In response to the question:
"What is it that makes people think that drinking large quantities of alcohol / getting drunk / both is somehow clever / funny / special / manly / notable."
The answer to this is actually very complex. Apart from the normal brain/liver damage caused by the ethanol, acetyl aldehyde, and acetic acid circulated through the body as a result of ethanol contact with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), ethanol (the alcohol form found in such beverages as PBR) can undergo a different reaction with an entirely different enzyme. Ethanol will bind allosterically to 1,3-dimethyl 2-chloro 2-trans pent-4-one synthase (DMC transpentonase),which is commonly found in the pancreas to change the conformation of the active site so that it may synthesize DMC transpentone. DMC transpentone is then moved through the bloodstream to the sweat glands in the armpits. The apocrine nature of these glands (secretes sweat by detatching vesicles full of sweat and other compounds as opposed to just by secretion through the membrane) allows the DMC transpentone to pass through the epithelial layers out of the body. DMC transpentone acts as a pheromone that can stimulate the "sex drive" of a female and can act as a signal of dominance to a male. Thus since attracting women and setting a standard of respect and dominance is manly, the consumption of alcohol can lead to manliness. I hope this helps to further your understanding.
Keep that DMC transpentone flowing Ziggy. Enjoy yourself and be safe.