Beverages

An alcoholic beverage is a drink that contains ethanol (commonly called alcohol). Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits.Most nations have laws which regulate the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. In particular, laws specify the minimum age at which a person may legally buy them or drink them. This minimum age ranges from 15 years in Denmark, to 16 years for buying beer and wine in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria, and Switzerland — to 25 years in India.
In Germany, 14-year-old persons may drink low-alcohol beverages if their parents are present. Alcoholic beverages are a part of most European cultures, and children in these cultures may occasionally drink alcohol during meals with their family.
The production and consumption of alcohol occurs in most cultures of the world, from hunter-gatherer peoples to nation-states. Alcoholic beverages may be an important part of social events in these cultures. In many cultures, drinking plays a significant role in social interaction — mainly because of alcohol’s neurological effects.
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect. A high blood alcohol content is usually considered to be legal drunkenness because it reduces attention and slows reaction speed. Alcoholic beverages can be addictive, and the state of addiction to alcohol is known as alcoholism.