I think alcohol was a chemical. I'm not sure. Just Curious.
2006-09-30 15:00:25 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Beer, Wine & Spirits
In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. The general formula for a simple acyclic alcohol is CnH2n+1OH.
In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-kuḥūl: الكحول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, a strongly-smelling, colorless, volatile liquid formed by the fermentation of sugars. It also often refers to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). This sense underlies the term alcoholism (addiction to alcohol). Other forms of alcohol are usually described with a clarifying adjective, as in isopropyl alcohol or by the suffix -ol, as in isopropanol.
2006-09-30 15:07:08 · answer #1 · answered by Treesy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People around the world have made alcohol from near every form of vegetation they can find. Potatoes, coconut, sugar cane, grains, rice, fruit, and many others.
First the produce is cooked to break down the fiberous parts. Afeter it cools to about 80-90 degrees, yeast is added. The yeast eats the sugars and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as by products. At this point it would be considered a beer and has 3-6% alcohol content. More sugar may be added to get higher alcohol contents. After the yeast work on it, it may reach as high as 16% alcohol content. This would be a wine. The liquid can then be cooked at very low boil to cook off the alcohol...about 110 degrees. The steam is captured and cooled back into a liquid. This is a distilled liquor like weak vodka. Repeating the distilling will concentrate the alcohol up to 95% alcohol content. This is called White Lightning. Most distilled alcohol is 40-50 % alcohol with water and small quantities of impurities for color and taste.
Alcohol is not a "Chemical" in that is is the byproduct of a natural process.
Wow, considering I wrote that from memory, not cut-and-paste.....I scared myself a bit!....LOL!
2006-09-30 15:16:00 · answer #2 · answered by newsgirlinos2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What Is Alcohol Made Of
2016-10-04 00:09:18 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
10
2016-03-22 20:07:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
What is alcohol made from?
I think alcohol was a chemical. I'm not sure. Just Curious.
2015-08-19 14:11:13 · answer #5 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, alcohol is a chemical - CH3CH2OH, otherwise known as ethanol.
It's all to do with fermentation. In the simplest terms, bung a source of sugar (e.g. grapes, hops, fruit) in with some yeast, in the absence of air, and after a while the sugar gets converted to lovely alcohol.
2006-09-30 15:06:42 · answer #6 · answered by Chrisso De La Zouch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Basically alcohol is the waste product of Yeast, like the stuff you put in bread. When the yeast eat the sugar, it's waste product is the alcohol. When you make bread, the alcohol is all burnt off! But yes that's where it comes from
2006-09-30 15:57:51 · answer #7 · answered by Lil D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alcohol is produced when yeast eats sugar (from any source, table sugar, converted vegetable starches, fruit, etc). The yeast eats the sugar and its waste products are ethanol and CO2...this process is known as fermenation.
2006-09-30 18:25:11 · answer #8 · answered by Trid 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alcohol is produced as waste by yeast. Not the same yeast used to make bread though..that's different.
2006-09-30 18:52:39 · answer #9 · answered by vbplr_12 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fermented grains, fruits, potatoes.
2006-09-30 17:15:06 · answer #10 · answered by crchase16 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋