Alcoholic beverage

Alcoholic beverages are drinks containing ethanol.

Chemistry

The ethanol (CH3CH2OH) in alcoholic beverages is almost always produced by fermentation, which is the metabolism of carbohydrates (usually sugars) by certain species of yeast in the absence of oxygen. The process of culturing yeast under conditions that produce alcohol is referred to as brewing.

Related Topics:
Fermentation - Metabolism - Carbohydrate - Sugar - Yeast - Oxygen - Brewing

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It should be noted that 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 is bound to other hydrogen and/or carbon atoms. Other alcohols such as propylene glycol and the sugar alcohols may appear in food or beverages regularly, however these alcohols do not make them alcoholic.

Related Topics:
Chemistry - Alcohol - Organic compound - Hydroxyl group - O - H - Carbon - Propylene glycol - Sugar alcohol

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It has been suggested that alcoholic impurities, congeners, are the cause of hangovers.

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Alcoholic beverages with a concentration of about 50% ethanol or greater (100 proof) are flammable liquids and easily ignited.

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See also: ethanol

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