What's the difference in champagne, beer, wine---and all the other alcoholic beverages out there???

Question

Sorry if this is a dumb question--UMMMMM--wait a minute...people ask dumb questions on here all the time!!! LOL!

I'm not a huge alcohol drinker...but was just curious to know what the difference is.
When I go to a bar--I usually order the same thing over and over again (Amoretta Sours).
But for starters, it would help to know what the difference is in the above mentioned....

Thanks for the answers everyone!
To Sanja77:
Nahhh...never really had a desire to go on alcohol explorations before as a kid. LOL--that's why I don't know the difference in any of them.

Answer 1

Whiskey is essentially beer without hops that's been distilled. The ingredients can range from barley, wheat, rye, corn, millet, oats...virtually any starchy cereal grain you can think of can be made into beer and thus whiskey.
Single malt whiskey (whisky for the Scots) is purely barley and distilled at a single distillery.
Bourbon is an American whiskey that has by law >51% corn in its list of ingredients...many will tell you it must be made in Kentucky, but this isn't true, though the vast majority of Bourbon distilleries *are* in Kentucky, there a few exceptions. Time in the barrels also is a factor.
Scotch is simply short for "Scotch Whisky" (with no 'e' in the spelling...they like it this way) and simply refers to whisky made exclusively in Scotland and by law has to be aged 3 or more years in wood casks to be called "Scotch."

Brandy is merely distilled wine. Specialty brandies such as Cognac and Armagnac are made in specific geographic regions and of certain wines to be called such by French Law. This is the same with "Champagne" being exclusively from the Champagne region and all others are "sparkling wine."

Vodka isn't exclusively from potatoes. In fact, it's increasingly rare that it is made from potatoes in that they are more expensive as an ingredient for the whole distilling cycle. You'll find that most vodkas are distilled from grain...the same as whiskey, but more and more thoroughly so that there is minimal/no flavor left in the distillate. It's also not aged or barreled and therefore remains crystal clear and colorless.

Actually all brown spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum) derive the majority of their color and flavor from the wooden casks that they are aged in. When distilled, they all...yes, *ALL* come out crystal clear and colorless. Caramel color may be added in the cheaper varieties, and dark rums will frequently have molasses added back for a richer flavor (which is not necessarily characteristic of the cheaper varieties).

Tequila is fermented agave juice which is then distilled. The different colors/grades relate to the amount of aging. Like Cognac etc. "Tequila" only comes from a certain region of Mexico, and is exclusively Blue Agave...all others are "Mezcal"

Gin is neutral spirits (like vodka) which are flavored via various methods with primarly juniper berries and also other botanicals.

Ouzo, Pernod, and Absinthe belong to a group of spirits called "Pastis" (I forget the meaning exactly). These are all primarily flavored with anise and liquorice and when water is added, the oils from the infused botanicals un-dissolve and turn the drink milky. Absinthe is unique in that it contanise wormwood as one of its botanicals. Wormwood contains thujone which is a controversial substance which renders it illegal in a majority of countries. It is said to make the drinker hallucinate...often called "seeing the green fairie" as Absinthe is colored green. The truth is that Absinthe is *extremely* alcoholic relative to other spirits (65% alcohol and up) and is traditionally drunk with water poured through a sugar cube (lighting the sugar cube on fire is optional) which reduces the strength for drinking.

Answer 2

The difference is alcohol content.

However there is also method of fermentation/preparation and what starting substrate was used.

For instance some wines (usually red) contain gamma-hydroxybutyrate aka GHB in small quantities. Red grapes are suspected to be the culprit. Interestingly this is not present in higher distilled spirits such as Vodka or Rum. I suspect it is the reason some individuals prefer wine over any other alcoholic beverage.

Answer 3

Lots of differences. Bit if it's the alcoholic content your curious about check answer 1).

Answer 4

* fruit juice (naturally occurring): 0.1-0.3%
* beer: 3–8%
* alcopop: 4–7%
* cider: 4–8%
* barley wine: 10%
* wine: 10-15%
* port wine: 20%
* single malt whisky: 40%
* liqueur: 15–55%
* liquor (aka spirits): Typically 40% and up, but recently introduced (U.S.) 'light' liquors are only 20%
* cask strength single malt whisky: 60%
* neutral grain spirit: 95%
* rectified spirit: 96%

Answer 5

You have to taste to know.Can¸t believe you don¸t know or never tasted,at least for curiosity.

Answer 6

champagne - pompous
beer - fun
wine - nice dinner
hard stuff (like whiskey) - getting stoned
mixture of all that - alcoholic coma

Answer 7

alcohol content

Answer 8

2 differences - taste, and how strong it is.

Answer 9

it's the taste fella!!!!

try "lip charge"
it'll scare the hell out of you...