Traditional American Voluminous Units of Measure and Their Standardized Equivalents

Students have often asked for this to be posted on the website or e-mailed to them. I am not very good at my website, as some of you may have noticed. I'll just put it up here for now.

fl-dsh. = fluid-dash [standardized to 0.625 ml.]

= 1/48 fl-oz.

fl-scr. = fluid-scruple [standardized to 1.25 ml.]

= 2 fl-dsh. | 1/2 bsp. | 1/24 fl-oz.

bsp. = barspoon [standardized to 2.5 ml.]

= 2 fl-scr. | 1/2 tsp. | 1/12 fl-oz.

tsp. = teaspoon [standardized to 5 ml.]

= 2 bsp. | 1/6 fl-oz.

dsp. = dessert spoon [standardized to 10 ml.]

= 2 tsp. | 1/3 fl-oz.

tbsp. = tablespoon [standardized to 15 ml.]

= 3 tsp. | 1/2 fl-oz.

fl-oz. = fluid-ounce [standardized to 30 ml.]

= 2 tbsp.

pony = 1 fl-oz.

(this is the traditional portion for one serving of any type of liqueur taken as a cordial)

s-sht. = short-shot [standardized to 45 ml.]

= 1-1/2 fl-oz.

jig. = jigger [standardized to 60 ml.]

= 2 fl-oz.

(see Modern American Drinks by George Kappeler, 1895 - as a traditionalist, I believe all mixed drinks that are made of liquor [not beer or wine] should have the jigger as their total, combined amount of liquor.)

w-gl. = wine-glass

(I don't use this designation, as there is some debate as to what this meant in the old books - with the consensus being that it was the same as the jigger, but some arguing for the gill, as it was the traditional amount of wine served)

hkr. = hooker [standardized to 75 ml.]

= 2-1/2 fl-oz.

(this was originally any amount of liquor more generous than a jigger, but still less than a snit)

(there is a hooker of liquor in the common recipe for the Long Island Iced-tea)

snit [standardized to 90 ml.]

= 3 fl-oz.

gill [standardized to 120 ml.]

= 4 fl-oz.

(this is the traditional portion for one serving of any type of wine)

spl. = split [standardized to 180 ml.]

= 6 fl-oz.

cup [standardized to 240 ml.]

= 8 fl-oz.

(this is the traditional portion for one serving of any type of beer)