Answers.Body: <p>At the time of writing this the strongest beer in circulation is a scottish made larger/pilsner <a href="http://coolmaterial.com/home/brewmeister-snake-venom-the-worlds-strongest-beer/" rel="noreferrer">Snake Venom By Brewmeister</a>, this beer is 67.5% ABV. and is strongly recommended that you only drink small amounts in a sitting, buying a bottle(275ml) of this would set you back a <a href="http://www.drinksupermarket.com/brewmeister-snake-venom-275ml-bottle" rel="noreferrer">£54.99</a> </p>
  
  <p>Other than this beer there was <em>Koelschip Mistery Of Beer - Brouwerij het Koelschip</em> that was 70% ABV but as I'm aware is no longer in circulation and has had production stopped as the brewery shut down </p>
  
  <p>As far as <strong><em>all</em></strong> alcohol goes the strongest spirit is <a href="http://www.theliquorbarn.com/polmos-spirytus-rektyfikowany-192-proof" rel="noreferrer">spirytus rektyfikowany</a> which is a 96% Vodka. The cheapest you will find this is a small bottle(10cl) and  this will cost <a href="https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/28833/spirytus-rektyfikowany-96-polmos-small-bottle" rel="noreferrer">£7.95</a> It is is strongly recommended to not drink this neat as it would be damaging </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T19:24:14.647Z
Answers.Text: I believe the upper limit for yeast fermentation is somewhere around 25-30%.  Do they get all the way to 67.5% by ice removal or is there some distillation involved too?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Digital Trauma
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T20:50:46.660Z
Answers.Text: Yea freeze distillation is how they get the high percentage
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jamie Eltringham
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T13:14:00.977Z
Answers.Text: In my opinion, anything that has been freeze distilled is no longer beer. I don't know what it _is_ but it sure as heck ain't beer!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jack Aidley
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T13:50:44.970Z
Answers.Text: @JackAidley I have tried snake venom and it sure does taste like a beer
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jamie Eltringham
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T13:57:30.297Z
Answers.Text: @JamieEltringham: I have not had Snake Venom but I have had Brewdog's  Sink The Bismarck. It did not taste like beer :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jack Aidley
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T13:59:18.020Z
Answers.Text: @JackAidley I too have tried Sink The Bismarck and I agree :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jamie Eltringham
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T15:57:16.287Z
Answers.Text: Above ~8% it becomes "Barley wine". Then after ~15% I don't know what.
Answers.UserDisplayName: OrangeDog
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T15:35:25.817Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-21T15:41:54.537Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-02-21T15:41:54.537Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jamie Eltringham
Answers.Body: <p>Indirect answer  </p>
  
  <p>95% or 190 proof is an upper end for distilled alcohol    </p>
  
  <p>Water and ethanol form an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeotrope" rel="noreferrer">azeotrop</a> at that mixture so you can not get more than 95% ethanol with fractional distillation. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T19:20:55.920Z
Answers.Text: The next step is [to use sticky rice as a adsorptant](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288157359_Design_of_adsorptive_distillation_for_separation_of_ethanol-water_azeotropic_mixture_using_bio-based_adsorbents) to get you to 99.9% ethanol purity :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Digital Trauma
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:51:16.623Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-21T22:52:36.003Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-02-21T22:52:36.003Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: paparazzo
Answers.Body: <p><strong>Spirytus Rektyfikowany</strong></p>
  
  <p>The purity of rectified spirit has a practical limit of 95.6% ABV; this hard to pronounce Polish Vodka is a murderous 96% ABV.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hb2ON.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hb2ON.jpg" alt="Spirytus Rektyfikowany"></a></p>
  
  <p>Here are the <a href="https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/28833/spirytus-rektyfikowany-96-polmos-small-bottle" rel="nofollow noreferrer">details</a> on the bottle:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>A 10cl bottle of rectified spirit from Poland bottled at the extreme ABV of 96%. This is often used as a base for liqueurs and other infusions, 
    and we highly recommend that it is never drunk neat.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>From <a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/warning-over-deadly-spirits/news-story/dc0551387398300ea4103267466fdb8e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Australia's "Courier Mail"</a>:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>National Alliance for Action on Alcohol co-chairman Professor Mike Daube said it was "amazingly irresponsible'' for stores to sell the liquor, which had the potential to cause serious damage to drinkers or even kill them.</p>
    
    <p>Prof Daube said the extreme nature of the product could appeal to young binge > drinkers, and putting the product next to normal spirits could endanger people
    who did not read the label properly.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T06:10:40.253Z
Answers.Text: It would be a self limiting exercise for 'young binge drinkers' !
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T13:21:36.500Z
Answers.Text: Of course, Polish people don't drink it raw, they mix it beforehand… With breakfast cereals.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Gras Double
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T05:48:26.197Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-23T14:22:02.760Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-02-23T14:22:02.760Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Kaka Singh
Answers.Body: <p>For myself, I have found that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)" rel="noreferrer">Everclear</a> is the strongest spirits I have ever bought at 190 proof. Although it is too strong for myself to drink by itself, it makes excellent mixes. Some people have use it to extract the medicinal properties out of plants because of its' strength. It also comes in 150(1) proof bottles too.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KjPmw.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KjPmw.jpg" alt="A bottle of 190-proof Everclear"></a></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)" rel="noreferrer">A bottle of 190-proof Everclear</a></p>
  
  <p>The lower proof Everclear is much easier to find and is quite common in the USA.</p>
  
  <p>The 190 proof (95% ABV) is sold at <a href="http://www.bevmo.com/catalog/product/view/id/12001" rel="noreferrer">Bevmo</a>, depending on your state.</p>
  
  <p>For more information see the <a href="http://www.theliquorbarn.com/everclear-grain-alcohol-190-proof-750ml/" rel="noreferrer">Liquor Barn</a>.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T06:07:19.293Z
Answers.Text: Brilliant!  'I only bought this to get the medicinal properties out of plants' - whilst standing sideways at the checkout with a trolley load of the stuff.  Thanks for this answer.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T15:47:34.450Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-21T15:47:34.450Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ken Graham
Answers.Body: <p>For those who wish to drink something from Bolivia, there is Cocoroco which is an alcoholic beverage notable for its extremely high alcohol content by volume, 96%.  (ABV).</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Cocoroco is sold as "potable alcohol", most often in tin cans. Like rum, cocoroco is made from sugar cane. - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoroco" rel="noreferrer">Cocoroco (Wikipedia)</a></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sVAuI.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sVAuI.jpg" alt="Cocoroco can"></a></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoroco" rel="noreferrer">Cocoroco can</a></p>
  
  <p>The following article may be of some all around interest: <a href="http://www.top10hq.com/top-10-strongest-alcoholic-drinks/" rel="noreferrer">Top 10 Strongest Alcoholic Drinks in the World.</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T04:50:04.120Z
Answers.Text: Wow, the hangover just keeps on getting worse and worse!
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T07:15:27.700Z
Answers.Text: The link to the top ten is great - I am marking this as the best answer as it goes above and beyond answering my question - thank you.
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T13:24:20.583Z
Answers.Text: It even attacks the can…
Answers.UserDisplayName: Gras Double
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T16:49:10.550Z
Answers.Text: Also highly flammable.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jeremy French
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T19:52:45.097Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-22T19:52:45.097Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ken Graham
Answers.Body: <p>I know you are looking for "normal outlets", but for those who are interested, the world record holder for a while was Estonian Spirit aka Eesti Piiritus at 96.6%.  You can still find some for sale at auctions.  I brought a few bottles back when you could still buy it and foolishly did a shot of it.  Never trying that again!</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0whvc.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0whvc.jpg" alt="Estonian Spirit"></a></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/fWE4a.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/fWE4a.jpg" alt="Estonian Spirit"></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-24T05:00:01.857Z
Answers.Text: And still the hangover continues?
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-24T04:44:52.030Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-24T04:44:52.030Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Randar Puust
Answers.Body: <p><a href="https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/163/hapsburg-premium-reserve-absinthe-gold-label" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hapsburg Premium Reserve Absinthe</a> has 89.9% ABV  </p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/W1SY2.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/W1SY2.jpg" alt="Hapsburg Premium Reserve Absinthe"></a></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The strongest absinthe on the UK market. Serve well diluted for your own safety and keep well away from naked flames. The term premium reserve refers to the high strength, with original being the 'weakest' (though still 72.5%) and super deluxe being in the middle. </p>
    
    <p>Please note this is a high-strength product and we recommend not drinking neat – please enjoy diluted or with a mixer of your choice. </p>
  </blockquote>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:36:59.977Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-04-14T14:54:44.693Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-04-14T14:54:44.693Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: woliveirajr
Answers.Body: <p><strong>Strongest alcohol</strong></p>
  
  <p>Spirytus rektyfikowant (96% alcohol)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-04T16:59:36.917Z
Answers.Text: Welcome! :) Your catching down-votes here due to the brevity of the answer (and the fact that someone else already mentioned it...) Maybe fluff the answer with more info on the drink or some of your own experience with it?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tim Burnett - Bassist
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T13:11:35.543Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-23T13:11:35.543Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dishant Rajput
Answers.Body: <p>Try "Kehlenschneider". It's a Chili liquor with 80% alc and 400,000 to 800,000 scoville. Remember, tabasco has only 3,000 scoville.
  <a href="http://www.kehlenschneider.de" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kehlenschneider</a></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/nqrfU.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/nqrfU.jpg" alt="Chillischnaps"></a></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://www.kehlenschneider.de/htmls/aktuelles.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chillischnaps</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T12:31:49.520Z
Answers.Text: Kehlenschneider is german for throat slicer.
Answers.UserDisplayName: raznagul
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T05:26:51.010Z
Answers.Text: The scoville scale info on wikipedia was fascinating.  For anyone else interested here is the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T10:46:36.287Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-04-14T14:28:02.200Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-04-14T14:28:02.200Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: SaschaHa
Answers.Body: <p>You can buy scientific grade Ethanol, usually at a science supply shop. Many of them only sell it in person. It is usually 99.5% or <strong>199 proof!</strong>. For that extra kick if Everclear isn't strong enough for you!</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/ethanol-99-5-acs-reagent-absolute-200-proof-acros-organics-4/p-3201014" rel="noreferrer">Ethanol at Fisher Scientific</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:38:44.527Z
Answers.Text: I don't know if that would qualify as a "drink."  Ethanol above 95.6% cannot be made via fractional distillation.  To go above that, you have to do chemistry using compounds like benzene or heptane, some of which will almost certainly remain behind with the ethanol.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cort Ammon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:41:16.637Z
Answers.Text: Are you sure that is food (drinking) grade?
Answers.UserDisplayName: paparazzo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:51:41.657Z
Answers.Text: 99.5% Ethanol and .5% Benzene isn't going to kill you if you take a shot of it! ;-)
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T18:39:25.973Z
Answers.Text: Yah, but what will really kill you? Remember we are talking 96%+ ethanol, which if I remember correctly is a carcinogen also? Right?
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T19:00:14.003Z
Answers.Text: Is this available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc...?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ken Graham
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T19:24:06.607Z
Answers.Text: Yes and no. If you are involved in any kind of scientific research, it's easy to get. I know when I was a winemaker, I could just walk into my local scientific supply house and buy some, but you need to know where to look.
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T06:29:38.610Z
Answers.Text: I feel a hangover coming on just reading about this!
Answers.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T08:01:46.810Z
Answers.Text: @Mrkvička it's not like the properties of alcohol poisoning would be much different between 99.5% anhydrous ethanol, 96% ethanol or a 80% almost-ethanol drink.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Peteris
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T08:15:54.197Z
Answers.Text: @SteveS Actually, it might. If you get more than 400 mg ethanol per dl blood, then you risk coma and respiratory failure. An average adult contains ~50 dl blood, which means that ~20000 mg is near the limit. Furthermore, the density of ethanol is 0.7893 g/ml = 78930 mg/dl. This means that you can only consume little more than 0.25 dl to reach dangerous concentrations (counting on that all you consume is reaching the blood stream). So a 4 cl shot (1.35 oz) can be survived, but you may actually die from it (depending on your tolerance and how quick people around you react).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mrkvička
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T08:16:30.883Z
Answers.Text: @Peteris I miscalculated severely and deleted that comment as it was too late to edit it. All in all, the answer is nearly the same regardless if the concentration is 99.5% or 80%, it just varies how large shot one can take as the lower concentration means that there is more water in it (a 4 cl shot of 99.5% contains roughly the same amount of ethanol as a 5 cl shot of 80%)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mrkvička
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-02-21T17:17:19.887Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-02-21T17:17:19.887Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: farmersteve
Body: <p>Assuming that it is available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc... (in other words legal)  What (per unit) is the strongest alcoholic drink in the world?  Beers, wines and spirits included. </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T06:27:15.187Z
Comments.Text: On some islands in the Caribbean meths is sold next to the rum - so you go down the isle starting with 'drinkable' rums, go past the white jack (70%) and there you will find the meths!  But that is not what I am looking for.
Comments.UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-02-22T07:45:46.290Z
Comments.Text: They sell country made wines in few slums in India that have huge amount of Alcohol, needless to say often poisonous.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Jatin Dhoot
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T09:36:22.870Z
Comments.Text: Tennent's Super no longer cutting it for you?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Strawberry
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-02-23T16:17:21.037Z
Comments.Text: Tennent's was good at 9% strength, but for some reason it's been cut to 8%, and the taste has gone with it.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Neil_UK
Tags: <alcohol-level><spirits>
Title: What is the strongest drink in the world?
UserDisplayName: dougal 5.0.0
ThreadText: # What is the strongest drink in the world?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-21)
  
  Assuming that it is available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc... (in other words legal) What (per unit) is the strongest alcoholic drink in the world? Beers, wines and spirits included.
  
  **Tags:** alcohol-level, spirits
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: On some islands in the Caribbean meths is sold next to the rum - so you go down the isle starting with 'drinkable' rums, go past the white jack (70%) and there you will find the meths!  But that is not what I am looking for.  
  > **username_1**: They sell country made wines in few slums in India that have huge amount of Alcohol, needless to say often poisonous.  
  > **username_2**: Tennent's Super no longer cutting it for you?  
  > **username_3**: Tennent's was good at 9% strength, but for some reason it's been cut to 8%, and the taste has gone with it.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 10 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_11 on 2017-02-22. Score: 11 | Accepted answer
  
  For those who wish to drink something from Bolivia, there is Cocoroco which is an alcoholic beverage notable for its extremely high alcohol content by volume, 96%. (ABV).
  
  > Cocoroco is sold as "potable alcohol", most often in tin cans. Like rum, cocoroco is made from sugar cane. - [Cocoroco (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoroco)
  
  [![Cocoroco can](https://i.sstatic.net/sVAuI.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/sVAuI.jpg)
  
  [Cocoroco can](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoroco)
  
  The following article may be of some all around interest: [Top 10 Strongest Alcoholic Drinks in the World.](http://www.top10hq.com/top-10-strongest-alcoholic-drinks/)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Wow, the hangover just keeps on getting worse and worse!  
  > **username_0**: The link to the top ten is great - I am marking this as the best answer as it goes above and beyond answering my question - thank you.  
  > **username_10**: It even attacks the can…  
  > **username_12**: Also highly flammable.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2017-02-21. Score: 18
  
  At the time of writing this the strongest beer in circulation is a scottish made larger/pilsner [Snake Venom By Brewmeister](http://coolmaterial.com/home/brewmeister-snake-venom-the-worlds-strongest-beer/), this beer is 67.5% ABV. and is strongly recommended that you only drink small amounts in a sitting, buying a bottle(275ml) of this would set you back a [£54.99](http://www.drinksupermarket.com/brewmeister-snake-venom-275ml-bottle)
  
  Other than this beer there was *Koelschip Mistery Of Beer - Brouwerij het Koelschip* that was 70% ABV but as I'm aware is no longer in circulation and has had production stopped as the brewery shut down
  
  As far as ***all*** alcohol goes the strongest spirit is [spirytus rektyfikowany](http://www.theliquorbarn.com/polmos-spirytus-rektyfikowany-192-proof) which is a 96% Vodka. The cheapest you will find this is a small bottle(10cl) and this will cost [£7.95](https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/28833/spirytus-rektyfikowany-96-polmos-small-bottle) It is is strongly recommended to not drink this neat as it would be damaging
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: I believe the upper limit for yeast fermentation is somewhere around 25-30%.  Do they get all the way to 67.5% by ice removal or is there some distillation involved too?  
  > **username_4**: Yea freeze distillation is how they get the high percentage  
  > **username_6**: In my opinion, anything that has been freeze distilled is no longer beer. I don't know what it _is_ but it sure as heck ain't beer!  
  > **username_4**: @JackAidley I have tried snake venom and it sure does taste like a beer  
  > **username_6**: @JamieEltringham: I have not had Snake Venom but I have had Brewdog's  Sink The Bismarck. It did not taste like beer :)  
  > **username_4**: @JackAidley I too have tried Sink The Bismarck and I agree :)  
  > **username_7**: Above ~8% it becomes "Barley wine". Then after ~15% I don't know what.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2017-02-21. Score: 12
  
  Indirect answer
  
  95% or 190 proof is an upper end for distilled alcohol
  
  Water and ethanol form an [azeotrop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeotrope) at that mixture so you can not get more than 95% ethanol with fractional distillation.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: The next step is [to use sticky rice as a adsorptant](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288157359_Design_of_adsorptive_distillation_for_separation_of_ethanol-water_azeotropic_mixture_using_bio-based_adsorbents) to get you to 99.9% ethanol purity :)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_9 on 2017-02-22. Score: 9
  
  **Spirytus Rektyfikowany**
  
  The purity of rectified spirit has a practical limit of 95.6% ABV; this hard to pronounce Polish Vodka is a murderous 96% ABV.
  
  [![Spirytus Rektyfikowany](https://i.sstatic.net/hb2ON.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/hb2ON.jpg)
  
  Here are the [details](https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/28833/spirytus-rektyfikowany-96-polmos-small-bottle) on the bottle:
  
  > A 10cl bottle of rectified spirit from Poland bottled at the extreme ABV of 96%. This is often used as a base for liqueurs and other infusions,
  > and we highly recommend that it is never drunk neat.
  
  From [Australia's "Courier Mail"](http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/warning-over-deadly-spirits/news-story/dc0551387398300ea4103267466fdb8e):
  
  > National Alliance for Action on Alcohol co-chairman Professor Mike Daube said it was "amazingly irresponsible'' for stores to sell the liquor, which had the potential to cause serious damage to drinkers or even kill them.
  >
  > Prof Daube said the extreme nature of the product could appeal to young binge > drinkers, and putting the product next to normal spirits could endanger people
  > who did not read the label properly.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: It would be a self limiting exercise for 'young binge drinkers' !  
  > **username_10**: Of course, Polish people don't drink it raw, they mix it beforehand… With breakfast cereals.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_11 on 2017-02-21. Score: 8
  
  For myself, I have found that [Everclear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol)) is the strongest spirits I have ever bought at 190 proof. Although it is too strong for myself to drink by itself, it makes excellent mixes. Some people have use it to extract the medicinal properties out of plants because of its' strength. It also comes in 150(1) proof bottles too.
  
  [![A bottle of 190-proof Everclear](https://i.sstatic.net/KjPmw.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/KjPmw.jpg)
  
  [A bottle of 190-proof Everclear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everclear_(alcohol))
  
  The lower proof Everclear is much easier to find and is quite common in the USA.
  
  The 190 proof (95% ABV) is sold at [Bevmo](http://www.bevmo.com/catalog/product/view/id/12001), depending on your state.
  
  For more information see the [Liquor Barn](http://www.theliquorbarn.com/everclear-grain-alcohol-190-proof-750ml/).
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Brilliant!  'I only bought this to get the medicinal properties out of plants' - whilst standing sideways at the checkout with a trolley load of the stuff.  Thanks for this answer.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_17 on 2017-02-22. Score: 6
  
  Try "Kehlenschneider". It's a Chili liquor with 80% alc and 400,000 to 800,000 scoville. Remember, tabasco has only 3,000 scoville.
  [Kehlenschneider](http://www.kehlenschneider.de)
  
  [![Chillischnaps](https://i.sstatic.net/nqrfU.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/nqrfU.jpg)
  
  [Chillischnaps](http://www.kehlenschneider.de/htmls/aktuelles.htm)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_18**: Kehlenschneider is german for throat slicer.  
  > **username_0**: The scoville scale info on wikipedia was fascinating.  For anyone else interested here is the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_19 on 2017-02-21. Score: 5
  
  You can buy scientific grade Ethanol, usually at a science supply shop. Many of them only sell it in person. It is usually 99.5% or **199 proof!**. For that extra kick if Everclear isn't strong enough for you!
  
  [Ethanol at Fisher Scientific](https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/ethanol-99-5-acs-reagent-absolute-200-proof-acros-organics-4/p-3201014)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_20**: I don't know if that would qualify as a "drink."  Ethanol above 95.6% cannot be made via fractional distillation.  To go above that, you have to do chemistry using compounds like benzene or heptane, some of which will almost certainly remain behind with the ethanol.  
  > **username_8**: Are you sure that is food (drinking) grade?  
  > **username_19**: 99.5% Ethanol and .5% Benzene isn't going to kill you if you take a shot of it! ;-)  
  > **username_19**: Yah, but what will really kill you? Remember we are talking 96%+ ethanol, which if I remember correctly is a carcinogen also? Right?  
  > **username_11**: Is this available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc...?  
  > **username_19**: Yes and no. If you are involved in any kind of scientific research, it's easy to get. I know when I was a winemaker, I could just walk into my local scientific supply house and buy some, but you need to know where to look.  
  > **username_0**: I feel a hangover coming on just reading about this!  
  > **username_21**: @username_22 it's not like the properties of alcohol poisoning would be much different between 99.5% anhydrous ethanol, 96% ethanol or a 80% almost-ethanol drink.  
  > **username_22**: @SteveS Actually, it might. If you get more than 400 mg ethanol per dl blood, then you risk coma and respiratory failure. An average adult contains ~50 dl blood, which means that ~20000 mg is near the limit. Furthermore, the density of ethanol is 0.7893 g/ml = 78930 mg/dl. This means that you can only consume little more than 0.25 dl to reach dangerous concentrations (counting on that all you consume is reaching the blood stream). So a 4 cl shot (1.35 oz) can be survived, but you may actually die from it (depending on your tolerance and how quick people around you react).  
  > **username_22**: @username_21 I miscalculated severely and deleted that comment as it was too late to edit it. All in all, the answer is nearly the same regardless if the concentration is 99.5% or 80%, it just varies how large shot one can take as the lower concentration means that there is more water in it (a 4 cl shot of 99.5% contains roughly the same amount of ethanol as a 5 cl shot of 80%)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_13 on 2017-02-24. Score: 3
  
  I know you are looking for "normal outlets", but for those who are interested, the world record holder for a while was Estonian Spirit aka Eesti Piiritus at 96.6%. You can still find some for sale at auctions. I brought a few bottles back when you could still buy it and foolishly did a shot of it. Never trying that again!
  
  [![Estonian Spirit](https://i.sstatic.net/0whvc.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0whvc.jpg)
  
  [![Estonian Spirit](https://i.sstatic.net/fWE4a.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/fWE4a.jpg)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: And still the hangover continues?  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_14 on 2017-02-21. Score: 2
  
  [Hapsburg Premium Reserve Absinthe](https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/163/hapsburg-premium-reserve-absinthe-gold-label) has 89.9% ABV
  
  [![Hapsburg Premium Reserve Absinthe](https://i.sstatic.net/W1SY2.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/W1SY2.jpg)
  
  > The strongest absinthe on the UK market. Serve well diluted for your own safety and keep well away from naked flames. The term premium reserve refers to the high strength, with original being the 'weakest' (though still 72.5%) and super deluxe being in the middle.
  >
  > Please note this is a high-strength product and we recommend not drinking neat – please enjoy diluted or with a mixer of your choice.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_15 on 2017-02-23. Score: -2
  
  **Strongest alcohol**
  
  Spirytus rektyfikowant (96% alcohol)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_16**: Welcome! :) Your catching down-votes here due to the brevity of the answer (and the fact that someone else already mentioned it...) Maybe fluff the answer with more info on the drink or some of your own experience with it?  
  
  ---
  
  