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Alcoholic beverages are Drink s containing Ethanol . Most societies regulate or restrict the sale and use of alcohol. CHEMISTRY See Also: ethanol Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, is almost always produced by Fermentation - the Metabolism of Carbohydrate s by certain species of Yeast in the absence of Oxygen . The process of culturing yeast under alcohol-producing conditions is referred to as Brewing . It has been suggested that alcoholic impurities ( Congener s) are the cause of Hangover s. Although, it is more likely that they are caused by '' Ethanal '', a toxic breakdown intermediate naturally produced by the liver as the alcohol is Metabolise d. Alcoholic beverages with a concentration of more than 50 %vol (100 proof) ethanol or greater are Flammable liquids and easily ignited. It should be noted that in Chemistry , Alcohol is a general term for any Organic Compound in which a Hydroxyl Group (- O H ) is bound to a Carbon atom, which in turn is bound to other carbon atoms and further hydrogens. Other alcohols such as Propylene Glycol and the Sugar Alcohol s may appear in food or beverages regularly, but these alcohols do not make them "alcoholic". ALCOHOLIC CONTENT The cannot exceed 192 proof 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 Spirit s. 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. Many wines are Fortified Wines with additional grain alcohol 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 coloring, flavoring, and 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, or before bottling the distilled product. Sometimes the flavour is obtained by allowing the beverage to stand for months or years in barrels made of special wood, or in bottles where scented twigs or fruits — or even insects — have been inserted. MAINTAINING A WELL-STOCKED BAR A well-stocked bar will include a selection of beers and wines, along with the typical spirits of Vodka , Rum , Gin , Tequila , and Whisky ; each in varying qualities from "well" quality (off brand) to premium quality (name brand) to "top shelf" (usually very expensive, ranging from $50 to several hundred USD per 750 ml bottle). Alcoholic beverages can be combined at the time of serving, sometimes with other ingredients, to create Cocktail s or ''mixed drinks''. Small servings of pure liquor (shots) are also common, with whisky and tequila being traditionally popular selections. HISTORY See Also: History of alcohol Alcoholic beverages have been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world, seeing use as a component of the standard diet, for hygienic or medical reasons, for their relaxant and euphoric effects, for Recreational Purposes , for artistic inspiration, as Aphrodisiac s, and for other reasons. Some 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 drink and revelry; in the Christian Eucharist ; and at the Jew ish Passover . Fermented beverages Chemical analyses of organics 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. 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 parts 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 one 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. The ambiguity of the Qur'an ic ban on alcoholic beverages, meant that wine (usually sold by Christian tavern-keepers) remained fairly popular in Islamic lands over the centuries, as revealed in the verses of Persian poet and mathematician Omar Khayyám (1040–1131): :"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, :A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse—and Thou :Beside me singing in the Wilderness— :And Wilderness is Paradise enow." {Link without Title} 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 Nun s 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 (possibly the all-time record for Legal Drinking Age ). 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. (Curiously, the same technique was used in ancient Japan to make '' Sake '' from Rice and other starchy crops.) The medicinal use of alcoholic beverages 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. Distilled beverages See Also: Distilled beverages Beer and wine are typically limited to a maximum 15 percent alcohol, although brewers have reached 25% alcohol. Beyond this limit yeast is adversely affected and cannot ferment. Since the fourth millennium BC in Babylonia, higher levels of alcohol have been obtained in a number of ways. It was not until the Still was invented by Islam ic alchemists in the 8th or 9th centuries that the history of Distilled Beverage s began. Distilled alcohol appeared first in Europe in the mid 12th century and by the early 14th Century it had spread throughout Europe. It also spread eastward, mainly by the Mongol s, and was practiced in China by the 14th century. However, recent archeological evidence has supported the idea that China has had wines and distilled beverages dating 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 nutritional 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 beverages (particularly weak or "small" Beer ) was one method of avoiding water-borne diseases such as the Cholera . Though strong 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. | ||
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