Does hot coffee destroy the alcohol in Kahlua?

Alcohol boils at 78C, water 100C so a significant percentage of alcohol will evaporate off but not all. It does not get "destroyed" as such.


OK ...... Thanks for the info. By the time I put the Kahlua into the coffee the temperature would be below 100C - maybe about 90C. I will have to measure it.
 
  • 1 oz Kahlua in 8 oz of hot coffee. No cream.
  • Does the heat destroy the alcohol?

No. Chemist here. Heat does not "destroy" alcohol in a libation. To remove the alcohol from a liquid, you'd most likely have to "boil it off". Even then you'd remove only about 90% of it. Brewed coffee not hot enough to impact ethyl alcohol at all.
 
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  • 1 oz Kahlua in 8 oz of hot coffee. No cream.
  • Does the heat destroy the alcohol?

No, it's not destroyed.

But if you're really wondering if the alcohol will evaporate; see the link below.

Basically, the 78 degree figure mentioned refers to pure alcohol. This value approaches 100 degrees celsius as the alcohol concentration approaches zero percent.

https://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/phaseeqia/nonideal.html

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That's just it, it's not necessary for all alcohol to evaporate from the drink. For example, I like to add Kahlua in coffee.
 
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