If you’ve ever been to a party or bar, chances are you’ve heard the popular rhyme: “Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” This age-old wisdom has been passed down through generations, supposedly offering a foolproof way to avoid the dreaded hangover.
But does this advice actually hold up under scientific scrutiny? Let’s dive into what research tells us about drinking order and whether the sequence of your drinks really matters when it comes to how you’ll feel the next day.
Understanding the Popular Drinking Myth
The saying suggests that drinking beer first, followed by liquor, will make you feel worse than if you reverse the order. This belief is so widespread that many people plan their entire drinking evening around it, carefully selecting their beverages to avoid the supposedly catastrophic consequences of mixing drinks in the wrong order.
But where did this notion come from? The origins remain unclear, though several theories attempt to explain its popularity.
Common Theories Behind the Saying
One explanation is purely observational: people typically start their evening with lower-alcohol beverages like beer or wine, gradually moving to stronger drinks as the night progresses. When they wake up feeling terrible, they may attribute their misery to the drinking order rather than the total amount consumed.
Another theory revolves around how quickly different types of alcohol affect blood alcohol concentration. Liquor contains significantly more alcohol by volume than beer—typically 40% compared to 4-6%. The idea suggests that ending with high-proof spirits can rapidly elevate already-high blood alcohol levels, pushing you past your tolerance threshold.
Conversely, some believe that starting with liquor and finishing with beer might slow the rate at which your blood alcohol rises, theoretically reducing hangover severity.
What Science Actually Says About Drinking Order
Despite the widespread belief in this drinking rule, scientific evidence paints a different picture. Research shows that the order in which you consume alcoholic beverages has minimal impact on whether you’ll experience a hangover.
Here’s why: alcohol absorption begins immediately when it reaches your stomach and continues in your small intestine. Your body doesn’t distinguish between alcohol that came from beer versus liquor—it all gets absorbed into your bloodstream and metabolized the same way.
By the time you wake up with a hangover, all the alcohol from the previous night has already been absorbed and is being processed by your liver. The sequence in which you drank different beverages becomes irrelevant.
The Real Culprit: Total Alcohol Consumption
What truly matters is the total amount of alcohol you consume, not the order. Whether you drink three beers followed by two shots, or two shots followed by three beers, your body receives the same total amount of alcohol.
Your blood alcohol concentration, which directly correlates with hangover severity, depends on how much you drink overall, not what you drink first or last.
Why Some People Might Notice a Difference
If you’ve personally experienced worse hangovers with a particular drinking pattern, you’re not imagining things—but the explanation likely differs from what the rhyme suggests.
When people start with beer, they may drink more slowly and feel fuller due to beer’s carbonation and volume. When they switch to liquor later, they might not realize how much additional alcohol they’re consuming because spirits are served in smaller volumes but pack a much stronger punch.
This pattern can lead to overconsumption, making it seem like the order mattered when the real issue was simply drinking too much total alcohol.
Factors That Actually Influence Hangover Severity
Research has identified several factors that genuinely affect your likelihood of experiencing a hangover and its intensity:
Total Alcohol Intake
This is the most significant factor. The more you drink, the higher your blood alcohol concentration climbs, and the worse you’re likely to feel the next day. There’s a direct correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and hangover severity.
Drinking on an Empty Stomach
When you drink without eating, alcohol moves rapidly from your stomach to your small intestine, where it’s absorbed even faster. This causes quicker spikes in blood alcohol levels. Having food in your stomach, especially foods high in protein and fat, slows alcohol absorption and helps moderate its effects.
Hydration Status
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and can lead to dehydration. Dehydration contributes significantly to hangover symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. Drinking water between alcoholic beverages and before bed can help mitigate these effects.
Drinking Frequency and Tolerance
Interestingly, both infrequent and very frequent drinkers may experience worse hangovers. Occasional drinkers have lower tolerance, while research suggests that chronic heavy drinking may actually intensify hangover symptoms over time, despite tolerance to alcohol’s immediate effects.
Genetic Factors
Your genes play a significant role in how your body metabolizes alcohol and how you experience its effects. Genetic variations affect enzymes responsible for breaking down alcohol, influencing everything from how quickly you get drunk to how severe your hangovers are.
This explains why some people seem immune to hangovers while others suffer intensely after just a few drinks—studies suggest approximately 25% of people rarely or never experience hangovers regardless of how much they drink.
Congeners in Different Alcohols
Congeners are chemical compounds produced during fermentation and aging that give alcoholic beverages their distinctive flavors and colors. Darker liquors like whiskey, rum, and red wine typically contain higher levels of congeners than clear spirits like vodka and gin.
Research indicates that drinks with higher congener content may cause more severe hangovers. This factor relates to the type of alcohol you drink, but not the order in which you drink it.
Mixing Alcohol with Smoking
Studies show that people who smoke while drinking tend to experience more frequent and severe hangovers compared to non-smokers who consume the same amount of alcohol. The combination appears to intensify negative effects.
Sleep Quality and Duration
Alcohol disrupts normal sleep patterns, reducing REM sleep and overall sleep quality. Poor sleep contributes significantly to how terrible you feel the next day, compounding typical hangover symptoms.
Effective Strategies to Minimize Hangovers
Since drinking order doesn’t matter, what actually works to prevent or reduce hangover symptoms?
Moderate Your Intake
The most effective strategy is simply drinking less. Pace yourself, set a personal limit before you start drinking, and stick to it. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water or non-alcoholic beverages helps reduce total alcohol consumption.
Never Drink on an Empty Stomach
Eat a substantial meal before drinking and continue snacking throughout the evening. Foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats are particularly beneficial for slowing alcohol absorption.
Stay Hydrated
Drink water consistently throughout the evening. A good rule of thumb is one glass of water for every alcoholic drink. Before bed, drink additional water to combat dehydration overnight.
Choose Your Drinks Wisely
If you’re prone to hangovers, consider opting for clear spirits over dark liquors, as they typically contain fewer congeners. However, remember that the total amount you drink still matters most.
Get Adequate Rest
Allow yourself enough time for sleep after drinking. While alcohol-induced sleep may not be as restorative as normal sleep, getting sufficient rest still helps your body recover.
Know Your Limits
Pay attention to how different amounts and types of alcohol affect you personally. Everyone’s tolerance and reaction varies, so understanding your own body’s responses helps you make better decisions.
Debunking Other Common Alcohol Myths
The “beer before liquor” saying isn’t the only myth surrounding alcohol consumption. Here are a few other misconceptions:
Coffee Sobers You Up
Caffeine may make you feel more alert, but it doesn’t accelerate alcohol metabolism or reduce blood alcohol concentration. You’ll just be a more awake drunk person.
Mixing Different Types of Alcohol Makes You Drunker
What matters is the total amount of pure alcohol consumed, not whether it came from different sources. Three beers contain roughly the same alcohol as three shots of liquor, regardless of whether you mix them.
Eating After Drinking Prevents Hangovers
While eating before or while drinking helps, eating after alcohol is already absorbed won’t reduce your blood alcohol level or prevent a hangover that’s already in motion.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While occasional hangovers are uncomfortable but generally harmless, certain symptoms warrant medical attention:
- Severe confusion or difficulty staying conscious
- Vomiting that won’t stop
- Seizures
- Slow or irregular breathing
- Pale or blue-tinged skin
- Extremely low body temperature
These symptoms could indicate alcohol poisoning, a serious medical emergency requiring immediate care.
If you find yourself regularly drinking to the point of severe hangovers, or if alcohol is affecting your daily life, work, or relationships, consider speaking with a healthcare provider about your drinking patterns.
The Bottom Line on Drinking Order
The catchy rhyme “beer before liquor, never been sicker” makes for memorable advice, but it doesn’t stand up to scientific scrutiny. The order in which you consume different types of alcoholic beverages has virtually no impact on whether you’ll wake up with a hangover.
What really matters is how much you drink in total, whether you’ve eaten, your hydration status, genetic factors, and other variables that affect how your body processes alcohol.
If you choose to drink, the most effective way to avoid a hangover is straightforward: drink in moderation, stay hydrated, eat before and during drinking, and know your personal limits. No clever drinking order can substitute for responsible consumption.
Rather than worrying about which type of alcohol to drink first, focus on the factors that actually influence how you’ll feel the next day. Your future self will thank you for paying attention to quantity and overall drinking habits rather than relying on folk wisdom that lacks scientific backing.
Sources:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – Alcohol Metabolism and Biomarkers
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – Alcohol Hangover Research
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – Factors Influencing Hangover Severity
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Alcohol and Public Health
⚕️ Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information provided has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, taking supplements, or starting any health regimen. Individual results may vary.