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What
is Alcohol?
Technically
It is a chemical compound whose formula is C2H5OH. Most of the family
of alcohols are completely poisonous to the human body.The type of
alcohol we drink, ethyl alcohol, is tolerable only in small amounts.
How is it made?
Alcohol is made from fruit, vegetables or grains that are fermented
with sugar, water and yeast. Over time, this mixture produces carbon
dioxide (the bubbles) and alcohol. Yeast can only grow in the presence
of up to 14% alcohol - then the alcohol starts to kill off the yeast.
This means that any drink with a higher percent of alcohol has had
extra alcohol added, usually through distillation. Pure ethyl alcohol
is a clear, colourless liquid.
What are Canadians drinking?
Most Canadians drink beer, which has an alcohol content of around
5% (light beers have less). We also drink spirits like rye, vodka
and rum (40% alcohol) and less so, wine (12% alcohol) or fortified
wines like port or sherry (18%). |
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