The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word BEERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
B
E
E
R
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Alcoholic drinks" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case alcoholic drinks = beers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BEERS mean?
BEERS noun- An alcoholic drink fermented from starch material, commonly barley malt, often with hops or some other substance to impart a bitter flavor.
- A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc.
- A solution produced by steeping plant materials in water or another fluid.
- A glass, bottle, or can of any of the above beverages.
- A variety of the above beverages.
- One who is or exists.