• Telodzrum@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      11 months ago

      It’s both, you’re mixing different phylogenies. Any alcohol prepared for consumption is a solution of water, ethanol, and various other substances (almost all water or alcohol soluble). Ethanol in aqueous solution is also a strong solvent (pure ethanol is a less effective solvent, but a solvent nonetheless).

    • Maoo [none/use name]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      11 months ago

      Alcohol refers to an alcoholic drink (like the martini held by this sophisticated cat). Water and ethanol (99% of these drinks) are miscible, so are always at least a solution with one another. The additional flavor compounds that make drinks different from one another tend to be in solution as well.

    • sik0fewl@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      11 months ago

      100% distillation of alcohol is impossible, so I guess it’s always a solution. But technically it’s not a solution. Spirits are a solution.

  • shundi82@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    11 months ago

    To quote a great man by the name of Schotty: “Alkohol ist keine Lösung! Alkohol ist eine Löse – das ist ein Riesen-Unterschied!”

    • chellomere@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      11 months ago

      There’s the joke in Swedish about alcohol being a lösningsmedel (solvent, but also something that solves problems). Won’t that also work in German but with Lösungsmittel?