from my point of view you either are or you are not. I could never moderate at any stage. sure it progressivly got worse but i was never able to moderate.
if there is someone who say drank heavily in college and later in life is a moderate "normal" drinker i'd say they where never an alcoholic to begin with.
My wife for example could and probably still can out drink me with vodka. But i'm the alcoholic she barely ever drinks. and when she does shes not compelled to binge each and every time she can take it or leave it.