There’s no chemical reaction, because the main ingredients are the same: water, alcohol and carbohydrates. So the drinks just mix together. Despite the fact that some bars refuse to sell snakebite, the beverage is actually no more deadly than a pint of beer or cider alone – both drinks tend to have a similar alcohol content, so mixing them just produces a drink of a similar strength.

Advertisement

The feeling of getting drunk quicker is likely to be purely psychological.

Read more:


Advertisement

Subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun facts.

Authors

Dr Emma Davies is a science writer and editor with a PhD in food chemistry from the University of Leeds. She writes about all aspects of chemistry, from food and the environment to toxicology and regulatory science.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement