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2 Uses 3 Alcoholic content 4 Legal considerations 5 See also 6 External links |
| Source | Name of fermented beverage | Name of distilled beverage |
|---|---|---|
| grain | beer, ale, sake (rice) | whiskey (also spelled whisky) |
| juice of fruits, other than apples or pears | wine (most commonly from grapes) | brandy, grappa (Italy), trester (Germany) |
| juice of appless | ("hard") cider | applejack (or apple brandy), Calvados |
| juice of pears | perry, or pear cider | pear brandy |
| juice of sugarcane, or molasses | basi, betsa-betsa (regional) | rum, cachaça |
| juice of agave | pulque | tequila, mezcal |
| juice of plums | slivovitz | |
| honey | mead |
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, 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 Also, applejack was originally made by a freezing process described in the article on cider which was equivalent to distillation but more easily done in the cold climate of New England.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.
Two common distilled beverages not listed in the above chart are vodka and gin. Vodka can be distilled from any source (grain and potatoes being the most common, also industrial cellulose for the cheapest!) but the main characteristic of vodka is that it is so thoroughly distilled as to exhibit none of the flavors derived from its source material. Gin is a similar distillate which has been flavored by contact with herbs and other plant products, especially juniper berries, from which it gets its name.
Alcoholic beverages can be combined, sometimes with other ingredients, to create cocktails.
In areas and eras with poor public sanitation, 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 not suffice. It is rather the boiling of water, which is required for the brewing of beer, which sanitizes it.
Alcoholic beverages generally cause intoxication and may result in a hangover. The latter is partly due to the dehydrating effect, which can be mitigated by drinking plenty of water between and after alcoholic drinks.
Most countries have rules forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages to children, e.g. in the Netherlands one has to be 16 to buy beer or wine and 18 to buy distilled alcoholic beverages. Also there are restrictions on driving after drinking.