Is the saying “Beer before liquor, never sicker, liquor before beer, never fear” physiologically accurate?
No. Portland’s Willamette Week interviewed a nutrition expert and a pharmacologist; both nixed the theory. They astutely note that mixing different types of alcohol is generally a bad idea. The reasoning behind the proverb is that it’s easier on your body to absorb weaker alcoholic drinks, like beer, later in the evening. This probably holds some merit. It’s also true that your body tends to process alcohol from carbonated drinks faster. But any piece of advice regarding alcohol consumption that contains the line “never fear” is obviously pretty suspect. Hangovers are thought to be exacerbated by congeners, which are the chemical compounds responsible for the taste and color of various types of alcohol. Darker drinks, like whiskies and red wines, tend to have more congeners. So, lighter-colored drinks
