ABSTRACT
The colossal diversity of raw material inputs used in the production of the three specific categories of alcoholic beverages — wine, beer and distilled spirits — spans practically the entire spectrum of fruits and vegetables. Earliest historical records indicate that wine and beer were the first alcoholic beverages to be invented. Classification of different wines is based on the grape’s varietal or species characteristics, including flavours, colour and chemical composition, and on processing methods. It would appear that beer was the second alcoholic beverage to make its debut on the historic stage. Like wine, beer can be fabricated from a variety of raw materials: millet, maize, sorghum, barley, wheat, rice, etc. Stemming from their relative technical complexity, distilled spirits were invented independently and in several countries very much later than wine and beer. Alcohol is then recondensed into a liquid of enhanced potency.
