Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol): What Gets Us Drunk? Ethyl Alcohol (also referred to as Ethanol) - more commonly known as drinking alcohol to the majority – has the structural formula C 2 H 6 O. In low doses, Ethyl Alcohol tends not to be incredibly toxic, despite the adverse effects on the body. Beer tends to contain anywhere from 4% to 9% alcohol in volume (this relates to the drink having 4mL to 9mL of pure alcohol for every 100mL of the drink), other alcohols such as wine can have upwards of 15%, or even 20%-40% for liquors (D. Klimaszyk et al. 2014). The pleasurable effects you get from drinking alcohol come from the decrease in inhibiting the neurotransmitter dopamine . To make ethanol – for use in drinking – grains, fruits or vegetables go through a process known as fermentation. Wine and ciders will be more commonly produced by fermenting fruits, whereas beers and spirits get their alcohol content from cereals such as barley and rye. This process stimulates the reaction between the...
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