You may have heard this strategy to avoid hangovers: ‘Beer before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.’ Many people believe that they will feel worse if they drink beer before other types of alcohol. We could not identify any medical or scientific evidence to support this claim. Experts conclude that it is the amount of alcohol and the rate of consumption, not the order of consumption, that affect your level of intoxication and your potential hangover. Furthermore, a larger volume of liquid usually takes longer to consume, and beer generally has less alcohol per litre than spirits. If you are drinking beer first, the increased time it will take you to drink the larger volume of beer should mean that you get intoxicated more slowly than if you were drinking spirits first.