Biology · Microbes in Human Welfare · NEET
Wine is UNDISTILLED. NCERT clearly says wine and beer are produced without distillation. Only whisky, brandy and rum are distilled. This exact line is a favourite NEET one-liner.
Only two in NCERT: wine and beer. They are just fermented (yeast turns sugar into ethanol) and then bottled. No distillation step, so their alcohol content stays low.
Whisky, brandy and rum. After fermentation, the fermented broth is distilled (heated so ethanol boils off and is collected), which raises the alcohol content. Remember three: Whisky, Brandy, Rum.
Ethanol boils at a lower temperature than water. On heating the fermented broth, ethanol vapour comes out first and is collected. This concentrates the alcohol, so distilled drinks are much stronger than beer or wine.
No. The SAME yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast), ferments malted cereals and fruit juices for all of them. The difference is only the processing step (with or without distillation), not the microbe. This is a common trap.
NCERT says it depends on (1) the type of raw material used for fermentation and (2) the type of processing, meaning with or without distillation. Both factors together decide the final drink.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, called brewer's yeast. The same yeast is also used to make bread.
Wine and beer are the two undistilled drinks.
Whisky, brandy and rum are the three distilled drinks.
Malted cereals and fruit juices are fermented by yeast to produce ethanol.
The type of raw material used and the type of processing (with or without distillation).
