Is all alcohol the same?

Alcohol. We all love it, don’t we? It’s like our best friend on a Friday night out after a long week of hustling and bustling at work. But have you ever stopped to wonder whether all alcohol is the same? Well, buckle up because we’re about to take you on a boozy ride through the mysterious world of alcohol.

The Basics

First things first – let’s get back to basics with some alcohol 101. Alcohol, in its simplest definition, is an organic compound that contains one or more hydroxyl (-OH) functional groups attached to a carbon atom. In layman’s terms, it’s what makes us feel tipsy when we drink too much.

Now here comes the interesting part: there are different types of alcohols! Some examples include ethyl alcohol (also known as ethanol), methyl alcohol (also known as methanol), and butyl alcohol (also known as butanol). And although they sound similar in name, they can have very different effects on our bodies.

Ethanol vs Methanol

One of the key differences between these alcohols is their chemical composition. For example, ethanol has two carbon atoms while methanol only has one. However, this seemingly small difference can lead to vastly different outcomes when consumed by humans.

Ethanol is found in alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine and spirits such as gin or vodka.^1 On the other hand Methonal doesn’t get used for drinking purposes since it’s extremely toxic^3; being commonly used in rocket fuel.

If you’ve ever suffered from a hangover after drinking too much cheap liquor then chances are that you unknowingly ingested methanol instead of ethanol which causes damage inside your body.^7

So remember kids – always check for quality when purchasing alcoholic drinks!

Types of Alcoholic Beverages

Now let’s move on to the different types of alcoholic beverages.

Beers

Beer is one of the oldest and most popular forms of alcohol known to man. It’s made by fermenting grains such as barley or wheat with yeast, which produces ethanol and carbon dioxide as byproducts^2.

Wine

Wine is another famous alcoholic beverage that has been around for centuries. It’s made by fermenting grape juice with yeast, resulting in a drink that ranges from sweet (such as Moscato) to dry (such as Cabernet Sauvignon). Additionally, it comes in many colours ranging from reds, whites and rosé.

Fun fact: Did you know that some wines have bubble-like effervescence? Like champagne!

Spirits

Spirits are more concentrated than beer or wine but can be distilled everything from fruits (e.g brandy,) sugarcane(e.g rum), grains(e g whiskey) whereas Gin is a spirit which we’ve highlighted since it’s unique in terms of botanicals used – juniper berries being their staple ingredient.^5

Does Price equate Quality?

“If it’s expensive then it must be good” – while this motto may hold true for real estate opportunities not all alcohols follow suit.

As previously mentioned methanol should be avoided at all times so regardless of price tag always check your bottle before consumption.

It also depends on what type of occasion calls for tipple too; only looking forward to getting hangover friendly drunk through binge drinking throughout the night? Get a 6-pack beer cheaper alternative at a gas station/Bottle’O near-by.

Alternatively if there was any special occasion perhaps invest something pricier/nicer e-g Father/Mothers Day gift exchange within larger kinfolk/ friend circle gatherings since quality does reflect budget here.

Mixing Alcohol Types – Do’s & Don’ts

Let us discuss common misconceptions when mixing alcohol types:

Don’t Mix Colours in one night

If you’re planning to mix different types of alcohol, it’s important to know which ones can be mixed safely. Firstly, mixing clear and dark spirits is a recipe for disaster – think whisky & gin; this tends to come into play when people create cocktails^8 but if done incorrectly the results can cause regret in the next morning.

Do Buy Bar Quality Types of Spirit at Home Booze party gatherings

Hosting a boozy get-together? Note that quality levels should remain consistent across your selected boozes! So splurge on buying some bar-quality liquors such as Vodka, Whiskey or Gin while offering beer/Wine as cheaper alternatives.

Now let’s move on from the basics and dive deeper into all things alcoholic!

Alcohol Content

We’ve all seen labels that say “ABV” right? But what exactly does it mean?

What is ABV?

ABV stands for Alcohol by Volume, its basically an indication of just how much ethanol has been brewed into liquid mixture type product relative to volume contents.^4

For example – 6% ABV freshly brewed low carb beer may often Contain lesser amounts of sheer ethyl fluid compared to a shotglass filled with overpriced Scotch/Whisky sitting pretty around 40-60% alcohol – Ethanol constitutes most standard drinks in terms of millilitres (ml) serving sizes.

So if you were ever curious about why certain brands hit harder even though they look tiny – now you’ve got your answer!

On average “standard” drinks normally constitute roughly between 10g-14g worth actual functioning booze betwixt them give or take depending on global standards/laws.

Cocktails

Ah yes! One cannot forget about cocktails amidst exploring various types off alcoholic beverages Consumption.

Cocktails are made up either by ordering from bartender as per your mood or crafting at home event (and then cursing the morning after).

The choice of ingredients in cocktails blend can vastly vary on concoction recipe’s and each will come with its very own unique finishing taste variant.

Which brings us to our next topic…

How many types of cocktails are there?

There are literally thousands/types categories ranging from tropical mixes such a Pina Colada, to more adventurous gin based Pink Gin Cocktails perfect for any summer evening indulgence.^6

Classic Cocktail Types

However within these thousands – some deemed “classic” that caught traction in popular culture Such as Margaritas & Mojitos often featured dining- establishments during Summer Months

Moreover let’s not forget classic staples such as Old Fashioned, which consists of a spirit(some examples being Whiskey or Brandy), bitters, sugar (‘Simple Syrup’ is an alternative) and an orange peel garnish.^9

Alcohol Tasting

Alcohol where? On your tongue! Evidently I’m funny. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Tasting alcohol isn’t just about getting drunk – it’s actually quite enjoyable too! Each alcoholic beverage has its own unique flavour profile that can be enhanced through proper tasting methods.

Here are the best ways to approach alcohol tasting:

Smells attract

Smell it beforehand– including the fresh aroma outpouring while opening beer/wine bottle or taking first sip; this creates initial perception of overall taste involved beforehand^10

Observe Colour Variance before consumption

Pay attention on visual/color differences between boozes too: Wine comes very visually colourful whereas whiskeys look amber color but darker spirits have deeper mahogany colors in general

Take pleasurable Time Savouring

Don’t rush –

Allow yourself some time to savour every sip slowly rather than merely ‘shooting’ – letting liquids get fully absorbed by the palette taste buds overall 11, which enables you to experience depth of flavour.

Lastly, don’t forget (as tempting as it is) to not dive right in and start downing drinks – pace yourself!

Conclusion

So there you have it folks – a brief rundown on whether all alcohol is created equal or not. From different types of alcohols to various alcoholic beverages and mixing styles, an ultimate take away message must be that there’s so much more than meets eye if we truly desire exploring endless flavours of these liquid concoctions.

But above all one thing remains center focus here- Safety first! Always factor caution with consumption during any drinking session: error lawfully towards quality over cheap alcohol options; Afterall no one wants regretful Morning Afters.

References?

They were never needed anyways since good drink always speaks for itself!