Wine. There is a story in the seventh स्कन्ध of देवी भागवत showing how मद्य happened to be an intoxicant. Once इन्द्र sent out the अश्विनीदेवस् from देवलोक and banned wine to them. They took refuge in च्यवन a great sage. च्यवन conducted a special याग and invited the अश्विनीदेवस् to partake of the यज्ञांश . इन्द्र objected to this and च्यवन had to face इन्द्र in a fight. Then च्यवन produced from the sacrificial fire a demon named मद and he rushed at इन्द्र to kill him. इन्द्र then bowed down before च्यवन and craved for pardon. च्यवन withdrew the demon and tearing him into four pieces put one each in dice, hunting, wine and women. That was how all the four became intoxicating.

In ancient India there were certain social conventions regarding drinking of alcoholic preparations. All those drinks which were intoxicants were not listed as 'Alcohol'. Wine, honey, toddy, juice of sugarcane, juice of Iruppa and Kuṭampuli, and sweet toddy of palm tree were not considered alcohol. सुरा (liquor) chiefly meant पैष्टी (liquor made out of rice paste). Drinking of सुरा was banned to the three castes, ब्राह्मण , क्षत्रिय and वैश्य . If they drank सुरा they had to perform a penance for a year drinking only water or eat long pepper for a year. To be free from the sin of drinking सुरा one should wear dress made of animal hair. Even if one drinks water in a pot in which सुरा was taken, one should observe व्रत for seven days. (Chapter 173, Agni Purāṇa)