Final answer:
An alcoholic beverage must contain a significant amount of ethanol, with beverages historically being considered intoxicating when the alcohol content was higher than 0.5 percent.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to be classified as an alcoholic beverage, a liquid must contain a significant amount of ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Ethanol is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, such as beers, wines, and spirits. It is an organic compound with one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups that are responsible for the characteristic intoxicating effects of alcoholic drinks. According to the Volstead Act, historically, any beverage with an alcohol content higher than 0.5 percent was considered an intoxicating liquor. However, modern definitions vary by laws of different countries. For example, natural levels of alcohol in wine occur at a maximum of around 12 percent because ethanol above this percentage is toxic to the yeast used in the fermentation process.