As a sommelier and brewer, I can confidently say that the order in which you drink beer, wine, and whiskey does not have a significant impact on how you feel the next day. The saying “beer before wine, you'll feel fine; liquor before beer, you're in the clear” is catchy, but it is not based on scientific evidence or personal experience.
Alcohol affects our bodies regardless of the order in which we consume different types of drinks. The main factor that determines how we feel the next day is the total amount of alcohol we consume, not the specific order. When we drink alcohol, our bodies break it down into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that contributes to hangovers. The more alcohol we consume, the more acetaldehyde is produced, leading to more severe hangover symptoms.
That being said, there are a few reasons why some people may experience a difference in how they feel when consuming different types of alcoholic beverages in a specific order. One possible explanation is that certain types of alcohol, such as darker beers or red wines, may contain higher levels of congeners. Congeners are byproducts of fermentation and can contribute to hangover symptoms. So, if you start with a high-congener beverage like whiskey and then switch to a lower-congener beverage like beer or wine, you may experience milder hangover symptoms compared to the other way around. However, the difference in congener levels between different types of alcoholic beverages is relatively small, and individual tolerances and sensitivities vary greatly, making it difficult to generalize.
Personal experiences can also play a role in how we feel after drinking different types of alcohol in a specific order. For example, if you have had negative experiences with whiskey in the past, you may associate it with worse hangovers, regardless of the order in which you consume it. This psychological factor can influence our perceptions and expectations, leading to a placebo effect on how we feel the next day.
The order in which you drink beer, wine, and whiskey does not have a significant impact on how you feel the next day. The total amount of alcohol consumed, individual tolerances, and other factors such as congeners and personal experiences play a more significant role in determining hangover severity. It's always important to drink responsibly, stay hydrated, and listen to your body's limits.