all of them. California’s cap is 120 proof, which is why Luxco makes a 120 proof bottling for that state.
Who makes Everclear? Luxco, Inc. of St. Louis, a subsidiary of MGP Ingredients since April 1, 2021.
Sources
- Luxco, Everclear brand page, checked September 13, 2026
- Luxco product specifications (Everclear 120 and 151 entries, pages 33 and 34), checked September 13, 2026
- Luxco, DIY with Everclear (producer consumer site) and Luxco, Make It Your Own with Everclear (July 2, 2014), checked September 13, 2026
- MGP Ingredients, MGP Ingredients Completes Acquisition of Luxco (April 1, 2021), checked September 13, 2026
- 27 CFR 5.142, Neutral spirits or alcohol (eCFR) and 27 CFR 5.71, Neutral spirits and name of commodity, checked September 13, 2026
- NIAAA Rethinking Drinking, What is a standard drink, checked September 13, 2026
- Columbus Chemical, safety data sheet, ethyl alcohol 95% 190 proof (2021) and Spectrum Chemical, safety data sheet, alcohol 190 proof USP (2022), checked September 13, 2026
- California Business and Professions Code 23403 and California ABC, High-proof alcoholic beverages, checked September 13, 2026
- Florida Statutes 565.07, checked September 13, 2026
- Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages 6-316, checked September 13, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes 340A.506, checked September 13, 2026
- Virginia Code 4.1-119 and Virginia ABC, Everclear Alcohol 190 listing, checked September 13, 2026
- 40 Pa. Code 11.3 (Cornell LII), checked September 13, 2026
- VinePair, How Everclear became the king of grain alcohol and 10 things you should know about Everclear (brand history), checked September 13, 2026
- Tasting Table, states that restrict 190 proof (January 10, 2026), used only for the list of reported states, checked September 13, 2026
- Retailer listings, used only to confirm sizes and proofs on sale: Total Wine, Everclear 189; The Liquor Barn, Spirytus Rektyfikowany 192 proof, checked September 13, 2026
Saucey carries Everclear where it is legal to sell, along with the sugar, citrus and mixers to go with it, and delivers in as fast as 25 mins in the cities we serve. For more on how proof works, read What Is 80 Proof?
The fine print
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