Oh, thought of a couple other things that will amuse you all and were total "triggers" for me that he's right back into his old mindset:
The reason he slammed the 40oz on the way home was "because he was thirsty". (DUH - "healthy" thirsty people drink water or soda)
He thinks I'm being too hard on him - he's controlling his drinking like a lot of people CANNOT do, and is upset that I don't "appreciate" him doing so.
Then starts on the whole defensive - "at least I'm not sitting at a bar every day" and "I guess I can't do anything right"