"Alcoholic drinks were prohibited (by Allah) when there was nothing of it (special kind of wine) in Medina.  

لَقَدْ حُرِّمَتِ الْخَمْرُ وَمَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ  

"Alcoholic drinks were prohibited at the time we could rarely find wine made from grapes in Medina, for most of our liquors were made from unripe and ripe dates.  

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْنَا الْخَمْرُ حِينَ حُرِّمَتْ وَمَا نَجِدُ يَعْنِي بِالْمَدِينَةِ خَمْرَ الأَعْنَابِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً وَعَامَّةُ خَمْرِنَا الْبُسْرُ وَالتَّمْرُ  

ʿUmar stood up on the pulpit and said, "Now then, prohibition of alcoholic drinks have been revealed, and these drinks are prepared from five things, i.e.. grapes, dates, honey, wheat or barley And an alcoholic drink is that, that disturbs the mind.  

أَمَّا بَعْدُ نَزَلَ تَحْرِيمُ الْخَمْرِ وَهْىَ مِنْ خَمْسَةٍ الْعِنَبِ وَالتَّمْرِ وَالْعَسَلِ وَالْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ وَالْخَمْرُ مَا خَامَرَ الْعَقْلَ