Discover our funny, tongue-in-cheek saying on a range of high quality drink ware. Beer before liquor saying? Some people believe that you should drink beer before liquor to avoid a hangover. Is this true? Do the order in which you drink alcoholic beverages really make a difference? Let’s take a closer look at what science has to say on the matter.
Table of Contents
- 1 How did the saying originate?
- 2 Beer before liquor saying
- 3 Mixing alcohol with energy drinks makes you drunker
- 4 Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear
- 5 Darker alcohols are always healthier
- 6 Older wine is better
- 7 Dark beer is higher in alcohol than light beer
- 8 Beer is a good workout recovery drink
- 9 Puking helps you sober up and prevents hangovers
- 10 Taking Tylenol or Advil before heavy drinking can reduce hangover effects
- 11 Eating before bed will reduce hangover
- 12 Light beer is healthier
- 13 Alcohol kills brain cells
- 14 Coffee and a cold shower will sober you up
- 15 Eating a big meal before drinking will help keep you sober
- 16 Top FAQs:
- 16.1 What is the saying about beer before wine?
- 16.2 Whats the saying about whiskey and beer?
- 16.3 Why do people order a shot and a beer?
- 16.4 What was Ben Franklin’s quote about beer?
- 16.5 What are the alcohol sayings?
- 16.6 What is the drinking rhyme?
- 16.7 Why should you never mix beer and wine?
- 16.8 What does Proverbs say about drinking alcohol?
- 16.9 Does the Bible say you can drink beer?
- 16.10 What is it called when you order a shot and a beer?
- 16.11 Why do you tap your beer on the table after a Cheers?
- 17 Conclusion this post:
How did the saying originate?

The saying “beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear,” is a matter of opinion. Some people believe that most people begin the evening with drinks that have a lower alcohol content, such as beer and wine, and move on to liquor as the evening progresses.
They theorize that if someone gets sick at the end of the night or feels terrible the next morning, they may blame it on drinking order. Another theory is based simply on logic–liquor’s high alcohol content spikes your blood alcohol levels more quickly than does beer (1Trusted Source)
This theory suggests that if you start your evening with liquor and end it with beer, you may be able to slow the subsequent spikes in blood alcohol levels, which could help limit the severity of hangover symptoms come the following morning.
Beer before liquor saying

Although some people may think otherwise, there are no set rules to follow that will guarantee a fun and hangover-free night of drinking.
Everyone reacts differently to alcohol, and consuming any type of alcoholic beverage can lead to an unpleasant morning-after feeling.
The best way to avoid a hangover is to stay hydrated, alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and drink in moderation. If you’re drinking with friends or at a party, make sure there’s plenty of food available so that everyone can stay nourished and hydrated. That way, you’ll have the best chance of waking up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your day!
Mixing alcohol with energy drinks makes you drunker
The energy you receive from caffeine when drinking alcohol can deceive you into thinking you’re not as intoxicated as you actually are. The truth is that the caffeine only masks the sedative effects of alcohol. This can cause people to make poor decisions, such as continuing to drink when they should stop or getting a hangover the next day.
Fact: Energy drinks make us think we’re not as drunk as we actually are, but they don’t stop the shots from physically affecting us. There is one exception, however. Mixing alcohol with diet soda may actually increase intoxication, research suggests. This happens not because of the caffeine content but because diet mixers appear to increase the rate of alcohol absorption, researchers suspect Trusted Source.
Although Red Bull is not the only factor that can contribute to excessive drinking, it’s best to be cautious and avoid this combination. This way, you can remain mindful of your limits and prevent any possible negative consequences from consuming too much alcohol or caffeine.
Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear
The general consensus is that beer is a “softer” drink, and thus can’t lead to drunkenness as quickly as something like vodka shots. But if you switch to hard liquor after drinking beers, the alcohol will hit you too suddenly and usually make you vomit (or so the story goes).
Surprisingly, starting with the hard stuff and then slowing down with beer doesn’t prevent the spins.
Fact: AlcoRehab reports that it’s not the kind of alcoholic beverage or how you mix drinks, rather it is the quantity consumed and in what time frame determines if you will become sick from alcohol. They state that no matter what type of drink it is, too much alcohol quickly can make anyone ill. The key then to drinking any sort of alcohol without becoming sick is moderation and pacing yourself.
Darker alcohols are always healthier
Beers and wines with darker colors are often higher in antioxidants than their light-colored counterparts. The difference is thought to come from the flavonoids in beer and polyphenols in wine.
As a result, many people assume that dark beers and wines must be more nutritious overall..
Fact: If you want to avoid a hangover, stick with lighter colored alcoholic beverages. Darker drinks tend to have more congeners – toxic chemicals created during fermentation – which will make your hangover worse if you drink too much. This rule applies to beer, wine, rum, whiskey, gold tequila and any other dark-hued beverage.
Older wine is better

People believe that wine which is older must mean it’s pricier, enhanced in flavor, and of a higher quality. However, this isn’t always the case.
Fact: According to New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov, the age of a wine depends on its type. Some wines should be consumed within a year of production and don’t tast better after time, while others should be stored in a wine cellar for peak quality. However, if a wine sits past its expiration date, it’s quality won’t increase–in fact, research suggests that the antioxidant content might actually decrease as it ages Trusted Source.
Dark beer is higher in alcohol than light beer
Beer enthusiasts perceive darker beers, like porters and ales, as containing more alcohol. Additionally, these drinks are often assumed to be heavier in taste with higher carb and calorie counts.
Fact: It is widely believed that light beers are in fact lighter in hue, however that is not the only indicator of a light-bodied, lower-calorie brew. The type of grain used is what dictates a beer’s color.
Some dark beers, like stout, have less alcohol and calories than their paler cousins despite misconceptions.
Beer is a good workout recovery drink
According to some research, beer may actually rehydrate athletes more effectively than water. This is due to three key reasons: the vitamins and minerals in beer offer health benefits that plain water does not; carbonation helps quench thirst; and carbs help replenish energy stores Trusted Source.
Fact:In one study, researchers found that sports drinks can rehydrate an exhausted body just as well as water, without the negative side effects of alcohol.
Plus, alcohol’s effects on the liver and pancreas inhibit the transport of digestive enzymes and essential nutrients through the body. This slows muscle growth and repair and interferes with the metabolism of carbs for energy.
Not exactly what the body needs after a long run or lifting session.
Related: what is root beer made of
Puking helps you sober up and prevents hangovers
Vomiting may sound gross, but it’s actually a widely accepted way to prevent or lessen the severity of a hangover.
Fact: If you’re close to vomiting from too much alcohol, it’s likely that there is already too much in your system for you to avoid a hangover the next day.
Taking Tylenol or Advil before heavy drinking can reduce hangover effects
Downing water and popping a pill before hitting the sack in order to avoid a morning headache seems like a good idea. But unfortunately, it’s not effective and can actually do more harm than good. In fact, combining alcohol with any kind of pain reliever can be hazardous.
Fact: According to American Addictions Centers, taking acetaminophen with even just a few alcoholic drinks can be dangerous and lead to severe liver damage. Acetaminophen is found in many over-the-counter cold and flu medicines, such as Tylenol, Excedrin, Midol, and more. It’s also found in many prescription pain relievers, such as Percocet and Vicodin.
If you want to avoid gastrointestinal issues, such as bleeding or ulcers, then it’s best to wait until the next day to take aspirin or Advil when you have a headache. Make sure to chug some Pedialyte with your pill!
Eating before bed will reduce hangover
We’ve all been there- it’s 3 a.m., we’re drunk, and we want pizza. And even though our brain is telling us that eating will help sober us up, we know deep down that this is a terrible idea..
Fact: Although they are comforting, those pizza slices will do nothing to sober you up or reduce the severity of your impending hangover. By the time that pizza hits your stomach, the alcohol you’ve consumed has already been absorbed into your system.
In fact, both alcohol and greasy food can contribute to acid reflux, which could mean you’ll feel even worse in the morning Trusted Source. If you want food to help slow down alcohol absorption, see myth No. 13 below. (But if you binge-drink regularly, a good dinner won’t be able save you.)
Light beer is healthier
A lot of people see light beer as being healthier because it has fewer calories and a lower alcohol content. Although those qualities make it sound healthy, that doesn’t mean it is.
Fact: There are a few things to consider before thinking that light beer is the healthier choice. People may drink more of it to make up for the lower alcohol levels, which would result in consuming more calories than if they stuck with regular brews.
It’s important to keep in mind that any one brand’s “light” beer is only light relative to that brand’s full-calorie counterpart—and calorie counts and alcohol content vary among brands. The number of calories in a product isn’t the sole determinant of how healthy it is, anyway. Heavier, darker beers probably have more beneficial compounds making moderate drinking good for you (*note: see myth No. 3).
Alcohol kills brain cells
Some might think that imbibing alcohol leads to Brain damage, but this is only if you drink excessively. If you stick to moderation, drinking alcohol won’t have any negative effect on your brain in the long term.
Fact: Although it may make you think less clearly, alcohol doesn’t permanently get rid of brain cells. It harms dendrites, which are the small feelers on neurons that send electrical messages from your brain to your body.
Neurons are the Cells that act as communicators, triggering motor responses to physical stimuli. For example, if you touch something hot, neurons carry the message from your nerves to your brain and then back again to tell your arm muscles to move away from the heat source.
When dendrites are damaged, it meddles with the messages they send, which can lead to things like slurred speech and stumbling. Though those effects are usually temporary, it’s worth mentioning that alcohol abuse can cause lasting damage too. According to American Addiction Centers, if an individual drinks excessively over a long period of time, they may start experiencing memory difficulties and major cognitive issues.
Coffee and a cold shower will sober you up
It may seem like a jolt of caffeine will perk you up after alcohol consumption, but it only masks the fatigue.
Fact: If you want to sober up, your liver is probably your best bet. It can process one standard drink – 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, 5 ounces of wine or 12ounces of beer – every hour. If you’re looking for a way to speed up the process though, coffee or cold water won’t do the trick – time will have to suffice on this front.
Eating a big meal before drinking will help keep you sober
While eating before drinking can slow your body’s alcohol absorption rate, it cannot stop you from becoming inebriated.
Fact: Since the body starts to absorb alcohol once it enters the stomach lining and small intestine, if your stomach is empty, you’ll start to feel drunk quicker. Although, even if you have a full stomach, you will still eventually get drunk.
Top FAQs:
What is the saying about beer before wine?
A commonly quoted saying goes like this: “beer before wine and you’ll feel fine.” There are a few theories as to why this is purportedly true: one popular notion states that if you drink wine first and then beer, the carbonation in beer will make it easier or quicker for your body to absorb alcohol from the wine.
Whats the saying about whiskey and beer?
You’ve likely heard the old adage, “Beer before liquor makes you sicker; liquor before beer and you’re in the clear.” Or the phrase, “Beer before whiskey is always risky.
Why do people order a shot and a beer?
You might not know it, but asking for a beer and shot is actually a great way to get two drinks without getting some weird side-eye. And if you’re feeling low-key generous, it’s an easy order for your bartender since all they have to do is pour out a beer and shoot.
What was Ben Franklin’s quote about beer?
“God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy.”
What are the alcohol sayings?
- Toasts for Your Koozies
- Here’s to good friends, strong drink, and happy days!
- May your cup always be full and your problems be small.
- Drink today as if there’s no tomorrow.
- No need to explain – I already know why you’re here!
- Celebrate each day with a glass in hand!
What is the drinking rhyme?
The saying is wrong. “Beer before wine and you’ll feel fine, wine before beer and you’ll feel queer,” many swear by this old saying when drinking, but scientists have concluded it’s a myth.
Why should you never mix beer and wine?
For example, carbonated drinks like beer and sparkling wine irritate the stomach’s lining which then leads to a quicker absorption of alcohol. If someone begins with beer and then add wine or liquor, they may get intoxicated more rapidly.
What does Proverbs say about drinking alcohol?
Do not drink with those who wine and dine excessively, for they will only bring you down to their level of poverty and drunkenness.
Does the Bible say you can drink beer?
The Bible doesn’t explicitly state that you can or cannot drink beer. However, there are passages which allude to drinking and enjoying oneself in moderation. Additionally, the Bible does caution against drinking alcohol excessively because of the potential consequences.
What is it called when you order a shot and a beer?
By Michelle Volansky // April 23, 2021. A boilermaker, a two-step or simply a shot and a beer – whatever you call this classic dive bar combo, it will bring happiness.
Why do you tap your beer on the table after a Cheers?
Fraternity members often say that it’s an old Greek tradition to cheers by tapping their glasses on the bar instead of clinking them. -Others maintain that it’s a sign of respect to the bartender. Some argue that you toast to the future while tapping, but I believe that this acknowledges the past more than anything else.
Conclusion this post:
The beer before liquor saying- it’s true! Drinking beer before liquor can help you avoid getting too drunk too fast. Beer has less alcohol by volume than hard liquor, so drinking it first will help slow down your overall intake. If you want to party like a pro, remember the old adage and drink your beer first!
Echo Reed is the owner and head chef of darkhorse restaurant. She has been working in the culinary world for over a decade, and opened her own establishment in 2018. Echo is known for her unique style and approach to cooking, which has won her critical acclaim from food critics and diners alike.