Welcome, GoingBerserk. The big thing here is that he can't "cut back." Alcoholism is an all-or-nothing deal. He can't drink any beers. None, zero, zip, zilch, nada. Claiming moderation is an easy way for the A to regain control of the situation by giving you a false sense of security. I would highly recommend Al-Anon, the book Codependent No More, and to stop counting bottles. (((Hugs)))