Many substances have been said to induce sexual desire and to enhance intercourse. The use of alcoholic beverages is one of the oldest libido stimulators and it is still one of the most widely used aphrodisiacs worldwide.

Ovid states in his "Ars Amatoria" that real intoxication is ugly, but to pretend to be drunk can often be helpful because any (unintentional) bad manners or movements during sexual intercourse can be blamed on your feigned drunkenness. Most of us have also heard Shakespeare's famous line: "it provokes and it unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance."

So, what do you need to know about drinking and sex?
Sex Drive
First of all, a moderate quantity of alcohol will reduce anxiety and let people release their inhibitions. Therefore, having a drink or two during social events will help men get over their shyness and facilitate approaching women. This is especially true with strongly inhibited men who are scared of rejection or for those who experience performance anxiety. While we don't advocate using alcohol as a crutch to get through social situations, we don't see the problem with using a little bit of the stuff to loosen up.
Shyness In Bed
A light change in mood from the alcohol will also relieve nervousness and leave room for freedom of sexual expression. Whether you are in a relationship or at a club looking for a one-night stand, if you are looking to spice things up, try loosening up with a drink or two. It will simply bring down barriers that one would normally not cross. See, a responsible amount of alcohol makes drinking and sex a lot of fun.
Limit Your Drinking
However, watch out how much alcohol is consumed. In general, half a gram of pure alcohol per 2.2 pounds of body weight is the maximum recommended dose because everything above that could reduce one's amorous capabilities. For example, someone weighing 165 pounds could drink half a bottle of wine before a sexual encounter without being at risk of delivering a poor performance. The amount of alcohol affecting someone's sex drive is specific to each individual. Therefore, it is important to know your limits.
Don't Abuse Alcohol Intake
Consuming too much alcohol can lead to serious consequences. Aside from impotence and poor performance, alcohol can lead many guys to be overly aggressive toward members of the opposite sex and force them into unfavorable situations. The focus of this article isn't about these extreme situations, but we have to mention that by abusing alcohol, some men can be overly aggressive and things might get out of hand.

AskMen.com's take on drinking and sex continues with how alcohol affects women and the differing types of booze..Alcohol And Women
Alcohol doesn't only affect men; it also sets the mood for members of the opposite sex. Studies published from the 1994 British scientific journal Nature have claimed that the intake of alcohol can increase the levels of libido in women. According to this research, alcohol raises the testosterone level of women, which, coincidently, entices those who lack sexual interest and desire. According to Dr. Weil, "additional small amounts can dramatically increase the libido. For women who lack sexual interest and desire, the treatment can be life-changing."

Alcohol relieves shyness, unwanted inhibitions and permits greater sexual expression. But do all types of alcohol deliver the same effect or is one better than the other?
Absinthe
Some alcoholic beverages are believed to be especially potent. For example, absinthe was a widely used aphrodisiac by Europeans, especially French artists and intellectuals at the end of the 19th century. Absinthe consists largely of an alcohol-based extract of wormwood, Artemisia absinthium, a plant, which is rich in toxic compounds such as the essential oils thujon and thuja. This alcoholic beverage was prohibited on March 16, 1915, because of its toxicity and habit-forming properties. Therefore, a variety of alcohols such as beer, liquor and wine can be consumed to increase your sex drive.
Beer
Beer is probably the least powerful aphrodisiac alcoholic drink. The alcohol percentage in beer is low, meaning that more liquid has to be consumed to raise men's testosterone levels to hit that "comfortable" level. Most beers are very nourishing and filling, and when too many of them are consumed, they can create an unpleasant stomachache. Drinking too much beer will make men go to the washroom more often, as well as create a bloating sensation. The effects of being bloated surely don't entice sexual encounters and won't lead men to seek out sexual opportunities.

Yet, some special beers have a local reputation for increasing libido. For example, Murphy's, the Irish brewer, launched oyster stout beer as an aphrodisiac drink because the brew contains extracts of oysters from the west coast of Ireland.
Liquor
Several liquors developed in old monasteries have been attributed aphrodisiac effects. Chartreuse (especially the green variety) and Benedictine are known to increase libido. Also in Guadalajara, Mexico, Crema de Damiana is produced from the allegedly aphrodisiacal plant Turnera diffusa. This world-renowned drink is supposed to increase libido and counteract male impotence.

Other liquors have the normal effects of relieving shyness and inhibitions. Most liquor has considerably high levels of alcohol. Since we all know what tends to happen when a man drinks too much -- very poor performance in bed -- it is important to control how much liquor is consumed.
Wine
Port wine is said to be one of the most aphrodisiac alcoholic beverages around. This drink, which originated in Portugal, is said to promote lovemaking -- especially when served with strawberries. Select white port wine instead of the red variety, because it appears to have a more aphrodisiac properties.

Wine is a classic aphrodisiac, especially when suitably spiced. For instance, red Burgundy wine mixed with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and sugar is known as Hippocras' Aphrodisiac. Aside from being a potent aphrodisiac, wine is also known for being a good mood setter.

However, it is important to control how much of it is consumed. Watch out because consuming excess amounts of wine can lead to drowsiness, which is the last thing you want when trying to enhance a sexual mood.
Drinking Dalliances
As you can see, drinking and sex do go hand-in-hand, as long as it's done responsibly. Yes, we know that sentiment has been beaten to death, so take this piece of advice instead: Don't drink too much or you run the risk of coming down with a case of whisky dick.