More of science emulating science fiction: the “miracle pill” is similar in effect to one described in Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series (as well as at least three other SF books I’ve read, though I don’t presently recall the names of the others).
Harrison’s version is a little more poetic though: his pill “leaves you stone cold sober and painfully aware of it,” if I recall his phrasing correctly. 🙂 It sounds like this one might not give you any noticeable after-effects. When you think about it, that might be dangerous… you normally pass out before you can drink so much that it will kill you. If this counters being drunk without countering the alcohol itself, that “feature” wouldn’t be able to protect you anymore.
Of course, if you didn’t get drunk after one of these, it’s an open question whether anyone would bother drinking.
Good beer (not the American name-brand drivel) tastes good, and so does decent wine. Though there’s no real reason to drink enough of those to get drunk.
Apparently getting drunk is pretty much the only reason for drinking American beer. 🙂
If you chill American beer to about 40 degrees, cold enough to numb your taste buds, it is “refreshing” a little bit and you can’t notice how bad it tastes. Then again, you could do that to horse piss or Milwaukee’s Best and not notice what it tastes like and have the same effect. But I repeat myself.