Once in a north African country a local colleague told me the ban on alcohol was in fact just an interpretation, the Koran itself being somewhat vague as such texts often are.
The exact wording is to not let the first drop of alcohol pass your lips.
I've seen muslims spill the firs few drops of their drink out so that it does not pass their lips and drink the rest.
That's right. The intention was to prohibit strong drink.