• Telodzrum@lemmy.world
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      1 year 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
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      1 year 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
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      1 year 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
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    1 year 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
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      1 year 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?