Drinking of alcoholic beverages is a prevalent and internationally recognizable custom across nearly all cultures, because drinking plays an important role in social interaction—mainly because of alcohol’s neurological effects. The market supplies different types of alcoholic beverages, varying in terms of alcohol content. Alcoholic beverages that include lower alcohol content (beer and wine) are produced by fermentation of sugar—or starch—which contains plant material; beverages of higher alcohol content (spirits) are produced by fermentation that is followed by distillation.

■Different Kinds of Alcoholic Beverages

An alcoholic beverage is a drink that includes ethanol (commonly called alcohol). Alcoholic beverages are classified into three general categories: beers, wines, and spirits.

Most spirits consist of 20-65 percent alcohol. Spirit is an alcoholic beverage that has been added flavor with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Spirits are typically quite sweet, which are usually consumed in small quantities after dinner.

China is one of the first countries to have invented alcoholic beverages. A large amount of pottery wine containers were discovered in Shandong at the ruins of the Dawenkou culture dating back more than 5??000 years, and recorded history discusses winemaking techniques of more than 4??000 years ago. China’s famous alcoholic beverages include Mao-tai, Wu Liangye, Jian Nanchun, etc.

Beer is alcoholic beverage that has the longest history and the largest consumption group in the world. It is also the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. The alcohol content of beer is usually around 4% to 6% by volume (abv.) although it may range from less than 1% abv. to over 20% abv. in rare cases. It is made by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly obtained from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used. Most beer is added flavor with hops, which increase bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavorings such as herbs or fruit may sometimes be contained. Beers are commonly classified into two main types—the globally popular pale lagers, and the regionally distinct ales, which are further divided into other varieties such as pale ale, stout and brown ale. Beer composes part of the culture of beer-drinking nations and is connected with social traditions and customs such as beer festivals, as well as a rich pub culture which involves activities like pub crawling and pub games such as bar billiards. When drinking beer, much of what we are tasting is actually felt through our sense of smell. To make you better experience the beer drinking, gently swirl the glass to release its smell. Sniff at the beer, then drink it in sips and let it wash over your tongue to get the full taste. Many people drink cold beer (0-1℃) for refreshment. However, you will notice the more subtle and complex flavors of the brew by enjoying a slightly warmer beer at temperature 4-5℃.

Red, white, and sparkling wines are the most popular, and are known as light wines because they only contain 10%-14% alcohol by volume. Wine is an alcoholic beverage that is usually made of fermented grape juice. The grapes have natural chemical balance so that they can ferment without adding sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is made by fermenting crushed grapes using different types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and transforms them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are employed according to the type of wine being produced. From the simple and traditional to the most sophisticated and complex, wine is a popular and essential beverage that accompanies and improves a variety of European and Mediterranean-style cuisines. Wine is important in cuisine not just because of its value as a beverage, but as a flavor agent, especially in stocks and braising, since its acidity contributes to rich aroma or sweet dishes. White and Rose wines are served slightly cold (around 50??.). It is better to drink it after one hour on the shelf of a refrigerator. They have a very pleasant fragrance, but if it were uncovered in the air for too long a time it would lose its freshness. Therefore, just open the bottle before serving. The perfect glass used for containing wine is long stemmed and tulip-shaped, with a bowl the size of an orange. It is clear and thin, without heavy decoration.

Champagne is a kind of sparkling wine produced by causing the in-bottle secondary fermentation of the wine to effect carbonation. It is produced entirely within the Champagne region of France, after which it was named. A bottle of champagne is usually uncovered by popping the cork. After champagne has been uncorked, it is proper to serve it after chilled to a temperature of between 45-50 degrees. This cold temperature will promote the carbonation of the champagne. Pour the chilled champagne into goblets for maximum effervescence, which will keep the bubbles trapped and make the bubbly effect last longer. That’s part of the fun of drinking champagne.

Brandy is a spirit made by distilling wine, which have first been produced by fermenting grapes. Generally the alcohol content of brandy is 36%-60% by volume and is usually taken as an after-dinner drink. While some brandies are left to get older in wooden casks, most are colored with caramel to mimic the effect of aging. The brandy is usually poured into a snifter (bowl-shaped glass). The drinker then carries the snifter for a short while, to warm it and release the aromas. Brandy can also be chilled and sipped from a snifter, which makes brandy thicker, smoother, and has less of a burning affect on the throat.

Whisky or whiskey is a type of strong spirits distilled from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, which include barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize (corn). Most whiskies are stored to get older in wooden casks, which are made generally of oak. Whisky obtains as much as 60% of its flavor from the type of cask used in its aging process. While some people like to drink whiskey by mixing it with Coke or ginger ale, take shots, or drink it on the rocks, the only way to truly appreciate it as a connoisseur is to drink it directly. You can drink as much or as little as you want, but it is better to pour about an ounce and a half of whisky in the glass, which is a good amount to start with. Another suggestion is to use ice in the whisky. Reducing the temperature of the whisky “freezes” the aroma and the smell, and makes your drink taste dull, flat and uneventful. As for the right glass to drink whisky, choices range from the classic, straight whisky tumbler to the specifically designed whisky glass, the shape of which is just like a sherry glass with a bellied body and narrowing towards the top.

A cocktail is a kind of mixed drink. Originally cocktail referred to a mixture of distilled spirits, sugar, water, and bitters, and later has gradually come to mean almost any mixed drink containing alcohol. A cocktail today usually consists of one or more types of liquor and one or more mixers, for example, bitters, fruit juice, fruit, soda, ice, sugar, honey, milk, cream, or herbs. Layered cocktails can never be stirred, as each layer will have a different taste. You can drink cocktails in bars. Some of the best cocktail bars in the world gather in London.

■Etiquette of Drinking Alcoholic Beverage

The manners of drinking alcohols as a diet culture had been developed into a set of etiquette that all should follow. Sometimes these rules were very complex and troublesome. However, violation of these rules is seen as the symbol of rebellion against the present rules on some important occasions. Some people preferred to over-drink, which resulted in their loss of self-control and making chaos. For this reason, to make the etiquette of drinking alcohols is much necessary. As an example, the host invites the guests to drink or serve the guests by pouring the alcohol into the guests’ cups was named “entertainment” at the feast in China, and that the guests reciprocate the host’s kindness and entertainment by serving the host drinking was called as “thanks”, the host or guests should make a short speech to show his good will when inviting others to drink; sometimes, one of guests could stand up to invite the rest at the dinner to have a drink one by one. The inviter and invitee should both stand from their seats when inviting others to drink. To invite others to drink was usually restricted to three cups. In tradition, drinking etiquette has three stages: pouring, toasting, and drinking-up.

◆ Pouring

Pouring alcohol can sometimes be an uncomfortable and awkward game of trying to avoid drips and drops that can get on your table or even your guests. In order to let your wine make the perfect entrance with these skills of the trade to make pouring a complete success, some tips are suggested here:

◇Take a firm hold of the alcohol bottle with clean dry hands to avoid the glass to slip and you to leave marks or smudges. Hold the bottle by the bottom and make the top aim at the center of the glass. For sparkling wines pouring on the side sometimes can retain the bubbles but always pour still wines in the middle.

◇Let the liquid pour slowly to prevent splashing the wine up into the glass or even on to yourself or the table. Fill the glass just above halfway, leaving enough space for your guests to smell and swirl the chosen wine.

◇When you are moving away from the glass to prevent drips, turn the bottle around. As you move around the table, remember to repeat this in between pouring every glass. According to how formal the dinner party is, you may choose to serve some guests before others according to their age or gender.

◇Put the bottle on a wine coaster or put mat to prevent staining the cloth with rings. You can also put white or sparkling wines in a chill container to keep them at a low temperature throughout the dinner. As you will have to fetch it constantly to refill glasses, avoid putting the bottle back in the refrigerator.

◆ Toasting

Paying a toast is a fabulous manner to offer tribute to someone special. That person may be your host at a dinner party, a guest in your home, or the guest of honor at a celebration. Grasping the steps to a proper toast will leave you free to concentrate on the entertaining, insightful and heartfelt words you’ll use to honor them.

◇Plan carefully what you will say and rehearse it before hand if you are asked in advance of an event to give a toast. Keep it brief and on subject—no more than one minute in length. Then memorize it. Keep it very simple if you are offering a toast on the spur of the moment.

◇Select ahead of time whether you will stand or sit to offer the toast. Because either is acceptable, choose what best accords with the situation. To remain seated at a dinner party of six makes sense, but if you’d prefer to create a more formal atmosphere do stand up. You’ll be more likely to get everyone’s attention and be heard by standing up at a reception for a large group.

◇Make sure everyone has a drink and that glasses are filled before beginning your toast. Ask friends to spread out let people know there will soon be a toast if a large group is assembled. Let them know so they can offer refills or set out champagne if there’s a wait staff. Everyone should have a glass to partake in the toast, but beverages need not be alcoholic.

◇Face the person you’re honoring. Look at her/him directly and begin speaking. Look around the room as you speak if your toast involves a story about her/him told to the rest of the group. As you finish your remarks, look the honoree in the eye, hold your glass up and say “To Sarah.” Then have a sip. The rest of the group should follow along.

◇If you are seated around a large table with a Lazy Susan in the middle, it is common for you to simply tap the edge of the Lazy Susan with your glass bottom when toasted to avoid the difficulty of having to stretch across a wide table to clink glasses.

◇It is essential during a dinner that you personally toast the person who is paying and deliver a few words of appreciation. If you don’t do this, people will be offended. The person who is paying will usually be the person who invited you out. However, if in question, watch closely and wait until the bill is paid, it is quite acceptable for you to then compliment that person.

◇If your drinking partner who comes to clink glasses with you is superior to you in some way (be in position in a company or age etc.), for you to clink her/his glass with the rim of yours below theirs is deemed polite. Be sure to also toast them each at least once if there are old people dining with you.

◇Chinese Huaquan is a rather complicate drinking game—try to seek out a patient Chinese friend to take you through the rules. However, the term is now applied as a sort of umbrella word for all drinking games.

◆ Drinking-up

Chinese usually “bottom up” or “ganbei” on all of their alcoholic beverages, such as cognac and grape wines. But in the Occident, wines and cognac are sipped slowly to enjoy their taste, aroma and texture.

◇There are two manners of drink-cheering in China, other than the “bottom up” to empty up the glass literally in a shot. The other is “gauge yourself” or “suiyi” which is to cheer your drink with a sip.It is essential for you to make clear at the start what the people you are drinking with mean by “ganbei”. The expression means literally “to empty the glass”. However, not everyone takes this literally and will often mean for you to take just a modest mouthful of whatever drinks you are consuming.

◇If you are required to dry the glass, you must slam the contents of the glass, and then indicate the other guests the glass is empty.

◇When you are drinking, it’s important to keep a steady pace. For alcohol to take its effect costs some time. You might feel good for another shot after a couple of minutes, but bear in mind that you probably haven’t felt its effects just yet.

◇Don’t be sunk into drinking more than you feel comfortable with. A Chinese friend may try to drink a lot more than he/she is capable to consume to avoiding losing face in front of you. Usually (and we place emphasis on this word) they will watch you closely to begin with to determine the pace you want to set.