Traditional Spirited Coffees

• People began mixing coffee with local booze in Europe and the Americas soon after coffee was introduced. Most recipes for Irish, Mexican or Swedish coffee call for between a tablespoon and 1 1/2 ounces of liquor for a large cup of coffee.

  These beverages don't pose a threat to most people's health or safety because they do not contain excessive amounts of alcohol and the hot coffee prevents you from drinking them too fast. This gives your body time to metabolize the alcohol before you drink too much of it.

Drink the Night Away

• Coffee, or any caffeinated beverage, and liquor can be a dangerous combination if you take them to extremes. Some energy drinks, for example, contain more than twice the amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee. Since cocktails made with energy drinks are usually served at room temperature, there is no need to sip them as there is with hot coffee. This means that you can drink faster than your body can metabolize the alcohol, making you more drunk than you would be if you took it slow. You may also consume more alcohol than you otherwise would, because you feel wide awake and energized, and able to continue drinking long after you've exceeded your tolerance for alcohol.

Double Trouble

• Alcohol and caffeine are both psychoactive substances that increase the dopamine levels in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter related to how we experience pleasure. When combined, coffee and alcohol both trigger the release of dopamine in your brain, making them twice as enjoyable as either one would be on its own. This can mean that a cup of Irish coffee is particularly relaxing after a long day, but it can also lead to greater risk of addiction to either caffeine or alcohol if the combination is abused.

Drunker Than You Thought

• Caffeine inhibits some of alcohol's sedative effects, making you feel alert and wide awake despite the fact that you may have consumed more than a moderate amount of alcohol. If you associate sleepiness or delayed motor skills with intoxication, you may not realize how drunk you are if you combine excessive amounts of alcohol with large doses of caffeine in coffee or energy drinks. This can lead to risky behaviors and decisions.