Beer before liquor will make you sicker. Is this quote true?

Question

I'm pretty sure most of you have heard the quote/saying :

"Beer before liquor, will make you sicker. Liquor before beer, you're in the clear"

Is there any scientific truth to this?

Answer 1

Yes and no.

If you do so in the right amounts, you'll be fine. That's the 'no' part. Alcohol is alcohol. However, if you start with beer, you metabolize it more slowly, or at least most people will ingest it at a slower rate compared to a shot. So if you start with beer and have 5 and then start taking shots, you're likely to overdo it. You won't realize how drunk you are before you start taking more quickly. If you start with shots, that will get into your system and hit you all at once, and by the time you're on beer you'll be taking in alcohol at a slower rate.

So there's truth to the saying in practice, but scientifically it doesn't make a difference.

Answer 2

Its a myth...It does not matter what you drink or even if you mix your alcohol, it all gets you drunk.....In alberta Canada inorder to be a bartender in any bar or club you are know required to take a responsible server program ( which I have taken 3 times, ugrading on it) and in the course they teach you that it does not matter what you drink or even if you keep switching drinks all night that it will all make you sick one way or another.

Answer 3

I don't know for sure, this friday, we were mixing beer withe liquor, like we were all drinking beer, goldschloger, southern confort, jegerbombs, captin morgan and like everthing the whole night I had a can of beer in one hand and a my bottle of goldscholger in the other and i was fine, however almost everyone else puked, i think its like everything else with drinking it depends on the person

Answer 4

No, its not true.  You can mix them (as long as you do it intelligently) and be just fine.

First, remember that beer has a lower alcohol percentage then liquor.  (~5% per 12ounces instead of 40% for one shot.)  Lets say in your first hour you down three cans of beer, each one 20min apart.  (equal to 3 shots.)  Next hour you down another 2 because your bladder is complaining a bit. (5 shots.)  Now switch to liquor.  The problem is you've got into a rhythm of drinking something.  If you started your evening out with a drink in your hand, you've become used to it, and might/will continue.  This means in the next hour you might drink 4, 5, or 6 shots.  The more intoxicated you were before you switched, the less you'll be able to keep track of time, have good judgement, etc.

If however you start off drinking shots, then move to beer, your switching from the harder stuff to weaker drinks.  If you set a rhythm of drinking shots, then move to beer, you are less likely to get as sick.

Either way, getting sick is only true if you lose respect for the alcohol.  You can get "sicker" by just drinking beer if you exceed your limits.  You can even start with liquor then move to beer, and as long as you drink to much, will still be "sicker".  As long as you drink right, you should feel fine the next day.  (and not throw up the night before.)

EDIT: To the person giving all the right answers a thumbs down, alcohol is alcohol.  It doesn't matter if you get it from beer or wine or spirits.  There isn't any reason why you couldn't get your alcohol from all three in one night if you so chose.  People get sick because they consume to much of it.  Hangover happen because you didn't get enough water while you were drinking.  Instead of giving us all a thumbs down, why don't you explain to us how/why alcohol from beer will "clash" with alcohol from spirits.  I could use a good laugh right now.

Answer 5

It's absolutely a myth.  People react differently to alcohol consumption.

60 Minutes did a story on this a few years ago to prove it was just an old wives tale.

Cheers!

Answer 6

Irish and Bogie are correct and get the cigar.

All the rest is just c**p talked about by ignorant drunks.

Answer 7

that is 100% myth. it makes no difference. i drink shots of liquor with my beers all the time and don't get sick.

Answer 8

yes. try and fnd out for yourself if y ou have doubts.

not really true if you just had one or two beers, but if you get drunk on beer then switch, prepare to do some crazy projectile vomiting!

Answer 9

beer will start to get you drunk, then when you start taking liquor, it sucks up all the water in your body very fast, making you drunker and will probably end up sick or with a worse hang over.    

liquor to beer is just a slower way of getting drunk which should allow your body to adjust "better" than liquor.

so yes the saying is pretty close to accurate for most ppl.