In chassidic circles we have what's called a "farbrengen". You get together with friends or a Rabbi and you throw a few back, and sing some very inspiring hasidic melodies and talk about being a better person a better Jew etc.
people open up a bit and make good resolutions for the future....
The farbrengens when I was in yeshiva were the absolute highlights of those years.
The main farbrengens were those with the Rebbe.
It's something you can't really descibe until you've been there. But it's wonderful. That's using alchohol properly in the right envirnment there.