KB - "it's a much cheaper evening when you're drinking fizzy water"   NOT always true, some places charge more for soft drinks than they do for beer, I know as I've been to some of them when I've been driving, and it's very annoying to not only not be able to drink alcohol but to be penalised financially for being sensible! I'd like to blame forgetting words on too much alcohol but I'm afraid most of the time it's just me going blank. There are drinks for which a judicious amount can help the voice, two which come to mind are: port&brandy   and Rum&shrub both of which have a very soothing effect on the throat.