The type of alcohol in the alcoholic drinks we drink is a chemical called ethanol.To make alcohol, you need to put grains, fruits or vegetables through a process called fermentation (when yeast or bacteria react with the sugars in food - the by-products are ethanol and carbon dioxide).

How is alcohol made?

Alcohol is formed when yeast ferments (breaks down without oxygen) the sugars in different food. For example, wine is made from the sugar in grapes, beer from the sugar in malted barley (a type of grain), cider from the sugar in apples, vodka from the sugar in potatoes, beets or other plants.

Can you make your own alcohol at home?

It's perfectly legal to own a still, and you can even use it, as long as you're not making alcohol – so, you can make essential oils without a permit, or perfume, or distilled water. ... According to federal law, making beverage alcohol at home is illegal, plain and simple.