# How much can alcoholics really drink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592 "2004-07-05T03:44:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jmwatts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jmwatts/32/17348_2.png) [@jmwatts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmwatts)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/61 "2012-07-07T23:53:35Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > One of my dad’s best friends drank 120 beers a day, combined with cocaine and other drugs, for the last couple months he was alive. Of course, he was a mountain of a man; strongest man in the southeastern US for several years. > > I’ve seen my brother drink over 100 beers in one night and he’s not an alcoholic at all. He also happens to be a monster though, at 6’7" 275lbs, and while not an alcoholic, he was in the Marines, which gave him some good practice. > > I’m sure these are exceptions but not incredibly rare exceptions. Are you serious?! 120 beers a day, if you’re awake 16 hours, averages out to a beer every 8 minutes. He’d be sipping a beer almost constantly at that rate, from the moment he woke up. He must realllllly loved beer! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/62 "2012-07-07T23:58:21Z")
> [@jmwatts](#): > > Are you serious?! 120 beers a day, if you’re awake 16 hours, averages out to a beer every 8 minutes. He’d be sipping a beer almost constantly at that rate, from the moment he woke up. He must realllllly loved beer! And 16 hours awake is pushing it after drinking 5 cases of beer. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/63 "2012-07-08T00:03:23Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > One of my dad’s best friends drank 120 beers a day, combined with cocaine and other drugs, for the last couple months he was alive. Of course, he was a mountain of a man; strongest man in the southeastern US for several years. I think I’ve heard about your dad’s best friend. Another poster here saw him at the gym and mistook him for a woman! (Although to be fair, he thought it was a very rugged woman). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/64 "2012-07-08T00:13:04Z")
When I was a partier I would drink about a pint of vodka in a night and not feel too bad the next day. I was 230lb at the time. My tolerance used to be much less but it never got higher than that, even with effort. Now I’m at 200 and 3 glasses of wine is my limit. Amount of extra water and carbonation can be mitigating factors. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/65 "2012-07-08T00:15:03Z")
Just reminiscing. . . . In my 20s, I’d put back about 8 rum and cokes a night at a dance bar. Then I thought, if they took out the rum, would I ever want to put away 8 of _anything_??? Like, would I order _8 glasses of coke???_ ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/66 "2012-07-08T00:59:28Z")
I suppose someone should comment on the Hollywood factor. While it’s normal to distrust accounts from movies and other works because they are fictional and rely on drama (exaggeration), La La Land also tends to attract real life people who go to extremes, so who knows? A script writer could potentially be using real “data” from a friend of his. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/67 "2012-07-08T01:23:23Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I am really, really, (REALLY) having a hard time buying that _ANYONE_ could drink 2 entire quarts of 80 proof liquor in a 24 hour period and live to tell the tale… There’s no Hollywood factor. Such a person would make Bill Dukenfield look like a lightweight. That’s a lot of alcohol. I don’t know anyone IRL who could pull that off and not end up face-down in a ditch. ETA let’s not be sexist. In a bitch, if you prefer. Chunks of carrot, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/68 "2012-07-08T01:39:44Z")
I used to drink a liter of vodka a day, easy. On a day off work, I could polish off a 1.75 liter. I don’t do that anymore. Joe ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/69 "2012-07-08T02:40:57Z")
Two links: A SDMB threadfrom 2006 regarding [high BAC](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=361356). The [wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_alcohol_content#Highest_recorded_blood_alcohol_level.2Fcontent) with an updated case from 2005 where the BAC was measured at 0.976. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/70 "2012-07-08T03:32:31Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Back when I was still diving down into my own personal hell, I knocked down a handle (1.75 liters) of rum with Coke mixer in about 5 hours. Killed the bottle. I’m still here. > > Thank God I don’t drink anymore. Thank God indeed. I’m a big guy from Wisconsin, and even this made me :eek: Back in my heyday (college) I worked up (not in a good way) to being able to kill a 750 ml bottle of vodka or rum in a single night. The first time I did this, after the hangover subsided, I started to worry about alcoholism (it runs in my family). A full handle - Jesus, man, glad you’re sober now. Because that really is a deadly rate. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/71 "2012-07-08T03:44:43Z")
missed the edit: I’ve known two really heavy drinkers (both now sober), both males One was about my size (~250 lbs) and at his height could probably do about 1000-1250 ml of gin on any given night (he liked gins and tonic.) He mostly escaped the really bad parts of alcoholism because of one night about 4 years ago where he got pulled over, got a DUI, lost his job, did the community service and decided never to drink again. Weird as hell, he didn’t do AA or anything like that, he just said to himself “I’m never drinking again.” and from all appearances, he’s held to that. And he is currently working at a damn bar, for chrissakes. He switched to iced tea and/or red bull, has lost probably 40 lbs and looks better than he has in years. The other guy - a bit smaller, though still a big guy, probably ~220 lb - he told me he realized he had a problem when he was killing a handle every weekend. He got both lucky and unlucky in that his kidneys failed. Unlucky for him on the kidneys. Lucky for him, his wife was a donor match, and the surgery did him wonders. He doesn’t drink anymore, either, and he seriously looks fantastic. Has lost at least 50 lbs, looks 10 years younger. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/72 "2012-07-08T07:06:32Z")
> [@MizGrand](#): > > I am 17 days sober after trying for about four months. I would drink typically a 750 a day of vodka. With an iced tea chaser. So I was basically drinking it straight up. Nasty. > On the 20th of June I didn’t drink and as a result, the next four days were miserable. Profuse vomiting and extreme stomach/abdominal pain. For four days straight. Oh, I didn’t mention that those days were supposed to be my family vacation time out-of-town. I couldn’t go. My husband took my two small boys to Santa Cruz without me. It really sucked. > I’ve been really lucky though. After my detox I haven’t had so much as a craving and am doing really well. My energy is back and I’m interacting with my family much better. I’m actually pretty happy. > Yay me! Yay you! (You did it on your own; that’s dangerous, you know. But you made it.) Glad to hear you’re already connecting better with your family. You might want to get some support to help making this long-term. Things come up, and other people have been there and can help shine a light. Yay you! ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/73 "2012-07-08T10:17:12Z")
I remembered seeing a documentary(yes a real one) either about alcoholics or detox or something where an elderly gentlemen who was a lifelong alkie had apparently just decided to say fuck it and drink himself into the grave. They showed him buying vodka by the GALLON, it was mentioned he did the math and that particular brand and size was the best value for money for amount of alcohol. He would supposedly buy a weeks supply at a time and they showed him buying two or three gallons, his grandson had to help him lift it into some kind of wagon or push cart to take home. I’m trying really hard to remember the name. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/74 "2012-07-08T14:09:08Z")
I’ve done a handle a night many times. Sober now about a year. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/75 "2012-07-08T16:49:48Z")
> [@MizGrand](#): > > I am 17 days sober after trying for about four months. … > On the 20th of June I didn’t drink and as a result, the next four days were miserable. Profuse vomiting and extreme stomach/abdominal pain. For four days straight. … After my detox I haven’t had so much as a craving and am doing really well. My energy is back and I’m interacting with my family much better. I’m actually pretty happy. > Yay me! > [@Becky2844](#): > > Yay you! (You did it on your own; that’s dangerous, you know. But you made it.) Definitely good on you, **MizGrand**. IANATherapist, or any sort of expert on the subjtec, but I would like to pass a long some information that may help you in the long run. Many people face relapse. Others simply decide to quit and do it. One central issue for those that struggle is something called [PAWS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-acute-withdrawal_syndrome) **P** ost **A** cute **W** ithdrawl **S** yndrome. In some ways, it’s related to what is sometimes called a [Dry Drunk](http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/info/a/aa081397.htm). The AA model deems a Dry Drunk someone who doesn’t booze, but hasn’t accepted a higher power. Personally, I am becoming more-and-more staunch in my atheism as I grow older and I find that definition less than helpful. Terry Gorski’s model has been tested and seems to show validity. So, despite your success (or maybe even because of it) you may want to do some research of your own if only to be aware of the vast array of pitfalls in sobriety. I didn’t mean for this to be such a hijack–apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/76 "2012-07-08T17:11:47Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > Thank God indeed. I’m a big guy from Wisconsin, and even this made me :eek: > > Back in my heyday (college) I worked up (not in a good way) to being able to kill a 750 ml bottle of vodka or rum in a single night. The first time I did this, after the hangover subsided, I started to worry about alcoholism (it runs in my family). A full handle - Jesus, man, glad you’re sober now. Because that really is a deadly rate. Yes, I know. Three days later I broke out in handcuffs and my drinking career was over. I almost lost my career, marriage, family, you name it. Bad juju. ---
**Author:** ![listedmia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@listedmia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/listedmia)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/77 "2012-07-08T17:31:55Z")
My late best friend weighed about 120 pounds maximum. She would polish off at least one liter of vodka per day. This is when we were in high school! I drank fairly heavily myself, but I’d take a few days off a week. We absolutely did figure out which brand and size at which store was the cheapest by volume and percentage of alcohol. We were too young to get into bars, but we had a lot of older friends so obtaining booze wasn’t a problem. This lasted until we discovered heroin. Took me a hell of a lot longer to get addicted than her because I made some attempt to not do it every single day, and to ration it out a little bit more. She’d do about 5 times as much as I did per day. It sucked because, even in my depths of dope-fiendery, I could rationalize it as “at least I’m not as bad as her”. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/78 "2012-07-09T06:58:12Z")
> [@listedmia](#): > > My late best friend weighed about 120 pounds maximum. She would polish off at least one liter of vodka per day. This is when we were in high school! I drank fairly heavily myself, but I’d take a few days off a week. We absolutely did figure out which brand and size at which store was the cheapest by volume and percentage of alcohol. We were too young to get into bars, but we had a lot of older friends so obtaining booze wasn’t a problem. > > This lasted until we discovered heroin. Took me a hell of a lot longer to get addicted than her because I made some attempt to not do it every single day, and to ration it out a little bit more. She’d do about 5 times as much as I did per day. It sucked because, even in my depths of dope-fiendery, I could rationalize it as “at least I’m not as bad as her”. _sitting next to you on the bench at the garden party_ “So did we. I did, too. I want to hear _your_ story…” ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/79 "2012-07-09T07:30:18Z")
**SiXSwords/MizGrand,** “dry drunk…white knuckler.” From what I’ve learned, a dry drunk is somebody who is not using alcohol at the time but still thinks like an alcoholic. e.g. a puter-offer. Still not adressing long reaching challenges. A dry drunk is still thinking like a user, locked in just trying not to drink; sober is assessing the damage with no place to hide, and laying the ground work for years worth of change. **Airman Doors, USAF** I am _so_ stealing “broke out in handcuffs.” I’ll swear it came to me in a dream. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592/80 "2012-07-09T10:33:29Z")
I’m a lightweight drinker and a cheap drunk. Always have been. I can remember (on different occasions) a) Killing a 1 litre of Bundaberg (53%) b) Killing a 750 of Glenlivet (at about 17 years old) c) Two of us drinking sank a 1 litre of Jim Beam Black (43%), a 750 of Peppermint Schnapps and a 750 of Baileys. Then I rode my push bike home. So yeah, I could easily see a practised drunk being able to sink 2 litres of spirits - without too much of a problem. FWIW - if you’re drinking with a mixer, (i.e bubbles) you get drunk faster, and ice (so I’m told) reduces the alchohol content (although I’m dubious of this) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-alcoholics-really-drink/253592.md?page=5)