45 Incredible Facts About Alcohol
7 Min Read
Most people enjoy a couple of drinks at the weekend and if you’re a regular drinker, you’ll probably think you’re you know all there is to know about your favourite type of alcohol. In this blog, we’ve put together a fun and interesting list of alcohol facts, that you’re sure to find just as entertaining as we did.
1. So, you may have believed that alcohol is just…well, alcohol. However, there are different types. In common drinks such as wine, beer and spirits, the alcohol contained is ethanol. This type of alcohol is safe to drink, without causing serious harm to the body.
2. In Russia, medical professionals have a unique way of treating alcoholism. A small capsule is inserted into the skin, which is designed to cause a severe reaction when alcohol is consumed. Even after the tiniest sip of alcohol, the individual will experience serious side effects that can only be compared to symptoms of heroin withdrawal.
3. Beer lovers may not be surprised by this one, but according to research, it's actually the world’s most popular beverage alongside water and tea.
4. Although many people choose to drink alcohol to forget about their problems, it is actually a depressant and should really only be consumed in small quantities.
5. Vodka is the most popular beverage in Russia – for a very good reason. It’s one of the only drinks that can withstand extremely cold temperatures without freezing over. 80-proof vodka freezes at a temperature of -27 degrees Celsius.
6. The very last thing you would ever want to drink is vodka when you’re unwell, however, vodka was used for medicinal purposes centuries ago, before being accepted as a social drink.
7. Beer is the world’s oldest beverage and dates back 5000 years. The very first barley beer was unearthed at Godin Tepe in the Zagros mountains of Iran.
8. Scientists have confirmed there is a medically diagnosed fear for wine, known as Oenophobia. This fear can cause sufferers to experience extreme anxiety and irrational behaviour when wine and even wine bottles are nearby. Although it’s quite a rare fear, researchers believe that sufferers may have the worry of intoxication at the back of their mind, which then leads to illness. The bottom line is – drinking wine is perfectly fine, providing you do so in moderation.
9. Clinking glasses to good health is typically known as a ‘toast,’ but why is that? Well,the term originated in Ancient Rome when a piece of toasted bread was dropped into wine before it was drunk.
10. Being under the age of 21 and taking out the trash in Missouri could end up in disastrous consequences. In this US state, you can be charged for illegal possession of alcohol, without even being breathalysed when taking out empty alcohol bottles and cans in your rubbish bag,
11. According to experts, alcohol production was thought to have started over 12,000 years ago.
12. Did you know that the pressure in a champagne bottle is 90 PSI, which is three times more than your car tyre? It’s no wonder everyone holds their breath before a champagne bottle is opened!
13. British prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill is renowned for being one of the heaviest drinkers in the world. He would start the morning with a glass of whiskey, before moving onto brandy and finally, martinis in the late afternoon and into the early evening.
14. Research by scientists proves that the human body can instinctively produce alcohol 24/7.
15. The consumption of alcohol is forbidden in British parliament, except from one important occasion. The chancellor is permitted to have a single drink while he’s delivering his budget statement speech.
16. According to studies, the average British person spends a whopping £50,000 on alcohol in their life span.
17. Every single second in the UK, 247 pints of beer are consumed as well as 232 glasses of wine. So, if you’re at work while reading this, we apologise you’re missing out.
18. Back in the 18th century, Empress Catherine, I of Russia created a new law that banned women from getting drunk. If anyone was caught, it would result in punishment.
19. Back in 2017 in Maryland USA, a group of students consumed so much alcohol during a house party that the air inside of the house was recorded as positive on a breathalyser.
20. Back in 1912 during the sinking of the Titanic, the chief baker on the ship dosed himself in alcohol to withstand the freezing temperatures he would later be exposed to. Managing to stay alive for two hours in the icy Atlantic Ocean, he was later rescued and brought to safety.
21. Back in 2018, a £1 million bottle of vodka (recorded as the world’s most expensive) was stolen and found empty on a building site.
22. If you’re a vegan, you’ll be pleased to know that almost every brand of hard liquor (gin, vodka, whiskey and bourbon) is in fact, 100% vegan. So, you can drink to your heart’s content, without worrying about the ingredients. The only spirits to steer clear from are those which are cream-based, such as Baileys.
23. According to experts, alcohol consumption improves your ability to pick up and speak a foreign language. However, we must add that we cannot condone turning up to your next language session having consumed one too many…
24. It’s been proven by scientists that drinking alcohol can actually improve your creativity levels. It is thought to boost imagination by improving brain activity in the superior temporal gyrus, which is the section of the head located above the ear.
25. An alcohol-free bar opened in New Zealand (where’s the fun in that?) and closed just five weeks later due to lack of interest. However, those that did support the venture only turned up to drink water, after refusing to purchase drinks when they were expected to pay a steep $15 entry fee.
26. Before WW1 was announced back in 1914, the US navy banned the consumption of alcohol on ships. Before the law came into practice, a huge party was held with invited nationals from around the world, to consume what was left of the alcohol. What they never realised at that time, was that they would all become enemies just weeks later at the outbreak of WW1.
27. In some US states, the consumption of alcohol is still banned. This law is thought to date back to the prohibition centuries ago.
28. While you shouldn’t be giving your pet a swig of your alcoholic beverage, it can, in fact, save their life. In the event that an animal consumes antifreeze, a small amount of vodka can be used to counteract the internal damage.
29. Have you ever been so drunk, you just can’t remember what happened the night before? What you may never have known is that this blackout doesn’t mean that you’ve forgotten anything, it’s because your brain loses the ability to ‘record’ what happens next.
30. During the 1800s, children in America were taught some crazy myths about alcohol. They were told that if they had even one sip of alcohol, they could go blind, mad or deaf. They even went as far as informing them that if they ever drank a glass of alcohol, their bodies would combust and then set alight.
31. It’s easy to believe that everyone above the legal drinking age has had a sip of alcohol from time to time, but research has discovered that 48% of those in the legal drinking age bracket have stuck to sobriety.
32. Did you know that over their lifetime, the average British person will spend a year of their life hungover? Now, that’s a scary thought.
33. There is scientific research to suggest why people appear more attractive to you when you’re drunk. Apparently, being intoxicated causes the brain to lose its ability to recognise facial asymmetry.
34. Bees can get drunk as a result of fermented nectar, which means they’re often the victim of collisions while flying back to their hive. Even if they do make it back safe and sound, they are often disciplined by the other bees for being ‘drunk’ and gather round to bite its legs off.
35. It’s not usually the case that professional sportsmen are given the go-ahead to drink before a game. However, professional shooting is entirely different. Shooters are allowed a beverage or two as it keeps them calm and lowers their heart rate, which goes on to improve their performance.
36. The world’s longest hangover lasted one month exactly; when a man from Scotland consumed 60 pints of beer in one sitting. Imagine.
37. Regardless of how much alcohol they consume, between 25-30% of the population are resilient to hangover symptoms.
38. The world’s strongest beer is made by a German brewer named Georg Tscheuschmer. His beverage, named ‘Schorschbrau Schorsch Bock 43 is 43% ABV. This figure is stronger than the majority of distilled spirits you can legally purchase. If you’re interested in buying some, you’ll have to fork out 100 euros per bottle.
39. It only takes 6 minutes for the brain to react to alcohol. If you feel a little tipsy after just one beverage, it doesn’t mean you’re a lightweight. Researchers in Heidelberg claim that this is the amount of time for one drink to cause a reaction. If this is the case, your body has consumed the equivalent of three beers, so you’ll need to be careful about your alcohol intake from this point onwards.
40. According to research, people with blue eyes have a much higher alcohol intolerance than those with any other eye colour. Although it may be slightly unfair that your genes determine how much you should reasonably consume, it’s probably best you took note. Blue-eyed people are much more likely to develop an alcohol addiction.
41. Up until New Years Day in 2013, beer wasn’t considered an alcoholic beverage in Russia. It was sold in stores, kiosks and even railway stations, but the consumption of beer was very much abused. Under a new law by President Dmitry Medvedev, beer is now deemed an alcoholic beverage and has undergone a TV advertising ban.
42. 25% of Russian men die as a result of high consumption of vodka. A study carried out on 150,000 men discovered that premature death rates were a result of drinking too much of the spirit. In an autopsy, it was noted that most of the men had been getting through three bottles of the spirit each week.
43. Believe it or not, beer-flavour ice cream is actually a thing. It tastes extremely like a real beer, for the sole reason that it contains the stuff, so you’re sure to get tipsy. It’s easy to get carried away eating beer ice cream at the end of a long day, so we wouldn’t recommend it on a work night...
44. Beer-drinkers listen up! Australian scientists have now come up with a hangover-free beer! Nutrition researchers at Griffith University’s Health Institute combined electrolytes with two well-known beers, one regular beer and one light beer. It was found that the lighter beer was three times more hydrating than the regular option.
45. The creator of Budweiser Anheuser-Busch had a very strange tradition. As the world-famous beer company was passed down through the generations, it was a ritual that a few drops of their ‘King of Beers’ was placed on the newborn son’s tongue, before they had even had their mother’s breast milk.
1. So, you may have believed that alcohol is just…well, alcohol. However, there are different types. In common drinks such as wine, beer and spirits, the alcohol contained is ethanol. This type of alcohol is safe to drink, without causing serious harm to the body.
2. In Russia, medical professionals have a unique way of treating alcoholism. A small capsule is inserted into the skin, which is designed to cause a severe reaction when alcohol is consumed. Even after the tiniest sip of alcohol, the individual will experience serious side effects that can only be compared to symptoms of heroin withdrawal.
3. Beer lovers may not be surprised by this one, but according to research, it's actually the world’s most popular beverage alongside water and tea.
4. Although many people choose to drink alcohol to forget about their problems, it is actually a depressant and should really only be consumed in small quantities.
5. Vodka is the most popular beverage in Russia – for a very good reason. It’s one of the only drinks that can withstand extremely cold temperatures without freezing over. 80-proof vodka freezes at a temperature of -27 degrees Celsius.
6. The very last thing you would ever want to drink is vodka when you’re unwell, however, vodka was used for medicinal purposes centuries ago, before being accepted as a social drink.
7. Beer is the world’s oldest beverage and dates back 5000 years. The very first barley beer was unearthed at Godin Tepe in the Zagros mountains of Iran.
8. Scientists have confirmed there is a medically diagnosed fear for wine, known as Oenophobia. This fear can cause sufferers to experience extreme anxiety and irrational behaviour when wine and even wine bottles are nearby. Although it’s quite a rare fear, researchers believe that sufferers may have the worry of intoxication at the back of their mind, which then leads to illness. The bottom line is – drinking wine is perfectly fine, providing you do so in moderation.
9. Clinking glasses to good health is typically known as a ‘toast,’ but why is that? Well,the term originated in Ancient Rome when a piece of toasted bread was dropped into wine before it was drunk.
10. Being under the age of 21 and taking out the trash in Missouri could end up in disastrous consequences. In this US state, you can be charged for illegal possession of alcohol, without even being breathalysed when taking out empty alcohol bottles and cans in your rubbish bag,
11. According to experts, alcohol production was thought to have started over 12,000 years ago.
12. Did you know that the pressure in a champagne bottle is 90 PSI, which is three times more than your car tyre? It’s no wonder everyone holds their breath before a champagne bottle is opened!
13. British prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill is renowned for being one of the heaviest drinkers in the world. He would start the morning with a glass of whiskey, before moving onto brandy and finally, martinis in the late afternoon and into the early evening.
14. Research by scientists proves that the human body can instinctively produce alcohol 24/7.
15. The consumption of alcohol is forbidden in British parliament, except from one important occasion. The chancellor is permitted to have a single drink while he’s delivering his budget statement speech.
16. According to studies, the average British person spends a whopping £50,000 on alcohol in their life span.
17. Every single second in the UK, 247 pints of beer are consumed as well as 232 glasses of wine. So, if you’re at work while reading this, we apologise you’re missing out.
18. Back in the 18th century, Empress Catherine, I of Russia created a new law that banned women from getting drunk. If anyone was caught, it would result in punishment.
19. Back in 2017 in Maryland USA, a group of students consumed so much alcohol during a house party that the air inside of the house was recorded as positive on a breathalyser.
20. Back in 1912 during the sinking of the Titanic, the chief baker on the ship dosed himself in alcohol to withstand the freezing temperatures he would later be exposed to. Managing to stay alive for two hours in the icy Atlantic Ocean, he was later rescued and brought to safety.
21. Back in 2018, a £1 million bottle of vodka (recorded as the world’s most expensive) was stolen and found empty on a building site.
22. If you’re a vegan, you’ll be pleased to know that almost every brand of hard liquor (gin, vodka, whiskey and bourbon) is in fact, 100% vegan. So, you can drink to your heart’s content, without worrying about the ingredients. The only spirits to steer clear from are those which are cream-based, such as Baileys.
23. According to experts, alcohol consumption improves your ability to pick up and speak a foreign language. However, we must add that we cannot condone turning up to your next language session having consumed one too many…
24. It’s been proven by scientists that drinking alcohol can actually improve your creativity levels. It is thought to boost imagination by improving brain activity in the superior temporal gyrus, which is the section of the head located above the ear.
25. An alcohol-free bar opened in New Zealand (where’s the fun in that?) and closed just five weeks later due to lack of interest. However, those that did support the venture only turned up to drink water, after refusing to purchase drinks when they were expected to pay a steep $15 entry fee.
26. Before WW1 was announced back in 1914, the US navy banned the consumption of alcohol on ships. Before the law came into practice, a huge party was held with invited nationals from around the world, to consume what was left of the alcohol. What they never realised at that time, was that they would all become enemies just weeks later at the outbreak of WW1.
27. In some US states, the consumption of alcohol is still banned. This law is thought to date back to the prohibition centuries ago.
28. While you shouldn’t be giving your pet a swig of your alcoholic beverage, it can, in fact, save their life. In the event that an animal consumes antifreeze, a small amount of vodka can be used to counteract the internal damage.
29. Have you ever been so drunk, you just can’t remember what happened the night before? What you may never have known is that this blackout doesn’t mean that you’ve forgotten anything, it’s because your brain loses the ability to ‘record’ what happens next.
30. During the 1800s, children in America were taught some crazy myths about alcohol. They were told that if they had even one sip of alcohol, they could go blind, mad or deaf. They even went as far as informing them that if they ever drank a glass of alcohol, their bodies would combust and then set alight.
31. It’s easy to believe that everyone above the legal drinking age has had a sip of alcohol from time to time, but research has discovered that 48% of those in the legal drinking age bracket have stuck to sobriety.
32. Did you know that over their lifetime, the average British person will spend a year of their life hungover? Now, that’s a scary thought.
33. There is scientific research to suggest why people appear more attractive to you when you’re drunk. Apparently, being intoxicated causes the brain to lose its ability to recognise facial asymmetry.
34. Bees can get drunk as a result of fermented nectar, which means they’re often the victim of collisions while flying back to their hive. Even if they do make it back safe and sound, they are often disciplined by the other bees for being ‘drunk’ and gather round to bite its legs off.
35. It’s not usually the case that professional sportsmen are given the go-ahead to drink before a game. However, professional shooting is entirely different. Shooters are allowed a beverage or two as it keeps them calm and lowers their heart rate, which goes on to improve their performance.
36. The world’s longest hangover lasted one month exactly; when a man from Scotland consumed 60 pints of beer in one sitting. Imagine.
37. Regardless of how much alcohol they consume, between 25-30% of the population are resilient to hangover symptoms.
38. The world’s strongest beer is made by a German brewer named Georg Tscheuschmer. His beverage, named ‘Schorschbrau Schorsch Bock 43 is 43% ABV. This figure is stronger than the majority of distilled spirits you can legally purchase. If you’re interested in buying some, you’ll have to fork out 100 euros per bottle.
39. It only takes 6 minutes for the brain to react to alcohol. If you feel a little tipsy after just one beverage, it doesn’t mean you’re a lightweight. Researchers in Heidelberg claim that this is the amount of time for one drink to cause a reaction. If this is the case, your body has consumed the equivalent of three beers, so you’ll need to be careful about your alcohol intake from this point onwards.
40. According to research, people with blue eyes have a much higher alcohol intolerance than those with any other eye colour. Although it may be slightly unfair that your genes determine how much you should reasonably consume, it’s probably best you took note. Blue-eyed people are much more likely to develop an alcohol addiction.
41. Up until New Years Day in 2013, beer wasn’t considered an alcoholic beverage in Russia. It was sold in stores, kiosks and even railway stations, but the consumption of beer was very much abused. Under a new law by President Dmitry Medvedev, beer is now deemed an alcoholic beverage and has undergone a TV advertising ban.
42. 25% of Russian men die as a result of high consumption of vodka. A study carried out on 150,000 men discovered that premature death rates were a result of drinking too much of the spirit. In an autopsy, it was noted that most of the men had been getting through three bottles of the spirit each week.
43. Believe it or not, beer-flavour ice cream is actually a thing. It tastes extremely like a real beer, for the sole reason that it contains the stuff, so you’re sure to get tipsy. It’s easy to get carried away eating beer ice cream at the end of a long day, so we wouldn’t recommend it on a work night...
44. Beer-drinkers listen up! Australian scientists have now come up with a hangover-free beer! Nutrition researchers at Griffith University’s Health Institute combined electrolytes with two well-known beers, one regular beer and one light beer. It was found that the lighter beer was three times more hydrating than the regular option.
45. The creator of Budweiser Anheuser-Busch had a very strange tradition. As the world-famous beer company was passed down through the generations, it was a ritual that a few drops of their ‘King of Beers’ was placed on the newborn son’s tongue, before they had even had their mother’s breast milk.
