Here's How Much Alcohol Evaporates Out of Hot Drinks (2024)

Here's How Much Alcohol Evaporates Out of Hot Drinks (1)

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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PreparationPercent of alcohol that stays in the drink
Not heated, but stored open overnight70
Stirred into a hot liquid85
Flamed, like in a flaming shot75
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 15 minutes40
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 30 minutes35
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 1 hour25
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 1.5 hours20
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 2 hours10
Stirred, baked, then simmered for 2.5 hours5

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

Here's How Much Alcohol Evaporates Out of Hot Drinks (2024)

FAQs

Here's How Much Alcohol Evaporates Out of Hot Drinks? ›

But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy

hot toddy
A hot toddy is a mixture of a spirit (usually whisky), hot water, and honey (or, in some recipes, sugar).
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › 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.

How hot does alcohol need to be to evaporate? ›

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.

How much does alcohol evaporate? ›

Does Alcohol Evaporate from Its Bottle? alcohol in a year's time. On average, bottles lose nearly 2 percent per year. likely lost 20 percent of its original alcohol content.

How long does it take for 40% alcohol to evaporate? ›

15 minutes

How much alcohol is cooked off? ›

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. Even after an hour of cooking, about 25 percent is left, and 10 percent remains after two hours.

How long does it take to burn off alcohol? ›

The most commonly used estimate is that alcohol burns at a rate of 1 gram per hour per 10 kilos of bodyweight. For example, an adult weighing 80 kilos would burn 8 grams of alcohol per hour, while an adult weighing 60 kilos would burn 6 grams of alcohol per hour.

How do you evaporate alcohol from a drink? ›

Temperature – higher temperatures will increase the rate of evaporation—however, the presence of humidity can counterbalance this effect. Time – the longer the wine is exposed to air, the more alcohol will evaporate. Surface area – a larger surface area will lead to quicker evaporation than a smaller one.

Does 70 percent alcohol evaporate? ›

70% isopropyl alcohol is widely used due to its effective disinfecting properties. It's commonly used in medical settings for sanitizing hands and cleaning equipment. In households, it's excellent for cleaning electronics, glass, and metal surfaces, as it doesn't leave streaks and evaporates quickly.

Does 99% alcohol evaporate? ›

What are the benefits of using 99% isopropyl alcohol? Besides its effectiveness as a disinfectant – which is one of the key benefits for many, 99% IPA evaporates quickly and cleanly, leaving behind no significant or notable residues.

Will alcohol cook off in a slow cooker? ›

Raw alcohol will evaporate at 78 C, importantly even with conventional cooking techniques, not all the alcohol will burn off. When using a slow cooker the internal temperature may only just get to this important temperature, and because of the lid any alcohol that does evaporate will return back into the cooker.

What temperature does whiskey evaporate at? ›

It's true that alcohol boils at a much lower temperature than water (173 degrees Fahrenheit compared with 212 degrees Fahrenheit), so in a sauce, for example, the alcohol will begin to evaporate before the water does.

Does vodka evaporate at room temperature? ›

Room temperature is fine, while slightly cooler (like a cellar) could be more optimal. Definitely avoid direct sunlight as this will speed up the evaporation and reduce shelf life.

Can alcohol evaporate in an opened bottle? ›

Once the bottle has been opened, the liquid is, of course, exposed to oxygen. If that exposure continues, a slow process of evaporation begins. Have you ever seen a vintage bottle of whiskey with a noticeably lower fill line than usual? If so, you've seen firsthand the effects of evaporation.

How long does it take to cook off alcohol in a sauce? ›

It usually takes around 2 to 3 hours for the alcohol to evaporate completely when added to a dish that is cooking on a low heat. When cooking at high heat, e.g. frying or sautéing, it can take as little as 30 seconds for the alcohol to evaporate.

How quickly does alcohol evaporate? ›

The longer you cook, the more alcohol cooks out, but you have to cook food for about 3 hours to fully erase all traces of alcohol. 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.

What temperature does alcohol evaporate? ›

I see charts tracking how much alcohol boils off when it is hearted to its boiling temperature of 173F, which shows 60% is evaporated after only about 15 minutes.

Can kids eat vodka sauce? ›

We reached out to a few experts to find out if we'd be better off fixing a simple tomato sauce on the side for the kids, or if vodka sauce is OK for the littles when consumed in moderation. The general consensus was that a vodka pasta sauce should be safe for children, if cooked thoroughly.

Will a sip of alcohol show up in a urine test? ›

Urine tests can determine whether you have consumed alcohol within the last 24 hours. Alcohol has a relatively short life span in the body, but a urine test can detect alcohol long after its effects wear off. Urine tests can accurately detect ethanol and its byproducts 12 to 24 hours after you have a drink.

How fast can your body get rid of alcohol? ›

Blood: Alcohol is eliminated from the bloodstream at about 0.015 per hour. Alcohol can show up in a blood test for up to 12 hours. Urine: Alcohol can be detected in urine for up 3 to 5 days via the ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test or 10 to 12 hours via the traditional method.

How much alcohol is in 1 tsp of vanilla extract? ›

The amount of alcohol in pure vanilla extract varies by brand. Some contain as much as 35% alcohol by volume (ABV), which is equivalent to 70-proof vodka. However, a teaspoon of that vanilla extract has very little alcohol, somewhere closer to 1%.

Can Muslims eat food cooked with alcohol? ›

Halal consumers should simply not cook with alcohol. In addition, for multiple reasons, it's not advised for Muslims to bring alcohol into their homes for cooking. When eating in restaurants, Halal consumers are advised to ask if the food contains alcohol and to avoid it.

Does alcohol evaporate in hot coffee? ›

The trick with using alcohol in a hot drink is to recognize the simple physics of evaporation: turn up the temperature, and the alcohol evaporates faster. It's a misunderstanding that you're losing alcohol content with the increase in temperature — even igniting the booze only reduces the alcohol by 20%-30%.

Does rubbing alcohol evaporate at room temperature? ›

The molecules of isopropyl alcohol don't stick together as strongly at room temperature as water molecules do, which means the alcohol evaporates more quickly than water does. More molecules fly off, and they carry more heat energy with them.

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