What Is Neutral Based Alcohol?

The world of alcohol has a lot of terminology to master: Wine. Spirits. Brewed. Distilled. Fermented. “Neutral-based alcohol” is a term we don’t hear as often, but it holds a distinct place in the industry. Known for its versatility and purity, neutral alcohol is the backbone of several alcoholic beverages.

In this guide, we’ll explore what it is, how it’s made, how it’s used, and, most importantly, how it affects those of us who drink it.

What Is Neutral-Based Alcohol?

Neutral-based alcohol, also known as “neutral alcohol”, “neutral spirit,” or “rectified spirit” is a highly concentrated ethanol purified by repeated distillation. The goal is to distill it until it’s as close as it can get to pure alcohol, which usually ends up at 96% ABV (alcohol by volume). For reference, beers generally have 5% ABV; wine usually has 12%-15%, and liquor has 40%. That said, neutral spirit is an ingredient, not a finished product.

Neutral alcohol is used as a versatile base to produce vodka, gin, and liqueurs. It’s favored because of its “high purity,” which minimizes flavor, smell, and impurities. Beyond beverages, it’s also used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food products. We’ll talk more about its uses later, but first, let’s take a look at how it’s made.

How Neutral Spirits Are Made

Neutral alcohol production is similar to that of other alcoholic beverages, but it’s a bit more involved. 


• Fermentation. Much like wine and beer, producing neutral spirits starts with fermenting raw materials (usually grains or potatoes). Yeast is used to convert sugar into ethanol, making the drink “alcoholic.”

• Distillation. After fermentation, heat is applied to separate the ethanol from the fermentation mixture. This is the same process used to make liquors.

• Rectification. To further remove all impurities, the distilled alcohol undergoes another round of distillation called “rectification.”

The result of this three-step process is a colorless, odorless alcohol with a minimum 95% ABV: neutral alcohol. Understanding how it’s made gives us a better understanding of how it’s used.

Uses of Neutral Spirits

Because they’re so pure and versatile, neutral spirits have a wide range of uses. We mentioned a few before, but let’s get into more detail: 

• Extracts. In the culinary world, neutral spirits are used to extract flavors. Vanilla extract, for example, is made by soaking vanilla beans in neutral spirits (vodka to be exact). 
• Tinctures. If you know someone wild about herbal medicine, you’ll hear a lot about tinctures. Tinctures are made by soaking herbs in neutral alcohol for medicinal use. 

• Pharmaceuticals. Neutral alcohol is often used as a solvent and disinfectant in medicine production.

• Cosmetics. Neutral alcohol serves as the base for many perfumes and aftershaves. 

• Sanitizers. Hand sanitizers get their strong aroma and disinfectant properties from the neutral spirits used to make them. 

• Alcoholic beverages. By far the most common use of neutral spirits is to make vodka, gin, and liqueurs. 

Since impurities can affect the safety of the final products, many countries regulate the production and use of neutral spirits to help maintain the quality and safety of the products they’re used in. But if neutral alcohol is so pure and so heavily regulated, you may be wondering if that makes vodka, gin, and liqueurs safer options on the beverage menu. Let’s see what the science has to say.

Risks of Neutral Spirits

While they do have a “pure” base and companies may advertise them as “healthy” alcohol choices, neutral alcohol-based drinks still contain alcohol and have the same negative effects on the body. In the case of vodka and gin, they typically have a 40% ABV. A higher ABV always poses more risks because our body has to process more alcohol in a shorter amount of time. Furthermore, drinking alcohol, no matter how “pure”, is never safe for pregnant women, minors, or people on certain medications. Let’s explore the facts of vodka, gin, and liqueurs.

Vodka

Many people think of vodka as the drink for dieters and weight-watchers because it contains very few calories and zero carbs. It’s also a gluten-free option. A quick Google search will display numerous health benefits, making it sound like the miracle cure for all that ails you, including reducing stress (no alcohol actually does this, by the way). The catch is that we can only drink so much of it (1.5 oz a day is considered moderate use) before the risks outweigh any supposed benefits. 

Gin

Gin is another neutral-spirit-based drink that is paraded as a “healthy choice.” “The juniper berries provide great antioxidants!” they claim. “It will extend your life!” they promise, or it will fix your toothache or cure your cold or prevent heart disease. But again, this isn’t how alcohol works, and if it were, it would only happen if we drank in moderation, which is easier said than done. And while juniper berries give gin its distinct flavor, they lose a lot of their antioxidant properties in the distillation process. To learn more, check out our blog “The Risks of Gin”.

Flavored Liqueurs

Liqueurs are sweet alcoholic beverages flavored with fruit, creams, herbs, and other ingredients. Anything that has fruit or herbs in it is easy to confuse for a healthy choice, but once again, that assumption would be a mistake (are you seeing a pattern here?). Just like vodka and gin, any health claims are based on moderate drinking, and any antioxidants from the fruit and herbs are minimal by the time we drink it. Plus, liqueurs are often served as dessert drinks and include added sugar, which isn’t healthy either and certainly won’t help with weight loss goals if that’s what we’re going for. Learn more about liqueurs in our blog post “Liqueurs: What Are the Risks?”

Marketing anything as a “healthy option” is a smart sales strategy. Liquor companies know that if we think we’re drinking something “healthy,” or at least “healthier than something else,” we’re likely to drink more of it (this applies to food products as well). We have to be equally smart consumers to read between the lines of the sales copy, understand the risks, and mindfully manage our consumption.

Managing Consumption

As we mentioned before, the key to sipping safely is to drink in moderation. What does that mean? According to the CDC, that means no more than one 1.5 oz serving of distilled spirits for women and no more than two servings for men. There are a few standard practices that can help us set healthy boundaries and lessen the negative effects of neutral alcohol.

• Pace yourself. For every gulp of alcohol you take, match it with a gulp of water. This will help you stay hydrated and give your body time to process the alcohol.

• Set limits. Make a plan for setting a safe limit for yourself. If it’s a cash bar, only bring enough cash for one drink. If it’s an open bar at an event, sit far away from it and/or find an accountability partner. 

• Eat nutritious foods. If you choose to drink, prep your stomach with nutritious foods first. This will help slow the alcohol absorption into the bloodstream and moderate the negative effects.

• Stick to mocktails. To avoid the potential side effects altogether, stick to non-alcoholic beverages. The world of mocktails has expanded far beyond virgin margaritas. Gin and tonic mocktails exist, too. 

All of these practices will help keep you safe and prevent a nasty hangover the next morning. Plus, they’ll protect your brain, heart, and liver in the long run. But what about the supposed benefits of neutral spirits we mentioned earlier, such as heart health and pain relief? Where else can we get those?

Alternatives to Spirits

Despite what the clever alcohol marketing teams tell you, there are plenty of ways to manage our health without spirits.

• Stress relief. If we use spirits to cope with stress, there’s no need. Managing stress naturally is safer and cheaper than a $5 shot of vodka. In fact, the CDC recommends we limit alcohol intake for stress management. Instead, go for a walk, listen to a guided meditation, and practice breathing exercises. Even writing a simple gratitude list can reduce stress. None of these alternatives pose any threat to your liver. 
• Heart health. Managing your stress will also help lower your blood pressure and maintain a healthy heart. Regular exercise and a heart-healthy diet will reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke without the risks of alcohol dependence.

• Dental pain. If we turn to spirits to numb any toothaches, we need not! Among the list of natural, alcohol-free remedies are a saltwater rinse, hydrogen peroxide rinse, and peppermint tea bags. There are also plenty of over-the-counter medicines to dull the pain until you can see a dentist. 
• Cold and cough. No, that shot of spirits won’t make you better, despite rumors of it curbing a cold. There are plenty of herbal teas and OTC remedies to help kick a cold and calm a cough, but there is no documented cure. The best remedy is a strong immune system, which alcohol weakens (more on that here: “Alcohol’s Effect on the Immune System”). 

Whatever health benefits alcohol beverage companies claim, there are plenty of more natural, effective, and often free remedies that have the same result (even if it takes a little more effort to do them). Knowing this helps you avoid the trap of drinking distilled spirits in the name of “health.”

Neutral Spirits, Not-So-Neutral Effects

Neutral-based alcohol is a pure base for many alcoholic beverages and other products. While it’s often used in drinks that are marketed as “healthy,” the science says otherwise. Neutral-alcohol-based drinks, like vodka and gin, have higher alcohol content, can lead to alcohol dependence, and can have adverse effects on our heart and liver. Staying informed about beverage ingredients helps us make informed decisions as consumers.