igniting booze

[devlin]

I've lately started igniting my sambuca (with coffee beans) and am wondering how it affects the alcohol content.

Significantly? Not so much? I definitely like what it does to the flavor.

[slkinsey]

It depends on how long you let it burn. More burn = less alcohol content. In the grand scheme of things, you're unlikely to significantly reduce the alcohol content of a glass of sambuca by flaming it for a few seconds.

The bottom line, though, is whether you like it. As long as you like it, what difference does it make what the alcohol content is?

[devlin]

It depends on how long you let it burn.  More burn = less alcohol content.  In the grand scheme of things, you're unlikely to significantly reduce the alcohol content of a glass of sambuca by flaming it for a few seconds.

The bottom line, though, is whether you like it.  As long as you like it, what difference does it make what the alcohol content is?

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Well the bottom line isn't only whether I like it. I like it wonderfully. In fact, I love it. But for a lot of folks, me included, Sambuca is pretty powerful stuff, and if there's a way to salvage the overall beauty of the drink and lessen the alcohol content which is significant, then that would be a good thing.

[Ed Hamilton]

There are a number of alcohols which make up distilled spirits. When you burn distilled spirits, one of the benefits is that you are getting rid of some of the most volatile of the alcohols, the lightest alcohols which are responsible for some of the aroma and taste of the spirit. This can be good or bad depending on the spirit.

When you burn spirits, it isn't uncommon that that you improve the taste, but then you have to ask yourself , do I drink this spirit straight, without burning anything off?

[devlin]

There are a number of alcohols which make up distilled spirits. When you burn distilled spirits, one of the benefits is that you are getting rid of some of the most volatile of the alcohols, the lightest alcohols which are responsible for some of the aroma and taste of the spirit. This can be good or bad depending on the spirit.

When you burn spirits, it isn't uncommon that that you improve the taste, but then you have to ask yourself , do I drink this spirit straight, without burning anything off?

←

Thanks for the responses. That helps. Sambuca is one of my favorite things, but I find it has a more pronounced effect on my head the next day than any other booze. Several of my Italian friends have noted the same thing. And even though it's supposed to be a traditional thing to ignite the booze in order to infuse it with some of the coffee bean flavor, not very many people, including Italians, bother to do that, even when they continue to add the beans.

I was surprised, then, when not only was the flavor really improved when I ignited it, but the usual nasty effects never manifested the following day.

Hence the question.

Thanks folks.