The compound with the formula C₂H₅OH that is the alcohol in beer and wine is ethanol.
Ethanol is an organic compound and the type of alcohol produced when yeast ferments sugars. Its molecule contains two carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. It is also written as C₂H₆O, but C₂H₅OH highlights its hydroxyl group.
Ethanol is the intoxicating ingredient in alcoholic drinks. Beer, wine, and spirits contain different concentrations of it, while distilled spirits generally contain more because distillation concentrates ethanol after fermentation. Ethanol is also used as a solvent, fuel, disinfectant, and industrial chemical.
Ethanol should not be confused with methanol. Methanol is a different, highly toxic alcohol that can cause blindness or death if swallowed. Fuel ethanol and drinking alcohol are chemically the same compound, but fuel products may contain additives that make them unsuitable for consumption.