From my experience as a now mostly sober alcoholic (I'll get myself a six pack maybe once a month now), it is often the sugar in the drinks that both makes it go down easy and makes the hangover hell. Back in the bad old days I could put down a 750 of Jack on a night and still manage to get up and make it to work at 430 the next morning for my McDonald's prep shift. The woman I dated at the time sometimes would make me drinks instead, and when she did I would feel like absolute death the next day.

Now am mid 30s and the last 6 pack I drank had me feeling anxious and gross for two whole days. It's not worth it anymore.