Different brands of alcohol are ranked on their pH values, which can be used to determine the relative strength of acids in different brands of alcohol.
Everything we eat or drink is either acidic or alkaline. The pH scale goes from 1-14, with 1 being the most acidic number and 14 being the most alkaline.
A beer’s acidity affects its overall taste and how harsh it is, so identifying the most acidic brands of alcohol will help you select drinks that are easiest on your body if you’re looking to remain in the pH neutral range.
Beer, wine, and other alcohols that are distilled will be ranked based on their pH when they’re undiluted. Alcoholic beverages vary in their level of acidity by brand and type. The following list ranks different types of alcohol by the strength of their acidity.
It is not intended to be used as medical advice, but rather for informational purposes. The following list starts with the least acidic alcoholic drinks and goes to the most acidic alcoholic drink.
1) Gin
Gin is an alcoholic beverage made from a neutral grain spirit and flavored with various natural and artificial flavors, along with trace amounts of substances that give it its flavors.
People who like gin claim that the flavors are less noticeable in tonic water. It’s often mixed with lemonade or tonic to make a light drink known as a Gin and Tonic.
Gin is the least acidic alcoholic drink, with a pH rating of around 7.1. This makes it less acidic than all types of beer, wine, coffee, apple cider vinegar, and household lye products.
2) IPA Beers
India pale ale is a type of beer that has been highly hopped during brewing to give it a stronger flavor and tangier taste as compared to other beers.
India Pale Ales were brewed this way because they used to spoil easily, especially when they had to travel long distances across the sea to India. IPA beers have a pH rating of around 5.3, making them less acidic than almost every other type of beer and wine.
3) Rum
Rum is an alcoholic beverage that is made from sugar cane by-products such as molasses or sugarcane juice, which are typically fermented into a solution. Rum is then distilled and aged to give it its distinct flavor and color.
Rum has a pH rating of 4.8, making it less acidic.
4) Pilsner Beers
Pilsner beers are pale lagers that are brewed from water, malt, hops, and yeast. Pilsner beers may be strong in the flavors of their ingredients but they have a gentle flavor profile.
Pilsner beers have a pH rating of 4.6, making them more acidic than most types of beer.
5) Lager Beers
Lager beers ferment at colder temperatures and settle in the United States and Europe. Lager beers tend to be more flavorable than other types of beer because they’re brewed with a higher concentration of malt and hops.
Lagers have a pH rating of 4.5, making them moderately acidic.
6) Brandy
Brandy is a type of liquor that is made from distilling the wines of fermented fruit juice, which can be grape or apple.
It takes about 10 pounds of apples to make one bottle of brandy and 5 gallons of apple cider to produce 1 gallon of brandy.
Brandy has a pH rating of 4.4, making it less acidic than almost every other type of alcohol.
7) Scotch
Scotch is a drink that is made from malt whiskey that has been aged for at least three years in oak casks in Scotland or Ireland and is known for its distinct smoky flavor.
Scotch has a pH rating of 4.3, making it less acidic than many other types of alcohol.
8) Moonshine
Moonshine is a beverage that is made from fermenting and distilling sugars and starches found in cane sugar or corn mash.
It was originally made to avoid paying taxes on distilled spirits and has been produced illegally since the 19th century.
Moonshine has a pH rating of 4.3, making it less acidic than almost every other type of alcohol.
9) Vodka
Vodka is an alcoholic beverage that is distilled from fermented grains or potatoes and then diluted down to 40% ABV with water before being bottled. It’s known as the “most colorless” and “most flavorless” type of alcohol; however, this is what makes it one of the most popular types of spirits.
Vodka has a pH rating of 4, making it less acidic than wine and malt liquor but more acidic than gin.
10) Stout Beers
Stout beers are dark ales that are usually brewed with roasted malt and dark cane sugar. They have a higher concentration of hops than other beers and they typically have a chocolatey or coffee flavor.
Stout beers have a pH rating of 3.8.
11) Cognac
Cognac is a type of brandy distilled from white wine made in the Cognac region in France. It has a nice fruity flavor profile and is often consumed after dinner or with dessert to aid in digestion.
Cognac has a pH rating of 3.7.
12) Whiskey
Whiskey is made from a mash of fermented grains and is most commonly made with corn, rye, or malted barley.
There are various types of whiskeys such as bourbon, scotch, and Irish whiskey that all have their unique flavor profile. Whiskey is mixed with water to reduce its alcohol concentration.
Whiskey has a pH rating of 3.7, making it more acidic than Cognac and less acidic than tequila.
13) Red Wine
Red wine is made from fermenting the dark grape juice in contact with the skins for several hours or days, which makes it red-colored. It is then filtered and aged in oak casks. It is taken alone or mixed with soda water, ice or tonic.
Red wine has a pH rating of 3.6.
14) Vermouth
Vermouth is an alcoholic beverage that is made from white wine that has been flavored with herbs and spices and then fortified with brandy or other neutral spirits.
It is often used in mixed drinks such as martinis. The taste of vermouth is very similar to white wine, but it is slightly more bitter.
Vermouth has a pH rating of 3.5.
15) Sour Beer
Sour beers are made by adding Lactobacillus bacteria, Brettanomyces yeast, and other wild yeasts during the fermentation process that create a sour taste.
It is common to add fruit for flavorings, such as cherries or raspberries. The carbonation of sour beer is often very high, making it a “fizzy” alcoholic beverage.
Sour beers have a pH rating of 3.3, which makes them less acidic than all wines but more acidic than vermouth.
16) Tequila
Tequila is an alcoholic beverage that is distilled from the fermented sugars of the blue agave plant. It is usually taken neat or with a squirt of lime and salt around the rim to “cure” the aftertaste.
The most common types of tequila are silver or Blanco, which is clear in color and often made from 100% agave.
Tequila has a pH rating of 3.2, making it less acidic than most wines but more acidic than sour beer.
17) White Wine
White wine is made from fermenting the grape juice without skin contact for a short time frame. This is what gives it its color and flavor profile, which is typically lighter than red wine or rosé wine.
White wine is often served with appetizers before the entrees are served during dinner. The most popular types of white wine are Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.
White wines have a pH rating of 3.2, which makes them less acidic than vodka but more acidic than tequila and sour beer.
18) Hard Seltzers
Hard seltzers are carbonated alcoholic beverages that are often made with real fruit juice. They are typically less than 5% ABV and do not have any added sugar.
Hard seltzers come in many types, such as lemon-lime or grapefruit styles. The most popular brands include Truly Spiked & Sparkling and White Claw.
Hard seltzers have a pH rating of 3.1, which makes them less acidic than rosé wines but more acidic than white wines.
19) Port Wine
Port wine is a type of red or fortified wine that is often taken after dinner with desserts. It is made by adding brandy to the fermented grape juice, which stops the fermentation process and leaves some residual sugar.
The type of grape used in Port wines is often Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, or Tempranillo grapes. The alcohol content of port wine is typically between 18% and 20%.
Port wines have a pH rating of 2.9, which makes them less acidic than cognac but more acidic than other whiskeys.
20) Cider
Cider is an alcoholic beverage that is made by fermenting the sugars from apples or other types of fruit. It is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages and is usually served cold with a slice of lemon.
The taste profile of cider varies depending on what type of fruit it was made out to ferment.
Ciders have a pH rating of 2.9, which makes them more acidic than almost all other alcoholic beverages.
Conclusion
Alcoholic beverages can vary widely in acidity, from the barely acidic tequila to the very acidic hard seltzers.
As one would expect, spirits like vodka and gin tend to be less acidic than wine and cider, but there are plenty of exceptions like vermouth or port wine that contain high amounts of acidity.
It is always good to familiarize yourself with the pH levels of different alcoholic beverages when you are consuming them.
If you have acid reflux or are sensitive to certain types of acid, you might benefit from drinking beverages that have less acidity.
Source: https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/denn.2015.11.2.81