# Dr. Matrix - Methanol is not drinking alcohol. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967 "2002-12-11T06:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/1 "2002-12-11T06:33:45Z")
From [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=149543#newpost) thread. I don’t want to undermine what you’re saying, because I basically agree that mainlining liquor is stupid, but rest assured that a one ounce shot of vodka (typically 40%) will **not** kill you. [Methanol](http://www.afdc.doe.gov/altfuel/met_general.html), which you seemed to have mistaken for [Ethanol](http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/ethanol/ethanol.html), is usually fuel, and never, AFAIK, a drink… ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/2 "2002-12-11T06:44:52Z")
So for those uneducated fools on the sidelines, could you spell out the whole methanol-ethanol-“wood alcohol”-rubbing alcohol - drinking alcohol differences? (Which of these terms are equivalent?) I could look it up, but you’re here, and this thread is here… ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/3 "2002-12-11T06:49:48Z")
[What is the difference between methanol (wood alcohol), ethanol (drinking alcohol) and isopropanol (rubbing alcohol)?](http://crystal.biol.csufresno.edu:8080/projects/32.html) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/4 "2002-12-11T07:01:40Z")
woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/5 "2002-12-11T12:55:58Z")
Oh yeah. We got all the answers. Ignorance Begone! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/6 "2002-12-11T15:30:58Z")
I am unable to open your site Darwin’s Finch. ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/7 "2002-12-11T15:41:39Z")
Darwin’s Finch, I think that page you linked to is wrong in at least one respect. Methanol is not CH2(OCH3)2; it is CH3OH. Very different. It’s been a while since I studied chemistry but I’m [fairly confident](http://www.epa.gov/otaq/07-meoh.htm). Dunno what CH2(OCH3)2 is, a di-ketone perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-matrix-methanol-is-not-drinking-alcohol/141967/8 "2002-12-11T17:32:09Z")
**Moderator’s Notes:** Hmm. How 'bout we confine the discussion of the closed topic to a single thread? Go here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149562](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149562)