A method for determining the content of ethanol or or another alcohol of at least water and ethanol or liquids (Fl) or liquid samples (Pr) containing another alcohol, in particular of drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and the like, as well as at least an additional content of the liquid (Fl) of extracts and/or sugar and/or fruit acid or the like, wherein the liquid (Fl) located in an analysis cell or flowing through a flow-through cell is irradiated by at least one light source designed with a LED, which emits radiation with a wave length in the range of 900 to 1500 nm, characterized in, - that the IR (infrared) light absorption of broadband IR radiation of the at least one LED, the peak maxima of which are at at least two different wave lengths, is measured without interconnection of a monochromator device and the measured values are converted by electronic means into data at least of the alcohol content of the liquid (Fl), - wherein the liquid (Fl) is irradiated either chronologically successively or practically simultaneously, with a first broadband IR radiation the peak maximum of which lies at a first wave length λ1, at which the absorption coefficient of the ethanol or other alcohol Epsalk λ1 and the absorption coefficient of the water Epswλ1 are at least substantially commensurate among themselves, - and is irradiated with at least a second broadband IR radiation, the peak maximum of which lies at a second wave length λ2, at which the absorption coefficient of the ethanol or other alcohol Epsalk λ2 and the absorption coefficient of the water Epswλ2 are as different from each other as possible, - wherein the peaks of the IR radiation employed have a peak-width at half height of 50 to 100 nm, and - that each of the at least two real absorption measured values currently determined by means of at least one IR-detector by using the linear relationship between alcohol concentration of the liquid (Fl) and the absorption of the IR light by the liquid (Fl) in the case of the respective radiation are supplied to a computing- and output unit for calculation and display or output at least of the alcohol content of the liquid (Fl). - that the IR (infrared) light absorption of broadband IR radiation of the at least one LED, the peak maxima of which are at at least two different wave lengths, is measured without interconnection of a monochromator device and the measured values are converted by electronic means into data at least of the alcohol content of the liquid (Fl), - wherein the liquid (Fl) is irradiated either chronologically successively or practically simultaneously, with a first broadband IR radiation the peak maximum of which lies at a first wave length λ1, at which the absorption coefficient of the ethanol or other alcohol Epsalk λ1 and the absorption coefficient of the water Epswλ1 are at least substantially commensurate among themselves, - and is irradiated with at least a second broadband IR radiation, the peak maximum of which lies at a second wave length λ2, at which the absorption coefficient of the ethanol or other alcohol Epsalk λ2 and the absorption coefficient of the water Epswλ2 are as different from each other as possible, - wherein the peaks of the IR radiation employed have a peak-width at half height of 50 to 100 nm, and - that each of the at least two real absorption measured values currently determined by means of at least one IR-detector by using the linear relationship between alcohol concentration of the liquid (Fl) and the absorption of the IR light by the liquid (Fl) in the case of the respective radiation are supplied to a computing- and output unit for calculation and display or output at least of the alcohol content of the liquid (Fl).