What is alcohol

Alcohol is a thin, colorless liquid that looks like water. It is used in medicine, in chemical products, in foods, and in drinks. It can be made from wheat, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, most starchy vegetables, and fruits. However, most alcohol is made from grain—such as corn, rye, and wheat—by the chemical process known as fermentation. (There is a separate article about FERMENTATION.) In the United States, a great deal of alcohol is made from petroleum, about as much as is made from grain.

Many beverages (drinks) contain alcohol. Whiskey, brandy and wines are called alcoholic beverages. Beer also contains alcohol, but in smaller amounts. It is the alcohol in alcoholic beverages that makes a person drunk (unable to control himself normally) if he drinks too much. This condition is also called intoxication. There is a disease called alcoholism, or dipsomania ("thirst craziness"), in which a person is unable to control his desire for alcoholic drinks. When a person's temperature rises much above normal because of a fever, alcohol is often sponged on the skin. The reason for this is that alcohol dries very quickly. As it dries it carries heat away with it and thus gives a feeling of coolness.