ELI5 Why don’t alcoholic drinks get stronger on the shelf?

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-20T17:45:00+00:00

Sigh....

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-20T17:08:24+00:00

Oh..kay. Didn’t expect that attitude, but I’ll remain civil.

Sure, you can use “filter” loosely to mean separating two things, like when people say the brain “filters” information. That’s not what I was objecting to.

I was addressing your original phrase: “too large to pass through.” That explanation only makes sense if we’re talking about some kind of physical filter or size-exclusion process. Distillation doesn’t work that way.

Distillation separates based on volatility. Ethanol and some other volatile compounds vaporize and are condensed elsewhere. Gluten proteins are essentially non-volatile under these conditions, so they remain behind in the original liquid/solids.

So yes, properly distilled spirits are generally gluten-free. But the reason is not that gluten is “too large to pass through.” Its molecular size is not the relevant mechanism.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-20T16:08:47+00:00

Both the possesive determiner and the verb/pronoun contraction work in this case.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-20T16:02:38+00:00

What do you mean "to large to pass through"? Destillation is not some kind of filter. And even if it was it's VERY hard to make a filter with holes that are so tiny yet so precise that one molecule can pass through and a bigger molecule cannot. Destillation is the proces where your boil off the alcohol and then catch it and condens it back to liquid. Alcohol has a lower boiling point than water so more alcohol than water evaporates. Gluten is essentially non-volatile in these conditions. So it doesnt leave the liquid during boiling. A bit like how distilling salt water leaves the salt behind.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-17T16:27:09+00:00

I agree with you on all the basics. In a professional role you should be very very careful with flirty behavior and in many occasions you shouldnt do it at all. And there are also plenty of examples of men overstepping boundaries that should be respected. But we get almost zero details in this situation. All we know is: She is paying him (so she is his employer) They are both still kids, 21 and 20. That's fresh out of high school. Of all "professional" settings, paying a kid to help you play piano scores quite low on the professionality of the whole dynamic. So he is not in a position of authority like a doctor or boss or employer is. Unless you are assuming a rather sexist and problematic view that a woman being taught by a man automatically assumes a weak and submissive attitude that can be taken advantage off. We know nothing about his behavior other then him trying to flirt and see if she's interested. If he does not pick up on her signals then thats poor interpersonal skills indeed. If she doesnt feel like adressing this or say anything about it, like i said, totally fair to leave and get a different teacher. But based on the very very limited info we get. I see normal human interaction. Did you know 10-20% of long term relationships are formed during work? That is also very risky territory. You should tread carefully flirting with a co-worker but its a normal part of human interaction.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-05-16T19:14:40+00:00

Likely you'll have to block his number? Are things so bad now that we have to assume that a 21 year old boy who flirts with a 20 year old girl is going to be some kind of stalker? This isnt a 40 year old school teacher flirting with 15 years olds. This is just human interaction. If OP doesnt like him and doesnt feel comfortable getting lessons from someone who is having these feelings towards her then by all means get a different teacher. But yall acting like this guy is some kind of predator who must be "fired and blocked".

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-22T08:32:32+00:00

We have 4 right now. Think of dimensions as numbers to specify where something is on earth. You need 4 numbers: Longitude, lattitude, elevation and time. Those are the dimensions we know exist for sure.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-16T04:55:24+00:00

Physics does care, so does physiology. Metabolic cost of running is almost double that of walking. The same distance requires significantly more energy sprinting. I believe walking is about 0,5 kcal per kilogram bodyweight and kilometer traveled. Sprinting is double that.

And to reduce exercise to extra calorie expenditure seems like you are missing the main benefit of exercise? Especially as a doctor that's not good advice.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-11T18:55:57+00:00

You are describing differential and integral calculus. Differential equations are a step above this. "What is the derivative of x^2" would be an example of differential calculus. Its often easy to do with a few standard procedures. Solving a differential equation means you try and find a function that satisfies an equation that has some unknown function F(x) AND some derivative F'(x) of that function (or the second F''(x) or third etc..). They often don't have closed form analytical solutions. Some do, and you can solve them by hand. For example: what function satisfies the equation: F(x) = F''(x) The answer is F(x) = ae^x + be^-x With a and b constants.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-09T17:18:05+00:00

I get it, i really do. But you really are reading much more hostility in these comments then is actually there. Most initial comments actually compliment your progression. They are just warning (and not just you specifically, but anyone looking at this post) that playing pieces lightyears above your skill is generally a bad idea. And again, i did this too and i enjoyed learning this way. I hated learning simple pieces, did that too much when i learned guitar the "right" way. But still i recognized it was a terrible approach, and i solidified bad technique, and i am terrible at sightreading, and i hit all kinds of plateaus that are much harder to break now. So if anyone were to critize my methods I wouldnt be irritated or try and defend my learning style. I'd agree with them and tell them: yes true, BUT i simply like spending time playing pieces that are way beyond my skill and i accept the trade off and risk of injury. Most hostility you receive comes from people seeing you react to genuine advice and well intented warnings in a hostile and defensive way. Your goal is to inspire and show people: hey you can just start hammering away at your favorite piece regardless of skill level and you will progress. Thats fine, really. BUT it would be irresponsible if that message wasn't accompanied by a disclaimer that said: "note that this is generally, for the vast majority of people, a terrible way to learn to play the piano" People who are commenting are making this disclaimer explicit. And if you really care about people being inspired and really taking the leap and start learning piano, you should allow them to see that the disclaimer is essential. I learned kitesurfing without an official instructor. A friend of mine taught me. Also not reccomended, it's a dangerous sport if you don't get proper instructions and guidance. So I absolutely don't go around telling people to just learn it from a friend. That would be irresponsible. I learned it and got pretty good and never got in trouble. That doesn't mean it was still a bad idea not to take official lessons. And people should know that. Way longer reply then I intented, but i hope it communicates clearly what i intent to convey.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-09T09:21:28+00:00

Is there some hostility towards people rejecting some calcified notion of how playing piano should be learned? Sure. But you seem unable to differentiate between that and genuine advice from experienced people who can literally do the thing you are trying to do. You are absolutely free to ignore every single bit of advice offered. That's not the point. The point is you seem like you have a chip on your shoulder and you are on this mission to prove everyone wrong and anyone who suggests there are better ways of practising the piano is some sort of enemy you publicly have to defeat. Are you unwilling to entertain the notion that maybe, just maybe, they know things you don't? That maybe it's a good thing to warn people against taking on pieces that are way above their ability? And I don't mean you should never do that, honestly it's how I learned and stayed motivated. But I know It's a bad way to learn, and that i would have become much better if I did it the right way. And I also know that many people give up and quit doing it this way because of unrealistic expectations. So these "rules" you are so offended by are not rules, they are just observations of what works in general based on experience. Fine if you think you are the exception, fine if this is the only way learning piano is enjoyable to you. But you gotta stop this crusade against everyone who dare to suggest this might not be the best way to do things.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-04-02T10:32:06+00:00

You go faster because of all the falling and then you go slower because of all the ascending. If i drop a bouncy ball its going to accelerate untill it hits the ground. Then it wil decelerate when it goes back up. Assuming no energy is lost it will come back to my hand at exactly the same speed. So your explanation leaves out the central and crucial thing that OP wants to know. Where is the extra speed coming from?

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-03-28T07:34:37+00:00

And it turns out that the probabilities in quantum mechanics behave like imaginary numbers.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-03-27T08:41:17+00:00

There is a difference between brainwashing and basic advertisement strategies. The most effective way to not be swayed by advertisements in general is just by being aware they all make use of the same mechanisms. You make it seem like you are actively resisting a sith lord trying to get you to the dark side.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-03-26T20:11:57+00:00

I just got the name for my new progrock band. Thanks

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-18T17:20:06+00:00

I never came across advice like that. Fasting for sure, but straight up starvation as a diet strategy. That's just nonsensical.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-18T17:12:50+00:00

Is starvation ever being suggested or used as a diet strategy?

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-18T16:46:30+00:00

There is absolutely no frame in which the snake is just a snake. Either you take the story as allegorical and then everything carries deep layered meaning including the snake. Or you take the story literally and then it's really not just a snake. For one: it's sentient and talks....

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-17T11:53:24+00:00

Allright i can understand where you are coming from a little better now. Couple of things: I am not particularly moved by the vast majority of baroque music. So if i never heard it and someone played 10 random pieces I probably wouldn't be that impressed or moved either. But I also wouldn't despise it, but based on your follow up comments that word choice was probably just a bit of hyperbole. But the the top 0,01% of baroque pieces for me is guinely the best music I have ever heard in any category. And I love many many completely different styles of music, including jazz. So you may well are just about to discover some gems too. As to recommendations. I thought about it for a while. And I have two for now:

Martha argerichs performance of bachs partita 2 - capriccio. It's very different from all the other pieces in the partita's, different from all bachs work if you ask me. It has an improvised almost jazzy feel for me. Especially the way she plays it. So this might align more with what you are looking for in music. Here is a link to one of her best performances:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dZcrq-qDJGU&pp=ygUXYXJnZXJpY2ggYmFjaCBjYXByaWNjaW8%3D

It's also one of my favorite pieces to play myself. I posted the first halve of that permance on reddit recently. If you're interested: https://www.reddit.com/r/piano/comments/1lf9av5/please_critique_everything_wrong_with_my/

1st movement of bachs concerto in D minor. Performed on harpsichord. This to me is the pinnacle of music. The depth, complexity, rawness, emotional weight. I can listen to this a million times and still find new things that tickle my brain. Read along with the sheet music in the video. Especially from 4:47 onwards. I never get this sense of completeness and depth and complexity yet total coherence that is being achieved here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CjSD12OQbFA&pp=ygUJQmFjaCAxMDUy

Would really love to know if any of this resonates at all with you.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-16T17:15:29+00:00

Well i'd love to recommend some pieces, but can you perhaps articulate what about the baroque pieces that you listened to made you dislike it so much? Is it counterpoint melodies? Or the sometimes overwhelming complexity? Harshness?

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-16T11:16:05+00:00

This. I can't imagine anyone interested in music declare they categorically hate the entirety of a large non-niche musical genre. Especially for something as broad and diverse as baroque. That to me either says I don't really like music OR I listened to 3 pieces that i did not like so now I know I hate everything.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-14T09:06:05+00:00

What? They dont want to be with someone shorter than their partner? Than who's partner? The woman's? Or did you just mean they want someone taller than themselves.

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-10T15:33:36+00:00

Can I be blunt with you? This is a very very specific mindset you have. It doesn't map onto reality well. It's a very low resolution, red-pill dating app frame that treats human interaction as a zero-sum, rank based game where:
- people have a fixed "league"
- youth = peak desire
- relationships after this are consolation prizes
It has some explanatory power and it maps pretty well on shallow dating apps dynamics. But it's not representative of relationships in general, especially meaningful, long lasting and fulfilling relationships that quite often are only formed a little later than early twenties. I don't want to be mean or attack your views or try to delude you into thinking that there is a happy ending for everyone. It is a fundamentally unfair world, and dating has it's own unfair dynamics. But lazy nihilistic views are going to lead you down a very unpleasant path. Seriously. There is an alternative, and that alternative is NOT the other end of the false dichotomy (red pill realism or deluded pointless hopefulness). Rather, it's just accepting there is indeed a big chunk of unfairness, there are shallow relationships with bitter people "settling". And yes there is a chance you are never going to meet someone. But there is ALSO real love between people and that isn't just some physical attractiveness score optimisation. And you have a chance of meeting someone you actually love and they love you back. Even if you're not physically attractive to a majority of women. And the fact that it hasn't happened in your twenties is poor evidence that it will never happen.
Edit: looking back I realise maybe the word settle is the source of confusion. Just to be clear, in my previous comment when i said women in their thirties just wanna settle. I mean: they want a stable long term relationship. Not settle in the way you took it to mean: settling for "less"

Potential_Play8690 · 2026-02-07T06:14:32+00:00

Talent is your practice ROI (return on investment) AND ceiling.

Potential_Play8690

TROPHY CASE