In biblical times, the term "wine" (Greek:"oinos") was used to describe a range of fermented grape beverages, which could vary in alcoholic content. It's believed that the wine Jesus created at the wedding in Cana was likely different from the wine we typically think of as alcoholic today. It is important to interpret these biblical events within their historical and cultural contexts.
wine is wine EG GRAPE juice
as oppose to vodka EG potato juice
as oppose to cider EG apple juice
thus calling it wine means grapes were added specifically
(grapes can naturally ferment on the vine or in buckets without added yeast.. potatos and apples less much, so easy to understand why they would suggest wine as oppose to vodka)
alcoholic or not, the sci fi story says he made water into grape juice(min standard) aka wine
if you take unwatered grapes fermenting in the sun and throw them into water. it creates wine
if you throw grapes into water to then ferment, it creates wine
if you throw grapes into water, add yeast to then ferment, it creates wine
all methods are true but 'alcoholic proof %' vary.. the former would be low % giddy, the later would be pure alcohol that can knock someone out and maybe blind them if not controlled
all this sci-fi book suggests is the main character put some fermented grapes into water and people got giddy drinking it
..
if we really want to get specific about versions of the story
imagine servants on vineyard using feet to squish fermented grapes(standard old practice) thus having highly fermented grape juice on feet
now imagine they ceremoniously wash feet in trough near church flavouring the water (mmmm wine and cheese(feet sweat))
now imagine jesus asking people to take the water from the trough and then hand around..
ok now read
"Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons."
i personally prefer the version where jews also ceremonially wash feet.... and genitals in said water, due to jews teachings from the torah of "genital discharges" which would be thrush which is yeast to make the grape fermented/flavored water even more potent
but you do gotta love the evolution of pairing cheese and wine (feet sweat cheese flavour and squashed grapes underfoot from traditional vineyard practices)
it wasnt where originally someone drank some pure filtered wine and separately ate dairy cheese at the same table and thought "nice combo"
it was the unfiltered mix of cheesy feet flavour of traditional foot squashed wine people prefered over hand/stone pressed wine.
only later did hand/mechanical pressed wine and separate dairy cheese become paired to try to get the same old stimulation
