I've experimented with alcohol pre and post workout. I have on occasion consumed vodka + ec pre-workout and every time I do it I have the best ****ing session of my life. I read somewhere that before a certain threshold the stimulant effects of alcohol are greater than the depressive, so I aim for a BAC of about .04 to .06. Every time I drink post-workout, as long as I drink enough water I'm also never sore. Alcohol seems to have the opposite effect on gains than people usually assert. I read a post by Alan Aragon where subjects who consumed alcohol vs. those who didn't maintained the same weight + muscle mass, even though the rest of their diet was calorically equal. It appears that as long as you train, alcohol isn't a bad thing - it could even be beneficial.