•The chemical equation below summarizes the fermentation of glucose, whose chemical formula is C6H12O6. One mole of glucose is converted into two moles of ethanol and two moles of carbon dioxide -C12H22O11 + H2O —> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
When the yeast first hits, concentrations of glucose (C6H12O6) are very high, so through diffusion, glucose enters the yeast. As glucose enters, it is broken down in a process called glycolysis. The product of this is two three-carbon sugars, called pyruvates, and some ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which supplies energy to the yeast and allows it to multiply. The two pyruvates are then converted by the yeast into carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol (CH3CH2OH).
•Why fermentation occurs -Raw fruit juice naturally contains many yeasts, moulds, and bacteria, derived from the surface of the fruit. During fermentation, the yeast cells feed on the sugars and multiply, producing carbon dioxide gas and alcohol.
Why we Get Drunk certain portion of the ethanol you drink passes through your stomach to your small intestine, is absorbed into your bloodstream and carried to your brain. That’s what we’re really concerned with. Research has not conclusively determined exactly how ethanol accomplishes all of its various effects in the brain, but there are some well-supported theories.