Types of beverages - alcoholic and non-alcoholic

What is beverage and how it is classified?

The beverage is any potable liquid other than water. intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst,


The beverage is a drink artificially prepared and of an agreeable flavor. The word “Beverage” has been derived from the Latin word “bever”


Beverages play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks including plain drinking water, milk, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, and soft drinks.

Classification of beverages

Beverages may be further classified into two

1. Alcoholic beverage
2. Non-alcoholic beverage

1. Alcoholic beverage

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, a type of alcohol produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. commonly-known as alcohol. Ethanol is a psychoactive drug, with a depressant effect.


Alcohol has been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world, as a component of the standard diet, for hygienic or medical reasons, for its relaxant and euphoric effects, for recreational purposes, for artistic inspiration, as aphrodisiacs, and for other reasons.


Alcoholic beverages can be addictive and the state of addiction to ethanol is known as alcoholism.




Alcoholic beverages can be classified as

• Fermented
• Distilled

Fermented Alcoholic Beverages :

In the fermentation process, certain yeasts decompose sugars, in the feedstock in the absence of oxygen, to form alcohol and carbon dioxide; a method for the production of ethanol, wine, and beer. Low alcohol content drinks are produced by fermentation of sugar or starch-containing products, and high-alcohol ones are produced by distillation of these low alcohol products.
Examples of fermented beverages are

• wine
• beer
• cider
• perry

Distilled Alcoholic beverages (Spirits): 

These are unsweetened, distilled, alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABV. Spirits are produced by the distillation of a fermented base product. Distilling concentrates the alcohol and eliminates some of the congeners. 

Examples of spirits are:

• Rum,
• Brandy,
• Whisky
• Gin
• Vodka

2.Non-alcoholic beverage

An alcohol-free or non-alcoholic drink, also known as a temperance drink, is a version of an alcoholic drink made without alcohol, or with the alcohol removed or reduced to almost zero. These may take the form of a non-alcoholic mixed drink (a "virgin drink"), non-alcoholic beer ("near beer"), and "mocktails", and are widely available where alcoholic drinks are sold.

A non-alcoholic drink is one that contains little or no alcohol. This category includes low-alcohol beer, non-alcoholic wine, and apple cider if they contain a sufficiently low concentration of alcohol by volume (ABV).

The term "soft drink" specifies the absence of alcohol in contrast to "hard drink" and "drink". The term "drink" is theoretically neutral but often is used in a way that suggests alcoholic content. Drinks such as soda pop, sparkling water, iced tea, lemonade, root beer, fruit punch, milk, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, milkshakes, and tap water and energy drinks are all soft drinks.

Some examples are:

• Mocktails
• Aerated drinks 
• Spring water/ Mineral water 
• Squash 
• Juices 
• Syrup 
• Tea
• Coffee