Beer Before Liquor: Does Drinking Order Really Make You Sicker?

If you’ve ever been to a party or bar, chances are you’ve heard the classic saying: “Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” This age-old piece of advice suggests that the order in which you consume alcoholic beverages can determine whether you’ll wake up feeling miserable the next morning.

But is there any scientific truth to this widespread belief? Many people follow this rule religiously, while others dismiss it as nothing more than folklore. Understanding the facts behind this popular saying can help you make informed decisions about alcohol consumption and potentially reduce your risk of experiencing unpleasant hangover symptoms.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the origins of this drinking myth, examine what scientific research actually says about drinking order, and reveal the real factors that influence hangover severity.

The Origins of “Beer Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker”

The exact origin of this catchy rhyme remains unclear, but several theories attempt to explain how it became such a widely accepted piece of drinking wisdom.

One popular explanation centers on typical drinking patterns. Many people naturally start their evening with lower alcohol content beverages like beer or wine, then progress to stronger drinks like whiskey, vodka, or tequila as the night continues. When they wake up feeling terrible the next day, they may attribute their hangover to the drinking order rather than the total amount of alcohol consumed.

Another theory focuses on alcohol absorption rates. Liquor contains significantly higher alcohol content by volume compared to beer—typically 40% versus 4-6%. This means that liquor can spike blood alcohol levels much more rapidly than beer. According to this theory, if you spend hours drinking beer and then finish the night with shots of liquor, you might push your already elevated blood alcohol content over the edge, resulting in a worse hangover.

Conversely, the theory suggests that starting with liquor and ending with beer might slow down subsequent increases in blood alcohol levels, potentially reducing hangover severity. However, as we’ll see, this reasoning doesn’t hold up under scientific scrutiny.

What Science Says About Drinking Order and Hangovers

Despite the widespread belief in this saying, scientific evidence does not support the idea that drinking order significantly affects hangover severity.

Here’s why: Alcohol begins absorbing into your bloodstream almost immediately after it reaches your stomach. Whether you drink beer first or liquor first, all the alcohol you consumed during the evening will have been fully absorbed into your system long before you wake up with a hangover.

Your body doesn’t distinguish between alcohol from beer versus alcohol from liquor—ethanol is ethanol, regardless of its source. The liver metabolizes alcohol at a relatively constant rate of approximately one standard drink per hour, and this rate doesn’t change based on what type of alcohol you consumed or in what order.

The key factor that determines hangover severity is the total amount of alcohol in your system, not the sequence in which different types of drinks entered your body. If you consume the same total amount of alcohol, you’ll likely experience similar hangover symptoms whether you drank beer before liquor or liquor before beer.

That said, there’s one caveat: if a particular drinking pattern consistently causes you to consume more total alcohol than another pattern, then yes, it could lead to worse hangovers. For example, if starting with beer makes you more likely to lose track of your drinking and consume excessive amounts, then that pattern would indeed make you sicker—but not because of the order itself.

A Study That Tested the Myth

Researchers have actually put this popular saying to the test. In a controlled study, participants were divided into three groups: one group drank beer followed by wine, another drank wine followed by beer, and a control group drank only beer or only wine.

The results? The order of drinks made no significant difference in hangover severity. Participants who drank beer before wine experienced similar hangover symptoms compared to those who drank wine before beer, when the total amount of alcohol consumed was equivalent.

This research confirms what physiology already tells us: drinking order is largely irrelevant when it comes to hangover prevention.

What Actually Causes Hangovers?

To understand why the “beer before liquor” rule doesn’t work, it helps to know what actually causes hangovers in the first place.

Hangovers result from multiple physiological processes:

• Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and can lead to dehydration, which contributes to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and thirst.
• Inflammation: Alcohol triggers an inflammatory response in the body, which can cause symptoms like difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and mood disturbances.
• Stomach irritation: Alcohol increases stomach acid production and can irritate the stomach lining, leading to nausea and stomach discomfort.
• Blood sugar disruption: Alcohol interferes with blood sugar regulation, which can cause weakness, fatigue, and mood changes.
• Sleep disruption: Although alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, it disrupts sleep quality and prevents restorative REM sleep, leaving you feeling tired.
• Acetaldehyde accumulation: When your liver breaks down alcohol, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that contributes to hangover symptoms.

None of these processes are influenced by the order in which you consume different types of alcoholic beverages.

Factors That Actually Affect Hangover Severity

While drinking order doesn’t matter, several other factors significantly influence whether you’ll experience a hangover and how severe it will be:

Total Alcohol Consumption

This is the single most important factor. The more alcohol you consume, the higher your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises, and the more likely you are to experience a hangover. Higher BAC levels lead to more severe hangovers.

Drinking on an Empty Stomach

Food in your stomach slows the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. When you drink on an empty stomach, alcohol moves quickly from your stomach to your small intestine, where it’s absorbed rapidly, causing faster spikes in blood alcohol levels. Eating before and while drinking can help moderate alcohol absorption and reduce hangover risk.

Frequency of Drinking

Regular heavy drinkers are more likely to reach BAC levels that lead to hangovers. Interestingly, research suggests that repeated heavy drinking may actually increase hangover severity over time, as the body becomes more sensitive to alcohol’s toxic effects.

Genetic Factors

Your genes play a significant role in how your body processes alcohol. Genetic variations affect how efficiently your body metabolizes alcohol and eliminates toxic byproducts. These genetic differences also influence alcohol’s effects on sleep, hydration, blood sugar regulation, and blood vessel dilation—all factors that contribute to hangover symptoms.

Congeners

Congeners are chemical compounds produced during fermentation and aging of alcoholic beverages. They contribute to the color, taste, and aroma of drinks, but they also contribute to hangovers. Darker liquors like whiskey, bourbon, and red wine typically contain higher levels of congeners than clear spirits like vodka or gin, and may therefore cause more severe hangovers.

Smoking

Research indicates that people who smoke while drinking are more likely to experience hangovers compared to non-smokers who drink the same amount. Smoking may intensify hangover symptoms through various mechanisms, including increased inflammation and dehydration.

Hydration Status

Starting your drinking session already dehydrated increases your risk of a worse hangover. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water throughout the evening can help maintain hydration and potentially reduce hangover severity.

Individual Tolerance

Interestingly, studies show that approximately 23-25% of people who drink alcohol never experience hangovers, regardless of their drinking behaviors. This resistance to hangovers appears to be related to genetic and biological factors that aren’t fully understood.

Evidence-Based Tips to Reduce Hangover Risk

Since drinking order doesn’t matter, what can you actually do to minimize your chances of a hangover? Here are strategies supported by scientific evidence:

Moderate Your Consumption

The most effective way to avoid a hangover is to limit how much you drink. The CDC defines moderate drinking as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Staying within these limits significantly reduces hangover risk.

Eat Before and While Drinking

Never drink on an empty stomach. Eating a substantial meal before drinking, and snacking throughout the evening, slows alcohol absorption and helps maintain steadier blood alcohol levels.

Stay Hydrated

Drink water before you start consuming alcohol, alternate alcoholic drinks with water throughout the evening, and drink plenty of water before bed. This helps counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.

Choose Your Drinks Wisely

If you’re prone to hangovers, consider choosing clear spirits over dark liquors, as they contain fewer congeners. However, remember that total alcohol content still matters most.

Pace Yourself

Your liver can only process about one standard drink per hour. Drinking faster than this causes alcohol to accumulate in your bloodstream. Spacing out your drinks gives your body time to metabolize alcohol more effectively.

Avoid Smoking

If you drink, try to avoid smoking, as the combination appears to increase hangover frequency and severity.

Get Adequate Sleep

While you can’t fully compensate for alcohol’s sleep disruption effects, ensuring you have enough time for sleep can help your body recover more effectively.

Know Your Limits

Pay attention to how different amounts and types of alcohol affect you personally. Everyone’s tolerance is different, and knowing your own limits is key to avoiding excessive consumption.

Why the Myth Persists

Given the lack of scientific support, why does the “beer before liquor” saying remain so popular?

Several psychological and social factors contribute to the persistence of this myth:

Confirmation bias: People tend to remember instances that confirm their beliefs and forget those that don’t. If someone drinks beer before liquor and feels sick, they remember it as proof the saying is true, while forgetting times when the same order didn’t cause problems.

Association vs. causation: As mentioned earlier, people often drink beer first and liquor later simply because that’s how social drinking typically progresses. When they get sick, they associate it with the order rather than the total amount consumed.

Catchy rhyme: The saying is easy to remember because it rhymes, which helps it spread and persist even without scientific backing.

Need for control: Having a simple rule to follow provides a sense of control over hangovers, even if that rule doesn’t actually work. It’s psychologically comforting to believe we can prevent hangovers through specific behaviors.

The Real Message About Alcohol Consumption

While debunking the “beer before liquor” myth, it’s important to address broader considerations about alcohol consumption.

Excessive alcohol consumption carries serious health risks beyond just hangovers. Regular heavy drinking increases the risk of liver disease, cardiovascular problems, certain cancers, mental health issues, and alcohol use disorder. Even moderate drinking may carry some health risks for certain individuals.

If you choose to drink alcohol, doing so responsibly and in moderation is essential. This means:

• Understanding what constitutes a standard drink (12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1.5 oz liquor)
• Staying within recommended limits
• Never drinking and driving
• Being aware of situations where you shouldn’t drink at all (pregnancy, certain medications, health conditions)
• Recognizing signs that drinking may be becoming problematic

If you’re concerned about your drinking habits or experience frequent hangovers, consider speaking with a healthcare provider. They can provide personalized guidance and support.

Conclusion: The Bottom Line on Beer Before Liquor

The popular saying “beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear” is not supported by scientific evidence. The order in which you consume different types of alcoholic beverages has no significant impact on whether you’ll experience a hangover or how severe it will be.

What actually matters is the total amount of alcohol you consume, along with other factors like whether you’ve eaten, your hydration status, your genetics, and your overall drinking patterns. All the alcohol you drink during an evening is absorbed into your bloodstream regardless of order, and your body processes it the same way.

The most effective strategies for avoiding hangovers are straightforward: drink in moderation, don’t drink on an empty stomach, stay hydrated, pace yourself, and know your personal limits. While these approaches may lack the catchy rhyme of the traditional saying, they’re actually backed by science.

So the next time someone tries to tell you to watch your drinking order, you can set the record straight: when it comes to hangovers, it’s not about beer before liquor—it’s about how much you’re drinking overall.

Sources:

• National Institutes of Health – Alcohol Metabolism and Hangovers
• PubMed Central – The Alcohol Hangover Research Group Consensus Statement
• PubMed Central – Congeners and Hangover Severity
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Moderate Drinking
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Standard Drink Definition