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

If you’ve ever attended a party or social gathering where alcohol flows freely, chances are you’ve heard the age-old adage: “Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” This popular saying has been passed down through generations as advice for avoiding the dreaded hangover.

But does the order in which you consume different types of alcoholic beverages really impact how you’ll feel the next morning? Or is this just another drinking myth that has persisted despite lacking scientific support?

In this comprehensive article, we’ll examine the evidence behind this common belief, explore what actually causes hangovers, and provide you with science-based strategies for reducing your risk of feeling sick after drinking.

Understanding the Popular Saying

The phrase “beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear” has become deeply ingrained in drinking culture across the United States and beyond. Many people organize their drinking sessions around this principle, carefully planning the order of their beverages to supposedly avoid unpleasant consequences.

The saying suggests that starting your evening with beer and then switching to hard liquor (spirits like vodka, whiskey, rum, or tequila) will result in severe sickness or a worse hangover. Conversely, it implies that beginning with liquor and transitioning to beer later in the evening will keep you feeling relatively well.

Where Did This Belief Come From?

The exact origin of this drinking rule remains unclear, but several theories attempt to explain how it became so widespread:

The Escalation Pattern Theory

One common explanation centers on typical drinking behavior. Many people naturally progress from lower alcohol content beverages to stronger ones as the night goes on. They might start with a few beers during happy hour, then move to cocktails or shots later in the evening when inhibitions are lowered and they’re already feeling the effects of alcohol.

If someone ends up feeling terrible the next day, they may incorrectly attribute their hangover to the order of drinks rather than the total amount of alcohol consumed or the fact that they continued drinking heavily throughout the night.

The Blood Alcohol Spike Theory

Another theory suggests that liquor, with its significantly higher alcohol concentration, causes a more rapid increase in blood alcohol levels compared to beer. A standard beer typically contains 4-6% alcohol by volume, while spirits usually contain 40% or more.

According to this theory, if you’ve been drinking beer for several hours and your blood alcohol level is already elevated, adding liquor to the mix could push you over the edge more quickly, leading to more severe intoxication and subsequently a worse hangover.

The flip side of this theory proposes that starting with liquor might cause you to pace yourself better when you switch to beer, resulting in slower increases in blood alcohol levels and potentially milder hangover symptoms.

The Carbonation Theory

Some people believe that carbonated beverages like beer may speed up alcohol absorption when consumed after liquor. The carbonation could theoretically irritate the stomach lining or affect the rate at which the stomach empties its contents into the small intestine, where most alcohol absorption occurs.

What Does Science Say About Drinking Order?

Despite the popularity of this saying and the seemingly logical theories behind it, scientific research tells a different story. The truth is that the order in which you consume different types of alcoholic beverages has minimal impact on whether you’ll experience a hangover.

How Alcohol Is Absorbed

To understand why drinking order doesn’t matter as much as people think, it’s important to know how alcohol is processed by your body. When you consume an alcoholic beverage, alcohol begins entering your bloodstream almost immediately through the stomach lining. However, most alcohol absorption occurs in the small intestine.

Once alcohol reaches your bloodstream, it doesn’t matter whether it came from beer, wine, or liquor—your body processes it the same way. By the time you wake up with a hangover the next morning, all the alcohol you consumed the previous night has already been absorbed, regardless of the order in which you drank it.

Research Evidence

A study conducted by researchers examined whether drinking order affects hangover severity. Participants were divided into groups that consumed beer and wine in different orders. The results showed no significant difference in hangover severity based on drinking order. What mattered most was the total amount of alcohol consumed and individual factors like body weight, drinking experience, and whether participants ate food.

The key takeaway from scientific research is straightforward: if you consume the same total amount of alcohol, you’ll end up with similar blood alcohol levels and face similar hangover risks, regardless of whether you drank beer before liquor or vice versa.

What Actually Causes Hangovers?

If drinking order isn’t the culprit, what actually causes those miserable hangover symptoms? Hangovers result from a complex combination of factors:

Dehydration

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and causes your body to lose fluids more rapidly. This dehydration contributes to many classic hangover symptoms, including headache, dizziness, and fatigue.

Acetaldehyde Buildup

When your liver breaks down alcohol, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that’s even more harmful than alcohol itself. Acetaldehyde must be further broken down into less harmful substances, but this process takes time. The accumulation of acetaldehyde in your system contributes significantly to hangover symptoms.

Inflammation

Alcohol triggers inflammatory responses throughout your body, including in your brain. This inflammation can cause symptoms like difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and decreased appetite.

Stomach Irritation

Alcohol increases stomach acid production and can irritate the stomach lining, leading to nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain—common hangover complaints.

Blood Sugar Drops

Drinking alcohol can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, resulting in shakiness, weakness, mood disturbances, and fatigue.

Sleep Disruption

While alcohol might help you fall asleep initially, it significantly disrupts sleep quality by interfering with REM sleep and causing frequent awakenings throughout the night. Poor sleep quality amplifies other hangover symptoms.

Factors That Actually Affect Your Hangover Risk

Rather than worrying about drinking order, focus on these evidence-based factors that genuinely influence hangover severity:

Total Alcohol Consumption

This is the single most important factor. The more you drink, the higher your blood alcohol concentration rises, and the more severe your hangover is likely to be. There’s a direct relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and hangover intensity.

Drinking on an Empty Stomach

When you drink without eating, alcohol moves quickly from your stomach to your small intestine, where it’s absorbed rapidly into your bloodstream. This causes faster and higher spikes in blood alcohol levels. Eating before and during drinking slows alcohol absorption and helps moderate blood alcohol levels.

Drinking Frequency and Tolerance

People who drink regularly may develop some tolerance to alcohol’s effects, but this doesn’t necessarily protect against hangovers. In fact, some research suggests that repeated heavy drinking episodes might actually worsen hangover severity over time.

Individual Genetics

Your genetic makeup plays a significant role in how your body metabolizes alcohol and experiences its effects. Genes influence the enzymes responsible for breaking down alcohol, which affects how quickly alcohol and acetaldehyde are cleared from your system.

Genetics also impacts how alcohol affects your sleep patterns, hydration status, blood sugar regulation, and blood vessel function—all factors that contribute to hangover symptoms. This helps explain why some people seem to get terrible hangovers after just a few drinks while others feel relatively fine after drinking heavily.

Type of Alcohol and Congeners

While the order doesn’t matter, the type of alcohol you choose does have some impact. Congeners are compounds produced during the fermentation and aging process that give alcoholic beverages their distinctive flavors, aromas, and colors.

Darker liquors like bourbon, whiskey, and red wine typically contain higher levels of congeners compared to clear spirits like vodka and gin. Research suggests that drinks with higher congener content may produce more severe hangovers, though the total amount of alcohol consumed remains the most important factor.

Hydration Status

Starting your drinking session already dehydrated will worsen alcohol’s dehydrating effects. Similarly, failing to drink water during and after alcohol consumption increases hangover risk and severity.

Smoking

Studies have found that people who smoke while drinking tend to experience more frequent and severe hangovers compared to non-smokers. The combination of alcohol and tobacco appears to have synergistic negative effects.

Mixing with Energy Drinks

Combining alcohol with caffeinated energy drinks can be particularly problematic. The caffeine masks some of alcohol’s sedating effects, potentially leading you to drink more than you otherwise would while still facing the same hangover consequences.

Evidence-Based Strategies to Reduce Hangover Risk

Since drinking order doesn’t protect you from hangovers, what actually works? Here are science-supported strategies:

Moderate Your Alcohol Intake

The most effective way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation or abstain from alcohol entirely. Standard drinking guidelines suggest no more than one drink per day for women and 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. Consuming a substantial meal before drinking and snacking while you drink slows alcohol absorption and helps maintain steadier blood alcohol levels. Foods containing protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates are particularly beneficial.

Stay Hydrated

Drink water throughout your drinking session. A good rule of thumb is to alternate alcoholic beverages with glasses of water. Before going to bed, drink additional water to combat dehydration overnight.

Pace Yourself

Drinking quickly leads to rapid spikes in blood alcohol levels. Instead, sip your drinks slowly and aim for no more than one standard drink per hour. This gives your body time to metabolize alcohol at a manageable rate.

Choose Lighter-Colored Drinks

When possible, opt for clear spirits over dark liquors, and white wine over red wine. While this won’t prevent hangovers if you drink excessively, it may help reduce symptom severity when consuming moderate amounts.

Avoid Smoking

If you smoke, try to avoid doing so while drinking, as this combination appears to worsen hangover symptoms.

Get Adequate Sleep

While alcohol disrupts sleep quality, getting as much sleep as possible still helps your body recover. Avoid setting early alarms after a night of drinking when possible.

Consider Taking B Vitamins and Zinc

Some research suggests that certain vitamins and minerals, particularly B vitamins and zinc, may help reduce hangover severity, though more research is needed. These nutrients support the metabolic processes involved in breaking down alcohol.

The Hangover-Resistant Quarter

Interestingly, research has found that approximately 23-25% of people who drink alcohol report never experiencing hangovers, regardless of how much they drink or their drinking behaviors. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why this is, but genetic factors likely play a major role.

If you’re among this lucky minority, you still face the same health risks from excessive alcohol consumption—you just don’t experience the immediate negative feedback of a hangover that might otherwise moderate your drinking behavior.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most hangovers resolve on their own within 24 hours, severe symptoms warrant medical attention. Seek help if you or someone you know experiences:

• Confusion or difficulty staying conscious
• Vomiting that won’t stop
• Seizures
• Slow or irregular breathing
• Blue-tinged or pale skin
• Low body temperature
• Vomiting blood or substances that look like coffee grounds
• Severe abdominal or chest pain

These symptoms could indicate alcohol poisoning or other serious complications requiring immediate medical intervention.

The Bigger Picture: Alcohol and Health

While this article focuses on hangovers, it’s important to recognize that hangovers are just one small piece of a much larger picture regarding alcohol and health. Regular excessive drinking carries serious long-term health risks, including:

• Liver disease, including fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis
• Increased risk of several types of cancer
• Cardiovascular problems
• Weakened immune system
• Mental health issues, including depression and anxiety
• Cognitive decline and memory problems
• Increased risk of accidents and injuries
• Relationship and social problems

If you find yourself frequently drinking to excess or experiencing problems related to alcohol use, consider speaking with a healthcare provider. Many effective treatments and support systems are available for people who want to reduce their alcohol consumption or stop drinking entirely.

Final Thoughts

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 little to no 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, how quickly you drink it, whether you eat food, your hydration status, your individual genetics, and various other factors—but not the order in which different drinks pass your lips.

The most reliable way to avoid a hangover is to drink in moderation or not at all. If you do choose to drink, eating before and during drinking, staying hydrated, pacing yourself, and getting adequate sleep will do far more to reduce your hangover risk than any supposed “rule” about drinking order.

Rather than trying to game the system with drinking strategies, focus on developing a healthier relationship with alcohol that prioritizes moderation and mindfulness over myths and misconceptions. Your body—and your future self—will thank you.

Sources:

• National Center for Biotechnology Information – Alcohol Absorption and Metabolism
• National Center for Biotechnology Information – Hangover Research
• National Center for Biotechnology Information – Factors Affecting Hangovers
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Alcohol and Public Health
• World Health Organization – Alcohol