February's issue of Scientific American has a good article on the health benefits of beer. It speculates on some of the mechanisms by which beer can reduce the risk of heart attacks and potentially help lower cholesterol. My only issue with it is that, like every other article I've read about the health benefits of beer, they talk about the advantages of one or two beers and conversely the risks of "binge" drinking. Binge drinking is usually referring to 6 or more drinks in one sitting. So, what's the risk/benefit of 3, 4, or 5 beers?