(Redirected from Alcoholic drink)
Alcoholic beverages.
An 'alcoholic beverage' is a
drink containing
ethanol, commonly known as 'alcohol', although in
chemistry the definition of
alcohol includes many other compounds.
Ethanol is a
centrally-acting drug with a
depressant effect, and many societies regulate or restrict its sale and consumption. Countries place various legal
restrictions on the sale of alcoholic drinks to young people. The manufacture and consumption of alcohol is found to some degree in most cultures and societies around the world, from
hunter-gatherer tribes to organized
nation-states. The consumption of alcohol is often important at social events in such societies and may be an important aspect of a community's
culture.
Ethanol is only slightly toxic compared to other alcohols, but has significant psychoactive effects at sublethal doses. A significant
blood alcohol content is considered legal
drunkenness as it reduces
attention, lengthens reaction time and lowers inhibitions. Alcoholic beverages are addictive when consumed repeatedly or in high doses and the state of
addiction to ethanol is known as
alcoholism.
Chemistry and toxicology
Main articles: ethanol
'Ethanol' (CH
3CH
2OH), the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks, for consumption purposes is always produced by
fermentation–the
metabolism of
carbohydrates by certain species of
yeast in the absence of
oxygen. The process of culturing yeast under alcohol-producing conditions is referred to as
brewing. The same process produces carbon dioxide ''in situ'', and may be used to carbonate the drink in home brewing. However, this method leaves yeast residues and on the industrial scale, carbonation is done separately.
Drinks with a concentration of more than 50% ethanol by volume (100 US proof) are
flammable liquids and easily ignited. Some exotic ones gain their distinctive flavors through intentional ignition of the drink, such as the
Flaming Dr. Pepper. Spirits with a higher proof (ABV in UK is roughly half of proof number) can be ignited with ease by heating slightly, e.g. adding the spirit to a warmed shot glass.
In
chemistry, '
alcohol' is a general term for any
organic compound in which a
hydroxyl group (-
OH) is bound to a
carbon atom, which in turn may be bound to other carbon atoms and further hydrogens. Other alcohols such as
propylene glycol and the
sugar alcohols may appear in food or beverages regularly, but these alcohols do not make them "alcoholic".
Methanol (one carbon), the
propanols (three carbons giving two isomers), and the
butanols (four carbons, four isomers) are all commonly found alcohols, and none of these three should ever be consumed in any form. Alcohols are
toxicated into the corresponding
aldehydes and then into the corresponding
carboxylic acids. These metabolic products cause a poisoning and
acidosis. In the case of other alcohols than ethanol, the aldehydes and carboxylic acids are poisonous and the acidosis can be lethal. In contrast, fatalities from ethanol are mainly found in extreme doses and related to induction of unconsciousness or chronic addiction (alcoholism).
When compared to other
alcohols, ethanol is only slightly toxic, with a lowest known lethal dose in humans of 1400 mg/kg, and a
LD50 of 9000 mg/kg (oral, rat). Nevertheless, accidental overdosing of alcoholic drinks, especially those of concentrated variety, is a risk for women, lightweight persons and children. These people have a smaller quantity of water in their body, so that alcohol is diluted less. A
blood alcohol concentration of 50 to 100 mg/dL is considered legal
drunkenness. The threshold of effects is at 22 mg/dL
[1].
It has been suggested that alcoholic impurities (
congeners) are the cause of
hangovers[2]. However, it is more likely that they are caused by ''
acetaldehyde'' , a toxic breakdown intermediate naturally produced by the liver as the alcohol is
metabolized.
Alcoholic content
The
concentration of alcohol in a drink may be specified in percent
alcohol by volume (ABV), in percentage by weight (sometimes abbreviated 'w/w' for ''weight for weight''), or in
proof. In the USA, the 'proof' measurement roughly corresponds in a 2:1 ratio to percent alcoholic content by volume (80 proof ≈ 40% ABV). ''Degrees proof'' were formerly used in the UK where 40% ABV was approximately 70 degrees proof. Common
distillation cannot exceed 191.2 proof (USA) because at that point ethanol is an
azeotrope with water. Alcohols of this purity are commonly referred to as
grain alcohol and are not meant for human consumption, with the notable exception of
neutral grain spirits.
Most yeasts cannot grow when the concentration of alcohol is higher than about 18% by volume, so that is a practical limit for the strength of fermented beverages such as
wine,
beer, and
sake. Strains of yeast have been developed that can survive in solutions of up to 25% alcohol by volume, but these were bred for ethanol fuel production, not beverage production. Spirits are produced by
distillation of a fermented product, concentrating the alcohol and eliminating some of the by-products.
Fortified wines are produced by adding brandy or other distilled spirits to achieve higher ABV than is easily reached using fermentation alone.
Flavoring
Ethanol is a moderately good
solvent for many fatty substances and essential oils, and thus facilitates the inclusion of several colouring, flavoring and/or aromatic compounds to alcoholic beverages, especially to distilled ones. These flavoring ingredients may be naturally present in the starting material, or may be added before fermentation, before distillation, during distillation (gin) or before bottling the distilled product. Sometimes the flavor is obtained by allowing the beverage to stand for months or years in oak barrels, normally American or french oak, sometimes charred (bourbon), sometimes already used for aging a different spirit, wine or fortified wine. Occasionally, in the bottle herbs or fruits have been inserted to flavor the final product.
History
Main articles: History of alcohol
Alcohol has been widely consumed
since prehistoric times by people around the world, as a component of the standard diet, for hygienic or medical reasons, for its
relaxant and euphoric effects, for
recreational purposes, for artistic inspiration, as
aphrodisiacs, and for other reasons. Some drinks have been invested with symbolic or religious significance suggesting the mystical use of alcohol, e.g. by
Greco-Roman religion in the
ecstatic rituals of
Dionysus (also called Bacchus), god of wine and revelry; in the
Christian Eucharist; and on the
Jewish Shabbat and festivals (particularly
Passover).
Fermented beverages
Chemical analysis of traces absorbed and preserved in pottery jars from the Neolithic village of
Jiahu, in Henan province, Northern
China, have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit was being produced as early as 9,000 years ago. This is approximately the same time that barley beer and grape wine were beginning to be made in the Middle East. Recipes have been found on clay tablets and art in
Mesopotamia that show individuals using straws to drink
beer from large vats and pots.
The
Hindu Ayurvedic texts describe both the beneficent uses of alcoholic beverages and the consequences of intoxication and alcoholic diseases. Most of the peoples in
India and China, have continued, throughout, to ferment a portion of their crops and nourish themselves with the alcoholic product. However, devout adherents of
Buddhism, which arose in India in the 5th and 6th centuries BC and spread over southern and eastern Asia, abstain to this day, as do devout
Hindus and
Sikhs. In Mesopotamia and Egypt, the birthplace of beer and wine,
Islam is now the predominant religion, and it also prohibits the drinking and even the handling of alcoholic beverages.
Wine was consumed in
Classical Greece at breakfast or at
symposia, and in the
1st century BC it was part of the diet of most
Roman citizens. However, both Greeks and Romans generally consumed their wine watered (from 1 part of wine to 1 part of water, to 1 part of wine to 4 parts of water). The transformation of water into wine at a wedding feast is the first of the miracles attributed to
Jesus in the
New Testament, and his use of wine in the
Last Supper led to it becoming an essential part of the
Eucharist rite in most
Christian traditions.
In
Europe during the
Middle Ages, beer was consumed by the whole family, thanks to a triple fermentation process — the men had the strongest, then women, then children. A document of the times mentions
nuns having an allowance of six pints of ale a day.
Cider and
pomace wine were also widely available, while grape wine was the prerogative of the higher classes. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, wine production in Europe appears to have been sustained chiefly by monasteries.
By the time the Europeans reached the
Americas in the
15th century, several
native civilizations had developed alcoholic beverages. According to a post-Conquest
Aztec document, consumption of the local "wine" (''
pulque'') was generally restricted to religious ceremonies, but freely allowed to those over 70 years old. The natives of
South America manufactured a beer-like product from
cassava or
maize (''
cauim'', ''
chicha''), which had to be chewed before fermentation in order to turn the
starch into sugars. This chewing technique was also used in ancient
Japan to make ''
sake'' from
rice and other starchy crops.
The medicinal use of alcohol was mentioned in Sumerian and Egyptian texts dated from
2100 BC or earlier. The
Hebrew Bible recommends giving alcoholic drinks to those who are dying or depressed, so that they can forget their misery (
Proverbs 31:6-7).
Distilled beverages
Main articles: Distilled beverages
Though the distillation of alcohol can be traced back earlier to
China,
Central Asia and the
Middle East, distilled alcoholic beverages began in Europe in the mid 12th century, and by the early
14th century it had spread throughout the continent. It also spread eastward, mainly due to the
Mongols, and began in
China no later than the 14th century. However, recent archaeological evidence suggests that in China the practice of distillation may date back to
5000 BC.
Paracelsus gave alcohol its modern name, taking it from the Arabic word which means "finely divided", a reference to distillation.
Uses
In many countries, alcoholic beverages are commonly consumed at the major daily meals (lunch and dinner). Most early beers were in fact highly nutritious and served as a means of calorie distribution . Beer can be stored longer than grain or bread without fear of pest infestation or rotting, and drinking beer avoided the tooth-destroying grit that was present in hand-ground or early mill-ground flours.
In places and eras with poor public sanitation, such as
Medieval Europe, consumption of alcoholic drinks (particularly weak or "small"
beer) was one method of avoiding water-borne diseases such as
cholera. Though alcohol kills bacteria, the low concentration in beer or even wine will have only a limited effect. Probably the
boiling of water, which is required for the brewing of beer, and the growth of yeast, which would tend to crowd out other micro-organisms, were more important than the alcohol itself. In any case, the ethanol (and possibly other ingredients) of alcoholic beverages allows them to be stored for months or years in simple wood or clay containers without spoiling, which was certainly a major factor in their popularity.
In colder climates, strong alcoholic beverages such as
vodka are popularly seen as a way to "warm up" the body, possibly because ethanol is a quickly absorbed source of
food energy and dilates peripheral blood vessels (Peripherovascular dilation). This however is a dangerous misconception, and people experiencing
hypothermia should avoid alcohol - although it makes you feel warmer, the body loses heat and body temperature decreases, which may increase the effects of hypothermia, and eventually cause death. This is because of the dilation of blood vessels 'not' in the core of the body; because of this increased bloodflow, the body loses its heat out of its less protected outer extremities.
In many cultures, both contemporary and historical, alcoholic beverages — mostly because of their
neurological effects — have also played an important role in various kinds of social interaction, providing a form of "liquid courage" (those who consume it typically gain confidence and lose discretion). While other psychoactive drugs (such as
opium,
coca,
khat,
cannabis,
kava-kava, etc.) also have millennial traditions of social use, only
coffee,
tea,
betel, and
tobacco are currently as universally used and accepted as ethanol.
Alcohol consumption and health
Main articles: Alcohol consumption and health,
Effects of alcohol on the body,
Alcohol and cancer,
Alcohol and cardiovascular disease,
Recommended maximum intake of alcoholic beverages
In moderation, alcohol consumption has significant health benefits. These include a lower risk of heart attack
[1], lower risk of diabetes
[2], lower risk of Alzheimer's disease
[3], reduced risk of stroke
[4], and an increase in overall longevity
[5]. It is important to note however that excessive consumption of alcohol has serious detrimental effects to a person's health.
A 2001 report estimates that medium and high consumption of alcohol led to 75,754 deaths in the USA. Low consumption has some beneficial effects so a net 59,180 deaths were attributed to alcohol.
[3]
Alcohol has also been linked to cancer. "3.6% of all cancer cases worldwide are related to alcohol drinking, resulting in 3.5% of all cancer deaths." (See
Alcohol and cancer for details)
[4]
Alcohol is also a potentially addictive substance to a large percentage of people.
Alcohol addiction can also lead to malnutrition because it can alter digestion and metabolism of most nutrients. Severe thiamine deficiency is very common due to deficiency of folate, riboflavin, vitamin B
6 and selenium. Muscle cramps, nausea, appetite loss, nerve disorders and depression are some common symptoms. It can also lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures due to vitamin D deficiency (Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption). Alcohol stimulates insulin production which speeds up the glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar.
Alcohol affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, slow reflexes, and a loss of inhibition. The consumption of alcohol does not kill brain cells but rather damages
dendrites, the branched ends of nerve cells that bring messages into the cell.
Alcohol dilates the channels in the cellular structure that regulates the flow of calcium, causing more calcium than normal to flow into the cells and stimulating increased activity. This does not kill the whole cell, but causes a loss of the end segments, leading to the loss of incoming signals and therefore a change in brain function.
Most of this damage is temporary, but the recovery process changes nerve-cell structure permanently.
[5]
Alcohol and religion
Main articles: Islam and alcohol,
Christianity and alcohol
Some religions — most notably
Islam,
Sikhism,
Jainism, the
Bahá'í Faith,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the
Seventh Day Adventists, the
Nikaya and most
Mahayana schools of
Buddhism and some
Protestant sects of
Fundamentalist Christianity — forbid, discourage, or restrict the consumption of alcoholic beverages for various reasons.
In the early Islamic period drinking was considered to be one of the two offences against God, the other being illicit sex. Even now according to Islam several
Qur'anic verses are commonly understood to prohibit the use of alcohol. The Qu'ran says that although there are some profits in alcohol, the sins are greater than the profit (). Only the use of alcohol for medical purposes is allowed.
Many
Christian denominations use wine in the
Eucharist and permit the use of alcohol in moderation, while others use unfermented grape juice in the Eucharist and abstain from alcohol by choice or prohibit it outright. According to the
Roman Catholic Church, there is no sin in drinking itself, but drunkenness is a mortal sin.
[6]
The
Jewish religion uses wine on
Shabbat for
Kiddush as well as in the
Passover ceremony and in other religious ceremonies, including
Purim, and allows the moderate use of alcohol, such as
kosher wine.
Buddhist texts recommend refraining from drugs and alcohol, because they may inhibit mindfulness.
Legal considerations
Most countries have rules prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to
minors. European countries typically have a legal drinking age of 16 or 18. For example, in the
Netherlands,
Germany,
Switzerland,
Belgium and
Austria, one has to be 16 to buy beer or wine and 18 to buy distilled alcoholic beverages.
Denmark however allows purchasing of all types of alcohol after the age of 16. Germany's law is directed toward sellers of alcoholic beverages, not toward minors themselves; German law puts control concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverage in the hands of custodial persons and persons with parental power.
[7] In the United Kingdom, the minimum age for purchasing alcohol is 18, although minors are legally allowed to consume alcohol in the home from the age of five; in addition, shop workers under 18 may not legally sell alcohol by themselves. In
France, people must be 14 to buy beer, 16 for wine and 18 to buy distilled alcoholic beverages. In
Australia, the age for the purchase and possession of alcohol is 18, but it may be consumed in the home or under adult supervision at any age. In the
United States, the legal age for purchase or possession (but not necessarily consumption) in every state has been 21 since the passage of the
National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, which tied federal highway funds to states' raising their minimum drinking age to 21. Forty states specifically permit consumption under the age of 21 for religious or health reasons or with parental approval:
★
Iowa (123.47 (2)) — in private home and with parental "knowledge, presence, and consent"
In
Canada the legal drinking age is 18 in the provinces of
Alberta,
Manitoba and
Quebec, and 19 elsewhere. In
Iceland, one has to be twenty to legally buy or possess alcoholic beverages, although one can drink them from the age of eighteen.
In law, sometimes the term "
intoxicating agent" is used for a category of substances which includes alcoholic beverages and some other
drugs. Giving any of these substances to a person to create an abnormal condition of the mind (such as
drunkenness), in order to facilitate committing a crime (e.g., rape), may be an additional crime.
A number of countries forbid the commerce, consumption or
advertising of alcoholic beverages, or restrict them in various ways. During the period known as
Prohibition, from 1919 to 1933, it was illegal to manufacture, transport, import, export, or sell alcoholic beverages in the
United States. Some communities in the United States (known as
dry counties) still ban alcohol sales. Many
Muslim countries, such as
Saudi Arabia, prohibit alcohol for religious reasons. Drinking alcohol in public places, such as streets and parks, is against the law in most of the United States and in some European countries, but legal in others such as
Belgium,
United Kingdom and
Germany.
In each of the
Nordic countries except
Denmark, there is a government monopoly on the selling of hard alcohol in stores. In Sweden, beers with a lower alcohol content, called ''folköl'' (more than 2.25% and up to 3.5% alcohol), can be sold in regular stores to anyone older than 18, but drinks with a high content of alcohol can only be sold in the official government-run vendors by people older than 20, or in licenced facilities such as restaurants and bars, where the age limit is 18. The law states that alcoholic drinks bought at these licensed facilities must be consumed on the premises, and it is not allowed to consume alcoholic drinks bought elsewhere. For non-alcoholic drinks there is no such legal requirement, but individual facilities may still set their own restrictions.
The state-run vendor is called
Systembolaget in Sweden,
Vinmonopolet in Norway,
Alko in Finland, and ÁTVR in Iceland. The governments claim that the purpose of this system is to cut down on the consumption of alcohol in these countries where binge drinking is an ancient tradition. The first such monopoly was in Falun in the 19th century. In the early 20th century, Sweden had a brief prohibition of strong alcoholic drinks, followed by strict rationing, and then more lax regulation, including being open on Saturdays. These measures have had success in the past, but since joining the European Union it has been harder to curb importation, legal or illegal, from other EU countries, making these measures less effective. There is an ongoing debate over whether or not to maintain the state-run alcohol monopolies.
Most countries have laws against
drunk driving, driving with a certain concentration of ethanol in the blood. Punishments usually include
fines, temporary loss of
driving license, and
imprisonment. The legal threshold of
blood alcohol content ranges from 0.0% to 0.08%, according to local law. Similar prohibitions exist for
drunk sailing.
In many countries, production of alcoholic beverages requires a license, and alcohol production is taxed. In the United States, individuals may freely produce wine and beer for personal or family consumption (but not for sale), while all production of distilled beverages is regulated and taxed.
[8] The
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the
Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly one organization known as the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) enforce federal laws and regulations related to alcohol, though most regulations regarding serving and selling alcoholic beverages are made by the individual states. There also exist intrastate regulatory differences, as between
Montgomery County, Maryland and the rest of the
state. In the
UK the
Customs and Excise department issues distilling licenses.
In the United States, all alcoholic product packaging must contain a
health warning from the
Surgeon General.
Common state regulations in the United States are:
★ Many U.S. states require that distilled liquor be sold only in dedicated
liquor stores. For example: In
Washington,
Virginia,
Pennsylvania and
Utah, liquor stores are run by the state, ostensibly to prevent young cashiers from allowing sales to underage friends, while pretending to verify their age. In
Oklahoma, liquor stores may not refrigerate any beverages. Often, liquor sales are prohibited on Sunday by a
Blue law. Other laws, governing a variety of issues, vary regionally.
★ Most U.S. states follow a
three-tier (alcohol distribution) system where producers cannot sell directly to retailers, but must instead sell to distributors, who in turn sell to retailers.
★ Most U.S. states do not allow ''open containers'' of alcohol inside of moving vehicles.
★ Some U.S. states offer relaxed rules for beer at or below 3.2% alcohol. For example, in
Colorado and
Utah, beer with 3.2% alcohol or less may be sold in grocery stores while stronger beverages are restricted to liquor stores.
★ Many cities and counties ban drinking alcoholic beverages in public; that is, on the street or sidewalk.
★ Often bars serving distilled liquor are exempted from
smoking bans.
In
New Zealand it is legal to produce any form of alcohol for personal use, including spirits. This has made the sale and use of home distillation equipment popular.
In Denmark, people can buy all kinds of alcoholic beverages from grocery stores. The Legal age of purchasing alcohol is 16 in shops, and 18 in bars and restaurants. Until 1998 there was no age limit to buy alcohol in shops. It is generally legal to drink alcoholic beverages in the street, but restrictions are sometimes applied by local authorities in problem areas. In trains, buses etc. it is generally allowed to drink alcohol, but not to act heavily intoxicated, a rule enforced less strictly than in neighbouring Scandinavian countries.
Home production of wine and beer is not regulated. Home distillation of spirits is legal, however not common since it is subject to the same taxation as spirits sold commercially. Bootlegging is rarely heard of, in contrast to rural Sweden and Norway. Danish alcohol taxes are significantly lower than in Sweden and Norway, but higher than in most other European countries.
Japan has similar laws, except that the legal age of purchasing and consuming alcohol is 20.
''See also:
Teetotalism,
Temperance movement,
Legal drinking age''
Types of alcoholic beverages
Main articles: List of alcoholic beverages
Low-alcohol-content drinks are produced by fermentation of
sugar- or
starch-containing products, and high-alcohol ones are produced by
distillation of these. Sometimes, the alcohol content is increased by adding distilled products, particularly in the case of wines. Such
fortified wines include
Port and
Sherry.
The process involved (as well as the resulting alcohol content) defines the finished product.
Beer involves a relatively short (incomplete) fermentation process and an equally short aging process (a week or two) resulting in an alcohol content generally between 3-8%, as well as natural carbonation.
Wine involves a longer (complete) fermentation process, and a relatively long aging process (months or years -- sometimes decades) resulting in an alcohol content between 7-18%.
Sparkling wine is generally made by adding a small amount of sugar before bottling, which causes a secondary fermentation to continue in the bottle. Distilled products are generally not made from a "beer" that would normally be palatable as fermentation is normally completed, but no aging is involved until after distillation. Most are 30% or greater alcohol by volume.
Liqueurs are characterized by the way in which their flavors are infused and typically have high sugar content. Spirits typically contain 37.5% alcohol or greater and are not infused with flavors during the distilling process, however some modern spirits are infused with flavors after distilling (the Swedish vodka
Absolut, for instance).
Standard alcoholic drinks in the United States all contain the same amount of alcohol, about 0.6 fl. oz. (American) each (17.75ml). A U.S. standard drink is a 12 ounce can or bottle of beer, a five ounce glass of dinner wine, or a 1.5 ounce drink of 40% distilled spirits (either straight or in a mixed drink).
In the UK, alcohol content is measured in units. One unit equates to 10ml of pure ethanol (approx. ⅓ fl. oz. American). A typical large glass or pint of beer contains approximately 2 units. A shot (25ml) of 40% spirit contains exactly 1 unit.
The names of some beverages are determined by the source of the material fermented:
'
Grains'
| Source | Name of fermented beverage | Name of distilled beverage |
|---|
| barley | beer, ale, barley wine | Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey |
| rye | rye beer. kvass | rye whiskey, roggenkorn (type of Korn, from Germany) |
| corn | chicha, corn beer | bourbon whiskey, vodka (only a few, like Tito's from Texas) |
| sorghum | burukutu (Nigeria), pito (Ghana), merisa (southern Sudan), bilibili (Chad, Central African Republic, Cameroon) | maotai, gaoliang, certain other types of baijiu (China). |
| wheat | wheat beer | wheat whisky, weizenkorn (type of Korn, from Germany) |
| rice | huangjiu, choujiu (China), sake, sonti, makkoli, tuak, thwon | rice baijiu (China), Shōchū and Awamori (Japan), soju (Korea), |
| millet | millet beer (sub-saharan Africa), tongba (Tibet) |
'Juice of
Fruits'
| Source | Name of fermented beverage | Name of distilled beverage |
|---|
| juice of grapes, | wine | brandy, Cognac (France), Vermouth, Armagnac (France), Branntwein (Germany), pisco (Chile & Perú), "Rakia" also Rakiya, Rakija, Rakı (The Balkans, Turkey), singani (Bolivia), pálinka (Hungary) |
| juice of apples | ("hard") cider, apfelwein | applejack (or apple brandy), calvados, cider, lambic |
| juice of pears | perry, or pear cider; poire (France) | pear brandy, Eau-de-Vie (France) |
| juice of sugarcane, or molasses | basi, betsa-betsa (regional) | rum (Caribbean), pinga or cachaça (Brasil), aguardiente, guaro, shōchū (Japan) |
| juice of agave | pulque | tequila, mezcal |
| juice of plums | plum wine | slivovitz, tzuica, palinca |
| juice of pineapples | tepache (Mexico) | |
| bananas or plantains | urgwagwa (Uganda, Rwanda), mbege (with millet malt; Tanzania), kasikisi (with sorghum malt; Democratic Republic of the Congo) | |
| gouqi | gouqi jiu (China) | gouqi jiu (China) |
'
Vegetables'
| Source | Name of fermented beverage | Name of distilled beverage |
|---|
| juice of ginger root | ginger beer (Botswana) | |
| potato and/or grain | potato beer | vodka: potato mostly used in Poland and Germany, otherwise grain or potato. A strong drink called aquavit or brännvin in Sweden, akvavit in Denmark and akevitt in Norway, and brennivín in (Iceland) is made from potato or grain. Actually, vodka is Russian for "little water" and can be done out of almost anything. - In Ireland, Poitín (or poteen) is a recently legalised drink made from potatoes. shōchū (Japan) |
| beets | | pink vodka / woman's vodka / girlie vodka (Russia) |
| cassava/manioc | nihamanchi (South America), kasiri (sub-saharan Africa) |
'Other'
Note that in common speech, ''wine'' or ''brandy'' is made from grapes unless the fruit is specified: "plum wine" or "cherry brandy" for example, although in some cases grape-derived alcohol is added.
In the USA and Canada, ''cider'' often means ''unfermented'' apple juice (see the article on
cider), while fermented cider is called ''hard'' cider. Unfermented cider is sometimes called ''sweet'' cider. Also,
applejack was originally made by a freezing process described in the article on
cider which was equivalent to distillation but more easily done in the cold climate of
New England. In the UK, cider is always alcoholic, and in Australia it can be either.
''Beer'' is generally made from barley, but can sometimes contain a mix of other grains. ''Whisky'' (or whiskey) is sometimes made from a blend of different grains, especially
Irish whiskey which may contain several different grains. The style of whisk(e)y (Scotch, Rye, Bourbon, corn) generally determines the primary grain used, with additional grains usually added to the blend (most often barley, and sometimes
oats). As far as American whiskey is concerned, Bourbon (corn), rye whiskey, must be at least 51% of respective constituent at fermentation, while corn whiskey (as opposed to bourbon) must be at least 81% - all by American law similar to the french A.O.P (Appellation d'Origine Controllée)
Two common distilled beverages are
vodka and
gin. Vodka can be distilled from any source of agricultural origin (
grain and
potatoes being the most common) but the main characteristic of vodka is that it is so thoroughly distilled as to exhibit less of the flavors derived from its source material. Distillers and experts however will disagree, potato vodkas display a creamy mouthfeel, whilst rye vodkas will have heavy nuances of rye (detected more easily as rye bread). Other vodkas display citrus notes (more common among domestic brands). Gin is a similar distillate which has been flavored by contact with herbs and other plant products, especially
juniper berries but also including angel root, licorice, cardamom, grains of paradise, Bulgarian rose petals, and many others. The name comes from the Dutch or French word for Juniper, jenever or genever.
See also
★
List of cocktails
★
Alcohol equivalence
★
Breathalyzer
★
Drug abuse
★
Effects of alcohol on the body
★
★
Blackout (Alcohol Related Amnesia)
★
History of alcohol
★
Legal drinking age
★
Teetotalism
★
★
Alcoholics Anonymous
★
★
Straight Edge
References
1. http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/reprint/28/4/570.pdf
2. June Russells Health Facts
3.
Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Report, United States 2001
4.
Burden of alcohol-related cancer substantial
5. ''Does alcohol kill brain cells?''
6. http://www.sspx.org/Catholic_FAQs/catholic_faqs__morality.htm#drunkeness
7. Protection of Young Person Act
8. http://www.ttb.gov/faqs/genalcohol.shtml
External links
★
Alcohol -- Health Benefit or Hazard?
★
Reducing the negative effects of alcohol by taking cysteine and vitamin C
★
Global Status Report on Alcohol 2004 by the
WHO.
★
Alcohol (general) -
Alcohol and Drugs History Society (ADHS)
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
