Understanding
Alcohol Basics
Grain Alcohol
 Also known as beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol,
drinking alcohol ethanol and ‘Golden Grain’©.
Chemical symbol is C2H5OH.
 For beverage purposes, it is produced by the
action of yeast. Yeast is introduced into a base
solution usually made of grains or fruits.
 The yeast reproduces as it consumes sugars, and
excretes carbon dioxide and alcohol as waste
products. This process is known as fermentation.
Fermentation
 Beer yeasts produce alcohol content up to about 7%.
 Wine yeasts produce alcohol content up to about
15%.
 Yeasts used to produce distilled spirits (“liquor”) can
produce somewhat higher levels of alcoholic content.
 Fermentation stops when the yeast produces toxic
alcohol levels in which it cannot live.
– Brewers and vintners may stop the process for
flavor or other purposes before the yeast poisons
itself.
Beer and Wine
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Beer and wine are the end products of the
fermentation process.
Typically, the fermented solution will be
filtered then aged to produce the desired
flavors and other qualities.
Higher alcohol content makes a “rougher”
taste and palate, destroying desirable subtle
flavors and qualities. So these products often have
a lower alcohol level. They are still potent
intoxicants.
Distilled Spirits
 To produce distilled spirits,
the fermented solution is
placed in a still where it is
heated. The alcohol, which is
more volatile than the other
components, boils off first, at
lower temperatures, and is
captured by cooling the
vapor. Most liquors are
produced in industrial stills
like that pictured here,
although some are produced
in colorful copper “pot”
stills—single malt Scotch
whiskeys, for instance.
Distilled Spirits
 One type attempts to
 Another type pure,
maintain some of the
clear alcohol that
flavors of the original
essentially has no
solution.
flavor. “Golden
 Brandy is a good
Grain©” alcohol is a
example; it is distilled
good example of this.
wine, and the distillers
Medicines containing
work to produce wine
alcohol, called
flavors that will
tinctures, also use this
survive the distillation
type of ethanol.
process and produce
good flavor
Distilled Spirits
 Once distilled, beverage alcohol
may be immediately bottled or
further processed by filtering,
charcoal conditioning, and ageing
in barrels or casks.
 Ethanol used for fuels is
“denatured” by adding methyl
alcohol, or other distasteful, toxic
chemicals to discourage use as
a beverage.
 Once the processing and ageing
are completed, the spirits are
bottled. “Proof” is the term
applied to describe the
percentage of alcohol in the
beverage, and is exactly ½ the
alcohol percentage. 100 proof
liquor, therefore, is 50% alcohol.
Alcohol’s Effect on the Human Body
 Alcohol is absorbed quickly and readily into the
blood stream from the stomach. It is distributed
to the entire body in this way.
 It alters the body’s regulation of dopamine, a
neurotransmitter that affects many nervous
system functions, most significantly “reward
behaviors”, which reinforce positive feelings for
food, water, sex, and other basic survival
behaviors.
 Researchers believe that the altered dopamine
processing is a major factor in the positive high
most feel while drinking.
Acetylcholine
 Another important
neurotransmitter,
acetylcholine, is found in all
sections of the human
nervous system. Importantly,
it is the only neurotransmitter
found in the somatic nervous
system, which is responsible
for voluntary muscular
movements.
 Acetylcholine is also found in
the central nervous system,
the peripheral nervous
system, and the autonomic
nervous system.
Alcohol’s Effect on the Human Body
 Acetylcholine surrounds nerve cells, and
facilitates transmission of impulses from one
nerve cell to another.
 Alcohol can displace acetylcholine, block nerve
receptors, alter brain membranes, metabolize
brain enzymes, and diminish neuron activity,
among other effects.
 Alcohol’s attack on the somatic nervous system
is a major reason is why drunks stagger, fall
down, are clumsy, and manifest many other
physical symptoms—the alcohol has caused
partial loss of their muscles.
Inebriation
 Alcohol causes abnormal nervous system
functions, creating the generic term “inebriation.”
Because of the wide-spread effects of alcohol on
the body, inebriation is a collection of many
impairments.
 Mood alteration— “happy drunk”, or “mean drunk”.
 Motor control degradation, stumbling, clumsiness,
etc.
 Cognitive alteration—slowed thinking, reaction
times
 Visual alteration, blurred vision, distortion,
degraded iris (light admittance control) function.
 Significant impairment occurs well before the
“falling-down-drunk” stage is reached.
Body’s Reaction to Alcohol
 Your body recognizes
alcohol for what it is—Poison!
 Your body uses all its
available systems to
eliminate the alcohol.
 Metabolism
 Excretion (urination)
 Evaporation (respiration)
 Tears and perspiration (small
amounts)
Blood Alcohol Percent
 No surprise that the more alcohol
you drink, the more of it gets into
your bloodstream.
 And that the more alcohol in your
blood stream, the more
impairment your body will endure.
 Medicine has established a scale
of observable effects based on
blood alcohol content.
 The scale is expressed as “grams
percent” which is a ratio of the
volume of alcohol per unit of
blood.
Effects of Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BAC)
.02%
.05%
.08%
.10%
.20%
Feelin’ good! Minor clumsiness, may feel hot, be
a bit tense.
Excitation! Really in the groove, party boy/girl.
High as a kite! Speak loudly, exaggerate
movements. LEGALLY DUI/DWI.
The “happy” or “mean” drunk appears. Loss of
muscle and emotional control.
Double vision, may fall asleep, cannot speak
coherently.
.35%-.40%
Comatose, completely unconscious. Breathing is
impaired and slowed. Brain damage and death are
distinct possibilities.
>.40%
At least 50% of humans will die from this dose of
alcohol.