Quote: As for Hermione's drunkeness, I wonder if someone in the filming misinterpreted butterbeer as an alcoholic drink. The films never really explain it, but
the books to imply that it's the Wizarding equivalent of root beer or ginger beer (and if you listen, Hermione asks for some ginger in her butterbeer
when they order it).
Butterbeer really is alcoholic. I have no idea how alcoholic, though, as it went out of fashion hundreds of years and I don't know how alcoholic normal
beer might have been in the Renaissance. (I wouldn't be terribly surprised if the SCA/Renaissance Faire types have a modern recreation of it, though, the
way they do with mead.) If you went back in time 500 years, it _would_ be the equivalent of root beer.