With the beat on that one. Because I drink when I'm with friends, but usually when we hang out, there's a bottle of wine/beers anyway.
It is more of an unwinding after a long day/week at work. Don't go for drinking alone, as it is the company that matters more to me, and the drinks are more of a relaxant as such, no longer the escape. Don't get into that stage of being unable to see myself home or blabbing my lifestory out to strangers though. (There's the forum for that).
10 years past the age of hard partying and liver murder, hugging toilet bowls and such like.
Keep safe, MetalWounds.