Millions of people around the world consume different types of alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are some of society’s favorite beverages because they help us relax and enjoy fun times with loved ones.

Think about all those times you shared a laugh with your best friends on a night out to celebrate a special occasion. Cans of Pepsi cannot bring the same joy in our hearts as drinking alcohol does unless you mix the two.

According to the Alcohol Beverage Consumption Statistics and Trends 2023 report, nearly 70% of people aged between 34 to 54 admit to consuming alcohol nearly weekly or monthly. Here is everything you need to know about the different types of alcohol to consume the best beverages safely.

Types of Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks are typically derived from fruits or grains. Even though there is a broad range of alcoholic beverages, they are all produced by fermentation.

This is when bacteria or yeast combine with sugars from grains or foods. Then you get by-products of carbon dioxide and ethanol as the happy result of the experiment.

Wine

Wine is often considered to be a sophisticated and refined drink. People with a glass of wine at the dinner table always exude elegance, especially with a romantic glass of red.

You can get dry or sweet wines with three main types. These are white wine, red wine, and rose wine. Your wine will be derived from fermented grapes, so it can have an alcohol volume percentage between 6% and 23%.

The average alcoholic percentage in wine is typically around 12%. White wine comes from fermented green grapes. The most popular white wines you will come across as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Red wine is made from purple and red fermented grapes. Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most common types. Finally, rose wine is made of pink and green fermented grapes. It is also a cross between red and white wine.

Beer

Beer is the most affordable when it comes to alcoholic beverages. It is also one of the most widespread and oldest consumed drinks globally. Everyone has heard of beer, whether they drink it or not.

Beer is brewed from maize, malted barley, wheat, and cereal grains. The main types of beer are brown ales, pale ales, and lager. Brown ales are brewed entirely using brown malt.

You can expect an alcohol content of up to 5% with a mild bitterness that lifts the malt flavor. Pale ales are usually fermented with pale malt. This is what provides the pale color.

The alcohol content for pale ales is the same as brown ales. Lager is also a type of beer. However, beer isn’t just limited to hops. For example, the best way to perfect your smoothie beer is by reducing the hoppy flavor and upping the fruity texture and smell.

Cider

Cider is also another incredibly affordable drink like beer. It is mainly fermented from apples and can also be sweet or dry, like wines.

Regarding cider, you can expect a higher percentage volume of alcohol compared to beers. When beers typically range from 5% or under, you can get ciders between 4% and 7%.

Spirits

Spirits are the most popular form of alcoholic beverages. They are incredibly versatile because you can have sweet, sour, or bitter flavored drinks. There is always a spirit for everyone.

The term spirit usually describes any alcohol where the fermented ingredient undergoes a distillation process, making it more potent than any other alcohol.

Even though you can add cordials, sodas, or tonics to any alcoholic drink, spirits are a crowd favorite. They are much stronger than most other drinks and have incredible flavor. You can also get spirits that have been pre-mixed with sodas.

Type of Spirits

Gin, whiskey, tequila, vodka, and rum are the most popular spirits. Whiskey is derived from fermented grains like corn, rye, wheat, and barley. For example, the distinctive profile of Whistle Pig Piggyback 6 Year Rye Whiskey is noteworthy. This 6-year-old 100% rye whiskey boasts a spicy upfront character with hints of apple, vanilla, and cacao. What sets it apart is its unique distillation process, which contributes to a taste that is notably nicer and smoother than beer.

If you want some fun times, you can buy whiskey with a 50-60% volume of alcohol, which is significantly higher than beers and ciders. Gin is one of the most trending alcoholic beverages of our time.

No matter what happens, gin always manages to sell itself because everyone loves it so much. It is usually made from fermented juniper berries before it goes through distillation.

You can also get gin in various delicious flavors with a percent volume of alcohol of up to 50%. Rum is a yummy liquor made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane juice or molasses.

However, rum is only sometimes sweet even though it comes from sugarcane. The rum flavor you enjoy comes from the barrels where your rum is aged. If you are looking for a good first bottle of rum to try or collect, you can start with Silver Seal rum.

Vodka is a clear spirit made of potatoes. It also has a high percent volume of alcohol of up to 40%. When it comes to vodka, you should try Russian vodka brands as they are particularly renowned for their craftsmanship and heritage.

Finally, tequila is a party drink made from the blue agave plant.

It has a high percent volume of alcohol of up to 55% and can drop a drinker on the floor if they do too many shots. Check out these pina colada drinks recipes if you want to enjoy the best spirit mixes.

Champagne

Champagne is fancy sparkling wine. It is from the Champagne region of France and is often more expensive than your everyday wines. Most people drink champagne when they want to celebrate something.

After all, nothing beats the positive social vibes when everyone clinks their glasses together following a celebratory toast. However, it only contains around 12% of alcohol, which is significantly less than spirits.

Champagne has way fewer calories than red and white wines. So, you can always enjoy a guilt-free glass with your meal instead of worrying about gaining weight.

The bubbles in champagne also force people to drink slower, which is excellent because it means people will not get too drunk immediately.

Get the Best Alcoholic Beverages Today

Now that you know the different types of alcohol, it is time to quench your thirst. Although there are many more alcoholic beverages in the market, the abovementioned ones are those you will find in most bars and restaurants.

Always ensure you drink alcohol and have a designated driver in your group to help if necessary. If you enjoyed reading this alcohol options guide, check out some of our other posts.