Here's another interesting article about drinking. It's less hard science and more socio-cultural.
For those that will find it too long to read, it basically says that drinking brings what we're doing into the foreground and everything in the background fades away. The notion helps to explain why social experiences are more fun when everyone is drinking, why solo drinkers tend to become depressed and why frat atmospheres thrive among younger drinkers, to name a few from the link.
Definitely a worthwhile read: Malcolm Gladwell - Drinking Games.
http://www.gladwell.com/2010/2010_02_15_a_drinking.html