General. Alcoholic content and the percentage and quantity of the original gravity or extract may be stated on a label unless prohibited by State law. When alcoholic content is stated, and the manner of statement is not required under State law, it shall be stated as prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section.

Form of statement. (1) Statement of alcoholic content shall be expressed in percent alcohol by volume, and not by percent by weight, proof, or by maximums or minimums.

For malt beverages containing 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume, statements of alcoholic content shall be expressed to the nearest one-tenth of a percent, subject to the tolerance permitted by paragraph (c) (1) and (2) of this section. For malt beverages containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, alcoholic content may be expressed in one-hundredths of a percent, subject to the tolerance permitted in paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

Alcoholic content shall be expressed in the following fashion: “alcohol—percent by volume,” “alcohol by volume—percent,” “—percent alcohol by volume,” or “—percent alcohol/volume.” The abbreviations “alc” and “vol” may be used in lieu of the words “alcohol” and “volume,” and the symbol “%” may be used in lieu of the word “percent.”

Tolerances. (1) For malt beverages containing 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume, a tolerance of 0.3 percent will be permitted, either above or below the stated percentage of alcohol. Any malt beverage which is labeled as containing 0.5 percent or more alcohol by volume may not contain less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, regardless of any tolerance.

For malt beverages which are labeled as “low alcohol” or “reduced alcohol” under paragraph (d) of this section, the actual alcoholic content may not equal or exceed 2.5 percent alcohol by volume, regardless of any tolerance permitted by paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

For malt beverages containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, the actual alcoholic content may not exceed the labeled alcoholic content. A malt beverage may not be labeled with an alcoholic content of 0.0 percent alcohol by volume unless it is also labeled as “alcohol free” and contains no alcohol.

Low alcohol and reduced alcohol. The terms “low alcohol” or “reduced alcohol” may be used only on malt beverages containing less than 2.5 percent alcohol by volume.

Non-alcoholic. The term “non-alcoholic” may be used on malt beverages, provided the statement “contains less than 0.5 percent (or .5%) alcohol by volume” appears in direct conjunction with it, in readily legible printing and on a completely contrasting background.

Alcohol free. The term “alcohol free” may be used only on malt beverages containing no alcohol.