Does alcohol really make you better in bed?

Stories that suggest alcohol can make you a better lover are very popular, but what's the evidence behind them?

Alcohol ""provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance" said Shakespeare, but was he right? It is common belief that alcohol helps us lose our inhibitions and can also act as an aphrodisiac (sometimes!). But it's not often thought of as a performance enhancer in the bedroom. I refer you to "brewers droop", the age-old nickname for temporary erectile dysfunction induced by alcohol.

The notion of too much alcohol as a passion killer is backed up by anecdotal and scientific evidence, but this doesn't seem to dampen the media fascination with it as a libido enhancer. Is there any truth behind the notion that a couple of pints can really make you a better lover or is this just another "sexy" science story?