Introduction to Alcohol

Alcohol Fermentation Products Fermentation Certain yeasts act on Sugar in the presence of water, and this chemical action is fermentation Forms the basis of all alcoholic beverages Raw materials Fruits Addition of the appropriate yeasts to a mixture of crushed grapes and water will begin fermentation process because of the Sugar content in fruits   Cereal grains: require malt to convert starch into Sugar Yeast has a limited tolerance for alcohol When the concentration reaches 15%, the yeast dies, and fermentation ceases   Distilled Products Distillation Process in which a Solution containing alcohol is heated, and the vapors are connected and condensed into liquid form again Said to be discovered in Arabia around A.D. 800 Introduced in Europe around the 10th century Proof A measure of the alcohol content of a distilled beverage The percentage of alcohol by volume is Ys of the proof number Ex: 90-proof whiskey is 45% alcohol Beer *production process "made by adding barely malt to other cereal grains hops are added with yeast to give beer its distinctive, pungent flavor two giants, Anheuser-Busch and Miller Coors, dominate the market for beers in the U.S. imported beers and microbreweries are growing in popularity two "American" brewers account for 60% of all beer sold in the U.S. Types of Beer ale uses a top-fermenting yeast and siigriny warmer temperatures Shorter fermentation time results in more of the flavor of the malt being retained in the final product lager most common type of beer sold in the 1.5. uses a type of yeast that settles to the bottom of the mash to ferment requires cool temperature and slower fermentation light beer has fewer calories, lighter taste, and less alcohol mosh is fermented at a cooler temperature for a longer time this converts more sugars to alcohol then water is added to adjust the acconal content Wine Production made from fermented grapes a large volume of wine is produced in mechanized, Sterilized wine factories many Small wineries operate alongside the industry giants most wines contain cubout 12% alconol factors that add to the quality of wines sesection and cultivation of grapevines good weather timing of the harvest Careful monitoring of fermentation and aging Varieties of Wine generics versus varietais generics have names taken from European land areas where the original wines were produced "varietals are named after one variety of grape (Chardonnay, merlot) • red versus white •Sweet versus dry Sparkling wine fortified wines have alcohol content near 20% Distilled Spirits *Contain 95% pure ethyl alcohol, that is 190 proof grain neutral spirits Clear liquid that is tasteless sold as Everclear to consumers and can be used in medicine or research used to make various beverages #gin: distillate Filtered through juniper berries and then diluted with water #vodka: mixture of grain neutral spirits and water Contain relatively few congeners congeners may include alcohols other than ethanol and ails contained in alconalic beverages whiskey distilled at a lower proof, not more than 160 #distillare contains more congeners and some Havor from the grain whiskey accumulates congeners during aging, at least for the first 5 years *types of whiskey - Straight rye whiskey bourbon whiskey blended whiskey •liqueurs, or cordials, are similar to fortified wines "highly flavored and contain 20 to 25% alconos Views on Alcohol Use in the U.S. at the time of America's revolution most people drank more alcohol compared with water Early Puritan ministers referred to alcoholic drink as the Good Creature of God * thay denounced drunkenness as a sinful misuse of the Good Creature after the American Revolution "Alcohol was the first psychoactive substance to become demonized in American Culture What Makes Alcohol so Harmful? use is very common "prevention paradax" "a large number of people at small risk may contribute mare Cases of a particular condition than a Smaller number of people who are individually at greater risk eg.. alcohol-related injuries associated with consumption, not dependence