For example, in Scotland barley is used to make whisky, in Japan rice is used to make saki, in Russia potatoes are used to make vodka and in France grapes are used to make wine.

Yeast, which is a fungus, makes alcohol by eating natural sugars found in these foodstuffs and changing it into ethanol (alcohol).

Carbon dioxide bubbles are also produced in this process. This can only occur if there is no air (oxygen O_²) present. The alcohol produced through this process can only reach a maximum of 14% alcohol by volume (ABV). This process is called ‘fermentation’.

Other ingredients are then added to make different types of alcohol. For example, water, malt and hops are added to make beer. To make stronger drinks like whisky, a ‘distillation’ process is used.

This means that the alcohol already fermented goes through another process that involves heating the ethanol and collecting the steam. This produces alcohol that has an ABV higher than 14%. For example spirits like vodka and rum can have an ABV of around 35 - 40%.