While numerous studies show that red wine, darker ales and stouts can help reduce the chances of heart disease (and may reduce atherosclerosis and cataracts by up to 50%), the only real "healthy" way to drink is in moderation. While darker beers also tend to have more anti-oxidants than lighter beer, the unfortunate side of all of this is, no matter what we do, alcohol is a poison to our bodies. Not only is it empty (unusable) calories, but it also: slows down your metabolism, lowers testosterone, increases estrogen, dehydrates you, blocks the absorption of nutrients to muscles, inhibits protein synthesis- it pretty much makes it a completely catabolic in overall consumption.
Besides the 7 calories per gram of empty carbohydrates, it also promotes fat storage. As alcohol destroys testosterone, the higher levels of estrogen leads to increased fat deposits. So not only is too much drinking making you fatter, but it is also making you less efficient as it tears you apart. Alcohol reduces the amount of blood that flows to your muscles (including your heart), which makes them all weaker and causes deterioration. The depression of the central nervous system also leads to not only decreased strength, but loss of sensory and motor control... On a normal night out drinking this all makes sense, but on all-nighters and binge drinking, these effects can compound and last much longer.
So while moderation is key, if getting drunk is the goal of the night, do it the right way. As responsible adults, we can make our own decisions and we know what gets us drunk and how much of what gets us drunk. Take the short route; whether its drinking on an empty stomach (and then eating) or hitting a couple cocktails instead of a couple rounds of beer. Get there faster and lose less muscle in the long run. But do remember, that we train to have good lives, and if that means drinking with our friends, families and loved ones, take a hit for the team. It can be rebuilt...
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