Drunk on Butterbeer?

[padfootsgirl1981]

Hi! I was just wondering, is Butterbeer actually alcoholic? I know that's what the name suggests and I know that Winky is able to get drunk on it in GoF, but can it actually make wizards/witches drunk? Because we also know that students aren't allowed to buy Firewhiskey or Mulled Mead because they are too young, so if Butterbeer is alcoholic how come they are able to buy it freely from The Three Broomsticks and The Hog's Head.

If anybody can offer any thoughts and input it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[CakeorDeath]

I think it is alcholic but only by 1 or 2% nothing more.

[Pondering]

No, I don't think it would be possible for a human to get drunk from drinking Butterbeer. As you said, in GoF, Winky does get drunk on it, but Dobby says something along the lines of that it is much stronger for house-elves than it is for humans. I think this may imply that it has little alcoholic content, but that it effects house-elves more because they are a) smaller and b) a different species.

Hopes this helps in some way.

--Tash

[MaiaMadness]

Ever tried to get drunk on 2,5% sweet cider? To put it this way, you will get sick, but not from the alcohol. It's just waaay too sweet, so if you try to drink enough to get drunk, you'll most likely get very nauseous. I've always imagined Butterbeer to be very sweet and of low alcohol content. I don't think a person could drink enough to actually get drunk. So no. People don't get drunk off Butterbeer, even if house elves can.

[LunarEclipse]

I think if you drank gallons and gallons of it, you would get a little tipsy, or at least a very full bladder But, also I think if you let it ferment, it could get alcoholic. As with cider(as MaiaMadness said) if you let it sit, it could very possible that it could get alcoholic.

[LucillaJoanna]

I agree with Maia about the sweetness-sickness factor, but I don't think butterbeer is alcoholic at all. I think I may have read somewhere that JKR has clarified that butterbeer is the Wizarding version of a rootbeer, only more delicious and smoother, hence, 'buttery'. I may be wrong, but this is how I've always perceived butterbeer. Like a yellow Coke.

~Joanna

[padfootsgirl1981]

Thanks a lot, everyone, you really cleared that up for me!

Mods: I've gotten what I need from this thread, please feel free to lock and grave .