Overview
“Ethanol” is the name for the type of alcohol that goes into alcoholic beverages.
In the context of chemistry, “alcohol” refers to a group of compounds that contain a hydroxl group bound to a carbon atom. What we call “alcohol” in a casual context to refer to beverages is specifically ethanol. For the rest of this page, I’ll use “alcohol” in its chemical context and “ethanol” when referring to drinks.
Ethanol is a product of fermentation, a metabolic process that transfers electrons between organic molecules. When consumed by humans, it serves as a psychoactive depressant for the central nervous system (CNS). The liver and stomach are the primary organs that metabolize ethanol through enzymes that produce acetaldehyde as an intermediate, which is listed as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Many of the consequences associated with consuming beverages containing ethanol actually stem from an association with acetaldehyde. The so-called “Asian glow” or “Asian flush”, where people of East Asian descent seem to turn red quickly after drinking, can be attributed to genetic mutations that hamper the enzymes responsible for processing acetaldehyde while improving the process by which ethanol produces acetaldehyde.
The history of ethanol is an incredibly long and varied one, as almost every part of the world in almost every civilization that has existed has at some point experimented with ethanol. Because it can be produced as the result of naturally-occurring fermented fruits, even animals learn and adapt to the effects of alcohol. It has been observed being used as a sedative, anesthetic, antidote, and antiseptic aside from just a recreational substance. Since the early 20th century, ethanol has been explored as a fuel source.