Alcoholic beverage

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
A selection of alcoholic beverages.
A liquor store in the United States. The global alcoholic beverages industry has exceeded $1 trillion in 2014.

An alcoholic beverage is a drink which contains a substantial amount of the psychoactive drug ethanol (informally called alcohol). As one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world, such drinks have an important social role in most cultures. Because of their potential for abuse, almost all countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption.[1] Some countries ban such activities entirely. The global alcoholic beverages industry has exceed $1 trillion in 2014. [2]

Alcoholic beverages have been produced and consumed by humans since the Neolithic Era.[3] There is evidence indicating the preparation of alcoholic drinks dating as far back as 8,000 BC.[4]

Alcoholic beverages are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—and typically contain between 3% and 40% alcohol by volume.

Fermented beverages[edit]

Wine[edit]

Main article: Wine
See also: Wine and health

Wine is a fermented beverage produced from grapes. Wine involves a longer fermentation process than beer and also a long aging process (months or years), resulting in an alcohol content of 9%–16% ABV. Sparkling wine can be made by means of a secondary fermentation.

"Fruit wines" are made from fruits such as plums, cherries, or apples.

Beer[edit]

Main article: Beer
See also: Beer styles and List of beer styles

Beer is a beverage fermented from grain mash. It is made from barley or a blend of several grains. If the fermented mash is distilled, then the beverage is a spirit. Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world.[5]

Cider[edit]

Main article: Cider

Cider or cyder (/ˈsaɪdər/ SY-dər) is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from any fruit juice; apple juice (traditional and most common), peaches, pears ("Perry" cider) or other fruit. Cider alcohol content varies from 1.2% ABV to 8.5% or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, cider may be called "apple wine".[6]

Distilled beverages[edit]

Main article: Distilled beverage
These flaming cocktails illustrate that high-proof alcohol will readily catch fire and burn.

A distilled beverage or liquor is an alcoholic beverage produced by distilling (i.e., concentrating by distillation) ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables.[7] Unsweetened, distilled, alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABV are called spirits.[8] For the most common distilled beverages, such as whiskey and vodka, the alcohol content is around 40%. The term hard liquor is used in North America to distinguish distilled beverages from undistilled ones (implicitly weaker). Vodka, gin, baijiu, tequila, whiskey, brandy, Singani[9] and soju are examples of distilled beverages. Distilling concentrates the alcohol and eliminates some of the congeners. Freeze distillation concentrates ethanol along with methanol and fusel alcohols (fermentation by-products partially removed by distillation) in applejack. Paracelsus gave alcohol its modern name, which is derived from an Arabic word that means “finely divided” (a reference to distillation).

Fortified wine is wine, such as port or sherry, to which a distilled beverage (usually brandy) has been added.[10] Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation, while fortified wine is simply wine that has had a spirit added to it. Many different styles of fortified wine have been developed, including port, sherry, madeira, marsala, commandaria, and the aromatized wine vermouth.[11]

Health effects of different beverages[edit]

Alcohol in carbonated beverages is absorbed faster than alcohol in non-carbonated drinks.[12] Another study also confirmed this, conducted at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom gave subjects equal amounts of flat and sparkling Champagne which contained the same levels of alcohol. After 5 minutes following consumption, the group that had the sparkling wine had 54 milligrams of alcohol in their blood while the group that had the same sparkling wine, only flat, had 39 milligrams.[13]

Apéritifs and digestifs[edit]

An apéritif is any alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite,[14] while a digestif is any alcoholic beverage served after a meal for the purpose of improving digestion.

Fortified wine, liqueurs, and dry champagne are common apéritifs. Because apéritifs are served before dining, they are usually dry rather than sweet.

Flavoring[edit]

Pure ethanol tastes bitter to humans, slightly fewer people also describe it as sweet.[15] However, ethanol (alcohol) is also a moderately good solvent for many fatty substances and essential oils. This attribute facilitates the use of flavoring and coloring compounds in alcoholic beverages as a taste mask, especially in distilled beverages. Flavors may be naturally present in the beverage’s raw material. Beer and wine may be flavored before fermentation. Spirits may be flavored before, during, or after distillation. Sometimes flavor is obtained by allowing the beverage to stand for months or years in oak barrels, usually American or French oak. A few brands of spirits have fruit or herbs inserted into the bottle at the time of bottling.

Congeners[edit]

See also: Congener (alcohol), Wine chemistry and Hangover

In the alcoholic beverages industry, congeners are substances produced during fermentation.

These substances include small amounts of chemicals such as occasionally desired other alcohols, like propanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol, but also compounds that are never desired such as acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, glycols, and ethyl acetate. Congeners are responsible for most of the taste and aroma of distilled alcoholic beverages, and contribute to the taste of non-distilled drinks.[16] It has been suggested that these substances contribute to the symptoms of a hangover.[17]

Tannins are congeners found in wine in the presence of phenolic compounds. Wine tannins add bitterness, have a drying sensation, taste herbaceous and are often described as astringent. Wine tannins adds balance, complexity, structure and makes a wine last longer, so they play an important role in the aging of wine.[18]

Rectified spirit[edit]

Rectified spirit, also called "neutral grain spirit," is alcohol which has been purified by means of "rectification" (i.e., repeated distillation). The term "neutral" refers to the spirit's lacking the flavor that would have been present if the mash ingredients had been distilled to a lower level of alcoholic purity. Rectified spirit also lacks any flavoring added to it after distillation (as is done, for example, with gin). Other kinds of spirits, such as whiskey, are distilled to a lower alcohol percentage in order to preserve the flavor of the mash.

Rectified spirit is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid that may contain as much as 95% ABV. It is often used for medicinal purposes. It may be a grain spirit or it may be made from other plants. It is used in mixed drinks, liqueurs, and tinctures, but also as a household solvent.

Alcohol concentration (ABV)[edit]

Typical ABV ranges[19]
Beers 3–15%
Wines 8–17%
Fortified wines 15–22%
Spirits 15–98%
Fruit juices < 0.1%
Cider, wine coolers 4–8%
Main article: Alcohol by volume

The concentration of alcohol in a beverage is usually stated as the percentage of alcohol by volume  (ABV, the number of ml of pure ethanol in 100 ml of beverage) or as proof. In the United States, proof is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (e.g. 80 proof = 40% ABV). Degrees proof were formerly used in the United Kingdom, where 100 degrees proof was equivalent to 57.1% ABV. Historically, this was the most dilute spirit that would sustain the combustion of gunpowder.

Ordinary distillation cannot produce alcohol of more than 95.6% ABV (191.2 proof) because at that point alcohol is an azeotrope with water. A spirit which contains a very high level of alcohol and does not contain any added flavoring is commonly called a neutral spirit. Generally, any distilled alcoholic beverage of 170 proof or higher is considered to be a neutral spirit.[20]

Most yeasts cannot reproduce when the concentration of alcohol is higher than about 18%, so that is the practical limit for the strength of fermented beverages such as wine, beer, and sake. However, some strains of yeast have been developed that can reproduce in solutions of up to 25% ABV.[citation needed]

Serving measures[edit]

Shot sizes[edit]

Shot sizes varies significantly from country to country. In the United Kingdom, serving size in licensed premises is regulated under the Weights and Measures Act (1985). A single serving size of spirits (gin, whisky, rum, and vodka) are sold in 25 ml or 35 ml quantities or multiples thereof.[21] Beer is typically served in pints (568 ml), but is also served in half-pints or third-pints. In Israel, a single serving size of spirits is about twice as much, 50 or 60 mL.

The shape of a glass can have a significant effect on how much one pours. A Cornell University study of students and bartenders' pouring showed both groups pour more into short, wide glasses than into tall, slender glasses.[22] Aiming to pour one shot of alcohol (1.5 ounces or 44.3 ml), students on average poured 45.5 ml & 59.6 ml (30% more) respectively into the tall and short glasses. The bartenders scored similarly, on average pouring 20.5% more into the short glasses. More experienced bartenders were more accurate, pouring 10.3% less alcohol than less experienced bartenders. Practice reduced the tendency of both groups to over pour for tall, slender glasses but not for short, wide glasses. These misperceptions are attributed to two perceptual biases: (1) Estimating that tall, slender glasses have more volume than shorter, wider glasses; and (2) Over focusing on the height of the liquid and disregarding the width.

Standard drinks[edit]

See also: Alcohol equivalence
A "standard drink" of hard liquor does not necessarily reflect a typical serving size, such as seen here

A standard drink is a notional drink that contains a specified amount of pure alcohol. The standard drink is used in many countries to quantify alcohol intake. It is usually expressed as a measure of beer, wine, or spirits. One standard drink always contains the same amount of alcohol regardless of serving size or the type of alcoholic beverage.

The standard drink varies significantly from country to country. For example, it is 7.62 ml (6 grams) of alcohol in Austria, but in Japan it is 25 ml (19.75 grams).

In the United Kingdom, there is a system of units of alcohol which serves as a guideline for alcohol consumption. A single unit of alcohol is defined as 10 ml. The number of units present in a typical drink is sometimes printed on bottles. The system is intended as an aid to people who are regulating the amount of alcohol they drink; it is not used to determine serving sizes.

In the United States, the standard drink contains 0.6 US fluid ounces (18 ml) of alcohol. This is approximately the amount of alcohol in a 12-US-fluid-ounce (350 ml) glass of beer, a 5-US-fluid-ounce (150 ml) glass of wine, or a 1.5-US-fluid-ounce (44 ml) glass of a 40% ABV (80 US proof) spirit.

Food energy[edit]

Alcoholic beverages are a source of food energy. The USDA uses a figure of 6.93 kilocalories (29.0 kJ) per gram of alcohol (5.47 kcal (22.9 kJ) per ml) for calculating food energy.[23] In addition to alcohol, many alcoholic beverages contain carbohydrates. For example, beer usually contains 10–15 g of carbohydrates (40–60 kcal or 170–250 kJ) per 350 ml (12 US fl oz) which may contribute to an increase in body weight and beer belly.

However, aside from the direct effect of its caloric content, alcohol is known to potentiate the insulin response of the human body to glucose, which, in essence, "instructs" the body to convert consumed carbohydrates into fat and to suppress carbohydrate and fat oxidation.[24][25]

Laws[edit]

Main article: Alcohol laws

Alcohol laws regulate the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Such laws seek to reduce the health and social effects of their consumption.

In particular, alcohol laws specify the legal drinking age, which usually varies between 16 and 25 years, sometimes depending upon the type of beverage. Some countries do not have a legal drinking or purchasing age, but most set the minimum age at 18 years.[1] Such laws may take the form of permitting distribution only to licensed stores or monopoly stores, and they are often combined with taxation.

In some jurisdictions, alcoholic beverages are totally prohibited for reasons of religion (e.g., Islamic countries with sharia law) or for reasons of public health and morals (e.g., Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933). In jurisdictions which enforce sharia law, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is an illegal offense,[26] although such laws may exempt non-Muslims.[27]

Ethanol considered as a drug[edit]

Results of the ISCD 2010 study ranking the levels of damage caused by drugs, in the opinion of drug-harm experts.

Ethanol (commonly called alcohol) is a psychoactive drug[28][29] that is found in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol was one of the most commonly abused drugs in 1996 (Meropol, 1996)[30] and is often used for self-medication[31] and as recreational drug.[32]

Timeline[edit]

Members of a German Student Corps(Duchy of Brunswick) shown drinking in a picture from 1837.
Main articles: History of alcoholic beverages and Drinking culture
  • 10,000–5,000 BC: Discovery of late Stone Age jugs suggests that intentionally fermented beverages existed at least as early as the Neolithic period.[33]
  • 7000–5600 BC: Examination and analysis of ancient pottery jars from the neolithic village of Jiahu in the Henan province of northern China revealed residue left behind by the alcoholic beverages they had once contained. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, chemical analysis of the residue confirmed that a fermented drink made of grape and hawthorn fruit wine, honey mead and rice beer was being produced in 7000–5600 BC (McGovern et al., 2005; McGovern 2009).[34][35] The results of this analysis were published in December 2004.[36]
  • 12th century: Distilled alcoholic beverages were first recorded in Europe in the mid-12th century. By the early 14th century, they had spread throughout the European continent.[37]

See also[edit]

Beverage-related articles[edit]

Social and health[edit]


References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Minimum Age Limits Worldwide". International Center for Alcohol Policies. Retrieved 2009-09-20. 
  2. ^ http://faostat.fao.org/site/636/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=636#ancor
  3. ^ Arnold, John P (2005). Origin and History of Beer and Brewing: From Prehistoric Times to the Beginning of Brewing Science and Technology. Cleveland, Ohio: Reprint Edition by BeerBooks. ISBN 0-9662084-1-2. 
  4. ^ Gately, Iain (2008). Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol. New York, New York: Gotham Books. p. 2. ISBN 9781592403035.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help);
  5. ^ Nelson, Max (2005). The Barbarian's Beverage: A History of Beer in Ancient Europe. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 1. ISBN 0-415-31121-7. Retrieved 21 September 2010. 
  6. ^ Martin Dworkin, Stanley Falkow (2006). The Prokaryotes: Proteobacteria: alpha and beta subclasses. Springer. p. 169. Retrieved 29 July 2011. 
  7. ^ "Distilled spirit/distilled liquor". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2013-02-05. 
  8. ^ Lichine, Alexis. Alexis Lichine’s New Encyclopedia of Wines & Spirits (5th edition) (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987), 707–709.
  9. ^ Singani
  10. ^ Lichine, Alexis (1987). Alexis Lichine's New Encyclopedia of Wines & Spirits (5th ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 236. ISBN 0-394-56262-3. 
  11. ^ Robinson, J., ed. (2006). The Oxford Companion to Wine (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 279. ISBN 0-19-860990-6. 
  12. ^ Roberts, C.; Robinson, S.P. (2007). "Alcohol concentration and carbonation of drinks: The effect on blood alcohol levels". Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 14 (7): 398–405. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2006.12.010. PMID 17720590. 
  13. ^ G. Harding "A Wine Miscellany" pg 136–137, Clarkson Potter Publishing, New York 2005 ISBN 0-307-34635-8
  14. ^ Caton, S. J.; Ball, M; Ahern, A; Hetherington, M. M. (2004). "Dose-dependent effects of alcohol on appetite and food intake". Physiology & Behavior 81 (1): 51–8. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2003.12.017. PMID 15059684.  edit
  15. ^ Scinska, A; Koros, E; Habrat, B; Kukwa, A; Kostowski, W; Bienkowski, P (2000). "Bitter and sweet components of ethanol taste in humans". Drug and alcohol dependence 60 (2): 199–206. PMID 10940547.  edit
  16. ^ Understanding Congeners in Wine, Wines & Vines. Accessed 2011-4-20
  17. ^ Whisky hangover 'worse than vodka, a study suggests', BBC News. Accessed 2009-12-19
  18. ^ http://winefolly.com/review/wine-characteristics/
  19. ^ http://www.alcoholcontents.com/
  20. ^ Lichine, Alexis. Alexis Lichine’s New Encyclopedia of Wines & Spirits (5th edition) (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987), 365.
  21. ^ "fifedirect - Licensing & Regulations - Calling Time on Short Measures!". Fifefire.gov.uk. 2008-07-29. Retrieved 2010-02-11. 
  22. ^ Wansink, Brian; van Ittersum, Koert (2005). "Shape of glass and amount of alcohol poured: comparative study of effect of practice and concentration". BMJ 331 (7531): 1512–14. doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7531.1512. 
  23. ^ "Composition of Foods Raw, Processed, Prepared USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26 Documentation and User Guide". USDA. Aug 2013. p. 14. 
  24. ^ Robert Metz et al. (1969). "Potentiation of the Plasma Insulin Response to Glucose by Prior Administration of Alcohol". Diabetes. 
  25. ^ "Ethanol Causes Acute Inhibition of Carbohydrate, Fat, and Protein Oxidation and Insulin Resistance". J.Clin.Invest. 81 (4): 1137–45. 1988. doi:10.1172/JCI113428. PMC 329642. PMID 3280601. 
  26. ^ Williams, Lizzie. Nigeria: The Bradt Travel Guide. p. 101. 
  27. ^ Alcohol and Temperance in Modern History p 329 David M. Fahey, Ian R. Tyrrell - 2003
  28. ^ "Disparity between tonic and phasic ethanol-induced dopamine increases in the nucleus accumbens of rats". Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2013-09-17. 
  29. ^ Drugs and society - Page 189, Glen (Glen R.) Hanson, Peter J. Venturelli, Annette E. Fleckenstein - 2006
  30. ^ http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1010220-overview
  31. ^ Crum, R. M.; La Flair, L; Storr, C. L.; Green, K. M.; Stuart, E. A.; Alvanzo, A. A.; Lazareck, S; Bolton, J. M.; Robinson, J; Sareen, J; Mojtabai, R (2013). "Reports of drinking to self-medicate anxiety symptoms: Longitudinal assessment for subgroups of individuals with alcohol dependence". Depression and Anxiety 30 (2): 174–83. doi:10.1002/da.22024. PMC 4154590. PMID 23280888.  edit
  32. ^ http://blog.oup.com/2010/01/drugs-2/
  33. ^ Patrick, Clarence Hodges (1952). Alcohol, Culture, and Society. Durham, NC: Duke University Press (reprint edition by AMS Press, New York, 1970). pp. 26–27. ISBN 9780404049065. 
  34. ^ Chrzan, Janet (2013). Alcohol: Social Drinking in Cultural Context. Routledge. p. 13. ISBN 9780415892490. 
  35. ^ McGovern, P. E.; Zhang, J.; Tang, J.; Zhang, Z.; Hall, G. R.; Moreau, R. A.; Nunez, A.; Butrym, E. D.; Richards, M. P.; Wang, C. -S.; Cheng, G.; Zhao, Z.; Wang, C. (2004). "Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101 (51): 17593–17598. doi:10.1073/pnas.0407921102. PMC 539767. PMID 15590771.  edit
  36. ^ Roach, John. "Cheers! Eight ancient drinks uncorked by science". http://www.nbcnews.com (Nbc News). Retrieved 9 June 2013. 
  37. ^ Forbes, Robert James (1970). A Short History of the Art of Distillation: From the Beginnings up to the Death of Cellier Blumenthal. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-00617-1. Retrieved 28 June 2010. 

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alcoholic beverages.
Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
Ethanol
classifications
Dependency
and harm
Pathophysiology
Specific
interactions
Substance
abuse
prevention
Alcohol
limitation
Social issues
General
Index of psychology and psychiatry
Description
Disorders
Treatment
Straight-chain
primary
alcohols (1°)
Other primary
alcohols
Secondary
alcohols (2°)
Tertiary
alcohols (3°)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alcoholic_beverage&oldid=647096903"