11. If someone who is listening to Havdoloh did not hear the brochoh of Hagofen, he is still yotzei his chiyuv of Havdoloh. However, the one saying Havdoloh may not drink the wine before saying Hagofen (תשוה"נ ח"א סי' רנ"ז וח"ד סי' ע').
12. How much to drink. Lechatchiloh, the one saying Havdoloh should drink a revi’is so that he can say a brochoh acharonoh (מ"ב סק"ו). At the very least, he must drink no less than a cheekful (מ"ב סי' רצ"ו סק"ג). If one is in a difficult situation and can’t even drink a cheekful, or bedieved if a person drank less than a cheekful, he has poskim to rely on and does not need to repeat Havdoloh (שו"ע הרב סי' ק"צ ס"ד, פמ"ג, א"א סקכ"ד בשם א"ר).
13. Interrupted before drinking. Lechatchiloh, someone listening to Havdoloh should not speak until the one saying Havdoloh drinks a cheekful of wine. Nevertheless, if one of the listeners did speak, he is yotzei even if the one saying Havdoloh had not started drinking.
14. Chamar medinoh. Lechatchiloh, one should use wine or grape juice for Havdoloh. If one does not have wine or grape juice or it is hard for him to drink it, he may use a beverage classified as chamar medinoh, e.g., whiskey, for Havdoloh (שו"ע סי' רצ"ו ס"ב). Havdoloh is more meikel than Kiddush with regards to chamar medinoh.
15. In some countries, it is hard to determine what is considered chamar medinoh; one must clarify this with local rabbonim. Some poskim hold coffee with an appropriate amount of milk is considered chamar medinoh, but it must be at a temperature low enough to drink a cheekful at once. If necessary, one may rely on this.
