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Gentle sipping of small quantities of very high proof spirits probably won't hurt you. It depends on your personal sensitivity. Drinking—as opposed to sipping—alcohol at very high concentrations risks damage to any and all of the tissue it encounters along the way: mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach

TwoSheds wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:04 am If anyone can provide some links specifically on the dangers of high proof alcohol I'd appreciate it.

8Ball wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:26 am Had a doctor tell me years ago that if I was going to drink spirits “straight,” then I should follow up with a drink of water after each sip to minimize the alcohol’s effect on my throat, stomach and overall physical condition.

rickyaifd wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:04 am A friend and I have had a discussion and he is under the impression that high alcohol content, specifically above 120 proof, is safe to drink. I always heard and understood that high alcohol content, again above 120 proof, is generally considered not safe to drink. Who wins the bet

still_stirrin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:23 pm

rickyaifd wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:04 am A friend and I have had a discussion and he is under the impression that high alcohol content, specifically above 120 proof, is safe to drink. I always heard and understood that high alcohol content, again above 120 proof, is generally considered not safe to drink. Who wins the bet

It certainly can numb sensitive nerve endings, especially in the mouth/tongue area. But it can also harm tissue in the esophagus and stomach. And if the tissue damage is “chronic”, it can eventually lead to disease or even the “big C”.

So, considering that 140 proof (70%ABV) is pure enough to use as a sanitizer in clinical environments, you can see that alcohol nearly that strong can “kill things” like body tissue when exposed.

But, I have dipped my finger into the drip at the spout before and touched it to my tongue. If the purity is higher than 100+ proof or so, it will give my tongue a “tingle” as the nerves are shocked by the alcohol. I don’t drink it or even sip it at cask strength unless I’ve added a few ice cubes to dilute the alcohol down.

Also, since your senses are “neutralized” with high purity alcohol, it has less “flavor” or at least the sensations of flavor, especially the flavor you may be striving for in your spirit.

In the end, it doesn’t mean you have “balls” if you drink high purity liquor. It means you’re careless with your unsafe practice.
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