These days, the most popular drink groups tend to be beers, wines, and liquors. However, while it’s pretty easy to lump them all together as alcohol, each one has some key differences between them. This is especially true for liquor. Getting familiar with liquor types is something handy for all drinkers. That way, you’ll know how to make the most of it when you have some next…
Liquor Types & Differences
Alcohol content
The first part of understanding liquor types is knowing it’s alcohol content. Much like with other drinks, liquor has some variety depending on the type you have. For example, one shot of vodka might have anywhere from 35-46% ABV. In contrast, a shot of cask strength whiskey could have anywhere from 55-60% ABV.
However, despite these differences, pretty much all liquor will have more ABV than beers or wines. A serving of beer tends to have around 4-5% ABV. Even craft beers, which have a bit more alcohol in them, only tend to reach around 14% at the max. Wines, while a bit closer, still fall short by having around 18% ABV in their strongest variants.
Versatility
When it comes to your liquor types, it helps to know how you can use them. Liquors are popular because they can be used in many different types of mixed drinks. These drinks can add some nice variety to your drinking style. Plus, you can make them a bit healthier too when compared to other drink types.
Of course, there’s always the option to drink your liquor straight. However, many people tend to avoid doing this for a couple reasons. For starters, the “pure” taste might be off-putting. Shots can also encourage binge drinking, as drinkers try to quickly take multiple shots, which can quickly cause them to get too drunk.
Calorie count
When you’re indulging in different liquor types, it helps to know what you’re getting in your glass. Drinks commonly have what’s known as “empty” calories. These are calories that don’t offer your body any real nutritional value. Due to this, if you’re looking to cut calories from drinking, liquors might be a nice choice.
Depending on the liquor you chose, a serving might have around 65-95 calories. In comparison, beer can have about 155 calories, and wine around 125. Still, this number is only for when you drink them straight. Adding mixers can up that calorie count, as well as add a lot of additives like sugar. Lighter beers also tend to have lower calorie counts.