Alcohol: Chemical Substance and Drink Alcohols are volatile, colorless, corrosive liquids composed of three chemical elements: carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is used in production of alcoholic beverages. It can also be prescribed for medicinal purposes to stimulate appetite; it is also the base in which many medicinal ingredients are dissolved. · Methyl alcohol (methanol, or “wood alcohol”) is used industrially as a fuel and solvent. It is poisonous, and its use causes blindness and death. For home and industrial production alcoholic beverages, ethyl alcohol is produced by fermentation, i.e. Decomposition of carbohydrate-containing foods (such as maize, barley, rice, potatoes or grapes) by yeast. The resulting drink depends on the raw materials used. For example, malt and barley are used to make beer, and grapes are used to make wine. Beer and wine are produced only by fermentation. With this method, the highest possible alcohol level is 15%. “Strong” alcoholic drinks with a high alcohol content (whiskey, gin, vodka, liqueurs) also require “distillation”. This means that the alcohol is distilled into a new container, leaving water in the old one, and an increased concentration of alcohol in the future drink is obtained. Distilled alcohol is sometimes also added to wine (sherry, port, etc.) and beer for added strength. Moderate alcohol consumption is not harmful to health.
Alcohol is really so much harmful for our body...so,we shouldn't drink alcohol too much..Thanks for your informative article