When the weather gets frightful, nothing goes down better than a hot alcoholic beverage. For one, the hot liquid is warming. Second, the alcohol makes you feel warmer and helps you forget that you can’t go outside without putting on half of your closet. But heating alcohol does have an unfortunate side effect: It causes some of it to evaporate. With the goal ofconsumingthe alcohol, any evaporated alcohol is a small affront to the holiday season. But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture did a study in 2007 that nailed down the numbers with the magic of the scientific method. Preparation of hot alcoholic beverages is a dream job for some, and the daily grind for others. The lucky scientists, paid with America’s hard-earned tax dollars, tested how much alcohol was lost in four types of food preparation: no heat, alcohol in boiling liquid, flaming alcohol, and baked alcohol at various times.
Feel free to test out the percentages yourself in a less scientific way. It’s your prerogative. For the rest of us, here is the breakdown of how much alcohol your drink loses based on how you made it (we’re not sure who is baking their stirred alcoholic beverages, but the more you know the better, right?):
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| Preparation | Percent of alcohol that stays in the drink |
|---|
| Not heated, but stored open overnight | 70 |
| Stirred into a hot liquid | 85 |
| Flamed, like in a flaming shot | 75 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 15 minutes | 40 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 30 minutes | 35 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 1 hour | 25 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 1.5 hours | 20 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 2 hours | 10 |
| Stirred, baked, then simmered for 2.5 hours | 5 |
So go off and heat up those festive drinks. And if you’re worried about that lost 15 percent of alcohol, it’s the perfect excuse to add a little extra into your cup.
Published: December 20, 2016
FAQs
A study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Data lab confirmed this and added that food baked or simmered in alcohol for 15 minutes still retains 40 percent of the alcohol. After an hour of cooking, 25 percent of the alcohol remains, and even after two and a half hours there's still 5 percent of it.
How quickly does 40% alcohol evaporate? ›
Does alcohol lose its potency when heated? ›
A study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Data lab confirmed this and added that food baked or simmered in alcohol for 15 minutes still retains 40 percent of the alcohol. After an hour of cooking, 25 percent of the alcohol remains, and even after two and a half hours there's still 5 percent of it.
How hot does liquid have to be to burn off alcohol? ›
Its molecules will evaporate not just when alcohol reaches its boiling point, a chilly 173 degrees Fahrenheit compared to water's 212 degree Fahrenheit boiling point, but any time it is exposed to the air. Despite its ability to dissipate, “it's impossible to cook out all of the alcohol [in a dish],” says McGee.
Will alcohol evaporate out of my drink? ›
So, yes, alcohol does evaporate but the evaporated amount is negligible. The exact amount of evaporation depends on a number of different variables, including the following: Temperature – higher temperatures will increase the rate of evaporation—however, the presence of humidity can counterbalance this effect.
Does alcohol evaporate in hot drinks? ›
But heating alcohol does have an unfortunate side effect: It causes some of it to evaporate. With the goal of consuming the alcohol, any evaporated alcohol is a small affront to the holiday season.
How fast does 70% alcohol evaporate? ›
50% or 70% Isopropyl Rubbing alcohol evaporates in minutes (5-7 min) after disinfecting the surface. The Fumes are not hazardous, so you can safely use it repeatedly.
When you cook with beer, does the alcohol evaporate? ›
The science:
Alcohol does partially evaporate during cooking, but not as much as you might think. Depending on the cooking method and how much alcohol is used, anywhere from 4 to 85 percent of the alcohol may remain. After 15 minutes of cooking, about 40 percent of the alcohol remains.
Can kids eat vodka sauce? ›
Yes, a vodka pasta sauce should be safe for children, if cooked thoroughly. Traditional vodka sauce uses such a small amount of alcohol that it should evaporate out during cooking.
Does boiling wine remove alcohol? ›
It can take over 2 hours for most of the alcohol to evaporate out of wine if you're using boiling as a method. The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that even after 2 ½ hours of simmering at 185 degrees Fahrenheit, a burgundy wine still retained 4-6% of its ethanol content.
Water does help keep you hydrated so switching out alcoholic drinks with water is a great idea but water does not cancel out alcohol thus does not act as sobering agent.
Does alcohol really burn off when cooking? ›
Cooking always results in some, but not total loss of alcohol. The extent of loss depends on the severity of the heat application, or any other factor favoring evaporation. Cooking time had the greatest impact on alcohol retention. Flaming a dish results in much smaller losses of alcohol than cooking.
Is mulled wine still alcoholic? ›
The heat used in mulling encourages greater flavours from the citrus and the spices but also reduces the alcohol content, hence the common addition of a slug of spirit or liqueur just before serving.
How long does it take for 40% alcohol to wear off? ›
The half-life of alcohol is four to five hours. A half-life is how long it takes for your body to get rid of half of it. But you need about five half-lives to get rid of alcohol completely. So, it takes about 25 hours for your body to clear all the alcohol.
Does 40% alcohol go off? ›
That said, if you store hard liquor at moderate temperature away from direct light, it lasts indefinitely. At 30% to 40%, liquor is not a hospitable environment for bacteria. And if it's not opened, you'll deal with virtually no oxidation.
Can bacteria grow in 40 percent alcohol? ›
A laboratory study looked at the penetration of alcohol into groups of microorganisms in the mouth and its effect on killing microbes. Alcohol concentrations lower than 40% were found to be significantly weaker in affecting bacterial growth.
Can you clean with 40 alcohol? ›
Vodka and clear very high alcohol content liqueurs with very low sugar contents are great disinfectants. As such they are so great at disinfecting they can be used for household cleaning.
