# Everclear **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999 "2014-09-30T19:31:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/1 "2014-09-30T19:31:24Z")
Is it particularly dangerous to take a (single) shot of this 190 proof alcohol straight? I’ve heard issues with that proof will absorb any water it can get but don’t know if it is issue. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/2 "2014-09-30T20:11:44Z")
People do it all the time. The only danger is taking too many. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/3 "2014-09-30T20:13:33Z")
You might want to try it outside or somewhere with a floor drain. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/4 "2014-09-30T20:17:35Z")
I’ve done plenty of times in college. Was rarely the only thing I drank that night also. Of course, I often had a hangover the next day. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/5 "2014-09-30T20:20:32Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > You might want to try it outside or somewhere with a floor drain. Yeah, it smells just like isopropyl alcohol, and it tastes like burning. I tried a sip from a bottle I bought for making bitters; it was not good. It’s wonderful as a cheap, neutral spirit to extract flavors from fruits, herbs, and spices (after dilution). As an actual beverage, it leaves something to be desired. In the end, it’s just like any other beverage containing ethanol; it’s just way stronger, very harsh, and 2-3 times more potent. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/6 "2014-09-30T20:26:21Z")
It could take you breath away. I have had shots of 15o proof that made me feel I was going to choke to death. 190 is way stronger as far as choking goes. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/7 "2014-09-30T20:58:38Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > People do it all the time. The only danger is taking too many. I have found it a convienent way to introduce my face to the floor. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/8 "2014-09-30T21:36:01Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > It’s wonderful as a cheap, neutral spirit to extract flavors from fruits, herbs, and spices (after dilution). Hell yes it is. I make limoncello and orangecello and Everclear is essential. The higher the proof, the better an alcohol gets at extracting the oils and flavors. The 190 Everclear doesn’t seem to be legal to sell in Michigan, so it’s a lot of time and driving to buy it. But I’ve tried making it with just 100 proof vodka (as many recipes online suggest) and it’s REALLY obvious – the taste is much flatter and not as strong or full. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/9 "2014-09-30T21:37:51Z")
A single shot is no problem. After you take the single shot and you want more, you have no taste buds. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/10 "2014-09-30T22:10:03Z")
I’m going to move this to Cafe Society since it’s about an alcoholic drink. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/11 "2014-09-30T22:38:02Z")
Back in the 1970s when I tended bar, it was common practice for the bartenders to take a shot of [Polish Pure Spirit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectified_spirit) at the end of the work-night so we could go party, and be caught up with everyone else with just one shot. 195+ proof; that shit would knock you down. Back in the day I used to do it all the time, and I am still alive. But really, one - two max - shots. It is extremely potent and people die drinking too much of it. I really don’t think it’s a very intelligent thing to do. It’s not even fun because it wipes you out so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everclear/699999/12 "2014-10-01T02:47:50Z")
The Polish stuff is 190-192 proof. Not that it makes much difference, but that’s as high as you can get practically. We use it all the time for infusions, which are then diluted down with water and sugar to more normal drinking levels. It does depend on the infusion, though. Sometimes grain alcohol extracts too much of the non-desirable botanicals, so you want to go with 151 or even vodka. Limoncello, though, starts with the high octane stuff for best results (at least in our thorough experimentation.)