Last Updated on April 21, 2024 by Ryan
A beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption, serving not only to quench thirst but also holding significant cultural significance. Common types of beverages encompass plain drinking water, milk, juices, smoothies, and soft drinks. Traditionally, warm beverages like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are enjoyed, often containing the stimulant caffeine, with a rich historical legacy.
Furthermore, alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, and spirits, which contain the psychoactive substance ethanol, have been integral to human culture for over 8,000 years. Non-alcoholic beverages typically mimic alcoholic ones, like non-alcoholic beer, wine, and mocktails, but contain a minimal alcohol content. This category includes drinks that have undergone an alcohol removal process, such as non-alcoholic beers and de-alcoholized wines.
Biology
When the human body becomes dehydrated, an individual experiences a sensation of thirst. This natural urge to consume fluids is regulated by the hypothalamus, responding to subtle shifts in the body’s electrolyte levels and alterations in blood volume. Deprivation of fluids, particularly water, can lead to a quicker demise than the absence of any other substance except oxygen, highlighting the vital role of water in sustaining life. However, it’s worth noting that water has also been a carrier of various diseases throughout history.
As human societies progressed, they uncovered techniques to craft alcoholic beverages using locally available plants. The earliest archaeological evidence of wine production dates back to around 6000 BCE in Georgia and 5000 BCE in Iran. Beer, possibly known in Neolithic Europe as early as 3000 BCE, was primarily brewed on a domestic scale. Some argue that the invention of beer (and bread) played a pivotal role in humanity’s technological development and the construction of civilizations. Tea is believed to have originated in Yunnan, China, during the Shang Dynasty (1500 BCE–1046 BCE) as a medicinal beverage.
History
Socializing and the act of drinking have been intertwined throughout the centuries. In Ancient Greece, gatherings centered around imbibing were referred to as symposia, featuring diluted wine as the beverage of choice. These symposia served a wide range of purposes, from profound discussions to sheer revelry. In Ancient Rome, a similar custom known as a convivium was a frequent occurrence.
In various early societies, alcohol was regarded as a divine gift, giving rise to deities like Dionysus. Conversely, some religions either prohibit, discourage, or regulate the consumption of alcoholic beverages for diverse reasons. In certain regions where a particular religion holds sway, the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol may be prohibited for all, irrespective of their faith.
Toasting, a practice in which a drink is raised to honor someone or convey good wishes, is a well-established tradition. Another custom is that of the loving cup, where at events like weddings or sports victories, a group shares a beverage from a communal vessel until it’s empty.
In East Africa and Yemen, coffee played a role in indigenous religious ceremonies. However, these rituals clashed with the Christian church’s beliefs, leading to the Ethiopian Church banning secular coffee consumption until the reign of Emperor Menelik II. Additionally, during the 17th century, Ottoman Turkey banned the drink for political reasons, as it became associated with rebellious political activities in Europe.
Drinks are liquids that can be consumed. In addition to basic needs, drinks form part of the culture of human society. In a commercial setting, drinks, other than water, may be termed beverages.
Alcoholic
Alcoholic drink – An alcoholic drink is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of an alcohol includes many other compounds. Alcoholic drinks, such as wine, beer, and liquor have been part of human culture and development for 8,000 years. Many brands of alcoholic drinks are produced worldwide.
List of alcoholic drinks
Beer
Beer – beer is produced by the saccharification of starch and fermentation of the resulting sugar. The starch and saccharification enzymes are often derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat. Most beer is also flavoured with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative, though other flavourings such as herbs or fruit may occasionally be included. The preparation of beer is called brewing.
List of beer By country
- Beer and breweries by region
- Beer classification in Sweden and Finland
- List of beer organisations
- List of countries by beer consumption per capita
- Beer in Armenia
- Beer in Australia
- Beer in Austria
- Beer in Belgium
- Beer in Canada
- Beer in Azerbaijan
- Beer in Belarus
- Beer in Brazil
- Beer in Bulgaria
- Beer in Cape Verde
- Beer in Chile
- Beer in China
- Beer in Colombia
- Beer in Croatia
- Beer in Denmark
- Beer in England
- Beer in Finland
- Beer in France
- Beer in Germany
- Beer in Greece
- Beer in Hong Kong
- Beer in Hungary
- Beer in Iceland
- Beer in India
- Beer in Iran
- Beer in Ireland
- Beer in Israel
- Beer in Italy
- Beer in Japan
- Beer in Kazakhstan
- Beer in Kenya
- Beer in Mexico
- Beer in Morocco
- Beer in New Zealand
- Beer in North Korea
- Beer in Norway
- Beer in Poland
- Beer in Portugal
- Beer in Romania
- Beer in Russia
- Beer in Scotland
- Beer in Serbia
- Beer in Singapore
- Beer in Slovakia
- Beer in Slovenia
- Beer in South Africa
- Beer in South Korea
- Beer in Sweden
- Beer in Syria
- Beer in Taiwan
- Beer in Thailand
- Beer in the Caribbean
- Beer in the Czech Republic
- Beer in the Netherlands
- Beer in the Philippines
- Beer in the United Kingdom
- Beer in Tibet
- Beer in Turkey
- Beer in Ukraine
- Beer in Venezuela
- Beer in Vietnam
- Beer in Wales
- Beer in the United States
- List of breweries in the United States
- Beer in Ukraine
- Cider
Cider
Cider – cider is a fermented alcoholic drink made from apple juice. Cider alcohol content varies from 1.2% ABV to 8.5% or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, cider may be called “apple wine”.
Distilled (liquor)
A display of spirits in a supermarket
Distilled drinks – also known as liquor and spirits, a distilled drink is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of a mixture produced from alcoholic fermentation, such as wine. This process purifies it and removes diluting components like water, for the purpose of increasing its proportion of alcohol content (commonly known as alcohol by volume, ABV). As distilled drinks contain more alcohol they are considered “harder” – in North America, the term hard liquor is used to distinguish distilled drinks from undistilled ones, which are implicitly weaker.
List of gin brands
List of liqueurs
List of rum brands
List of tequilas
List of vodkas
List of whisky brands
Cocktails
Cocktails – a cocktail refers to any kind of alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients. As generally understood today, a cocktail requires at least one alcoholic component—typically a distilled spirit, although beer and wine are permissible—and one sweet component; it may also contain a souring or bittering ingredient.
List of cocktails
Beer cocktail
Cocktails with cachaça
Highball
List of duo and trio cocktails
List of flaming beverages
List of martini variations
Well drink
Wine cocktail
Hard soda
Hard soda also known as Alcopop is a type of alcoholic drink that is manufactured in the style of a soft drink.
Wine
Wine – wine is an alcoholic drink made from fermented grapes or other fruits. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients. Yeast consumes the sugars in the grapes and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different styles of wine. The well-known variations result from the very complex interactions between the biochemical development of the fruit, reactions involved in fermentation, terroir and subsequent appellation, along with human intervention in the overall process.
List of wine cocktails
List of wine-producing regions
Outline of wine
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Barley
Barley-based drinks – Barley is a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain. It was one of the first cultivated grains and is now grown widely. Barley is used in various drinks and as a source of fermentable material for beer and certain distilled drinks. In a 2007 ranking of cereal crops in the world, barley was fourth both in terms of quantity produced (136 million tons) and in area of cultivation (566,000 square kilometres or 219,000 square miles).
Hot drinks
List of hot drinks
Mixed drinks
Mixed drinks: a non-alcoholic Shirley Temple (left) and alcoholic Cosmopolitan (right)
Mixed drinks – a mixed drink is a drink in which two or more ingredients are mixed. Some mixed drinks contain liquor while others are non-alcoholic.
Non-alcoholic
Non-alcoholic drinks – The term non-alcoholic drinks often signifies drinks that would normally contain alcohol, such as beer and wine but are made with less than .5 percent alcohol by volume. The category includes drinks that have undergone an alcohol removal process such as non-alcoholic beers and de-alcoholized wines.
Zero-proof cocktails
Non-alcoholic cocktails or ‘mocktails’ – a nonalcoholic drink consisting of a mixture of fruit juices or other soft drinks. Most are 0.0% percent alcohol by volume. The drinks are a popular choice for people who are not drinking alcohol in social settings but would like an elevated drink choice.
Caffeinated
Espresso brewing, with a dark reddish-brown foam, called crema
Caffeinated drinks – a caffeinated drink is a drink which contains caffeine, a stimulant which is legal and popular in most developed countries.
Chocolate
Chocolate drinks – chocolate is a processed, typically sweetened food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Its earliest documented use is by the Olmecs of south central Mexico around 1100 BC. The majority of Mesoamerican people made chocolate drinks, including the Mayans and Aztecs, who made it into a drink known as xocolātl , a Nahuatl word meaning “bitter water”.
Historical
Plant-based
Barley
Maize
Rice
Soft drinks
Soft drinks – a soft drink is a drink that typically contains water (often, but not always, carbonated water), usually a sweetener and usually a flavoring agent. The sweetener may be sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, sugar substitutes (in the case of diet drinks) or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives and other ingredients.
Craft soda
List of brand name soft drink products
List of soft drink flavors
List of soft drink producers
By country
List of soft drinks by country
By temperature
Cold drinks
Hot drinks
List of famous drinks:
Certainly, here is a list of some famous drinks from around the world:
- Coca-Cola: A popular carbonated soft drink known for its unique flavor.
- Espresso: A concentrated coffee beverage, originating in Italy, made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans.
- Margarita: A classic tequila-based cocktail with lime juice and orange liqueur, often served with a salted rim.
- Mojito: A Cuban cocktail made with white rum, lime juice, mint leaves, sugar, and soda water.
- Champagne: A sparkling wine associated with celebrations and luxury, often used for toasting.
- Pina Colada: A tropical cocktail containing rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice.
- Mai Tai: A tiki cocktail featuring rum, lime juice, orgeat syrup, and orange liqueur.
- Irish Coffee: A warming drink made with hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, and topped with whipped cream.
- Sake: A Japanese rice wine with a wide range of flavors and styles.
- Scotch Whisky: A renowned whisky from Scotland, known for its various regions and unique characteristics.
- Gin and Tonic: A popular cocktail made with gin, tonic water, and a garnish like lime or lemon.
- Tequila Sunrise: A vibrant cocktail with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine, creating a sunrise-like appearance.
- Pisco Sour: A South American cocktail featuring pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white.
- Hot Chocolate: A comforting beverage made from melted chocolate or cocoa powder mixed with milk or water.
- Bloody Mary: A spicy cocktail typically made with vodka, tomato juice, and various spices and flavorings.
- Green Tea: A popular and healthy beverage made from steeped green tea leaves.
- Moscow Mule: A cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, often served in a copper mug.
- Pimm’s Cup: A refreshing British summer cocktail made with Pimm’s No. 1 and a variety of fruits and herbs.
- Piña Colada: A tropical drink featuring rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice.
- Ginger Ale: A non-alcoholic carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger.
- Boba Tea:
These are just a few examples of famous drinks enjoyed around the world, each with its own distinct taste and cultural significance.
Brands and companies
Drink brands and companies exist worldwide. The drink industry refers to the industry that produces drinks. Drink production can vary greatly depending on the type of drink being produced. Innovations in the drinks industry, catalyzed by requests for non-alcoholic drinks, include: drinks plants, drinks processing, and drinks packing. Ready to drink packaged drinks are those sold in a prepared form, ready for consumption.
Meet Kourtney, a fashion and beauty enthusiast who tells stories through style. To her, clothing is a language, and every accessory adds punctuation to her narrative. Kourtney explores vintage fashion markets on weekends, blending classic with contemporary to create a signature style that reflects her vibrant personality. Beyond aesthetics, she's a passionate advocate for body positivity and inclusivity in fashion, celebrating diversity to ensure everyone feels seen and embraced.
