While I doubt Koch's trick really has the effect he reports, there are other more-exotic mechanisms of potential action I've not seen mentioned: Perhaps Koch's

While I doubt Koch's trick really has the effect he reports, there are other more-exotic mechanisms of potential action I've not seen mentioned: Perhaps Koch's many years of drinking, and repeatedly using this trick, have resulted in a unique personal gastrointestinal flora that does react to that particular mix of inputs with accelerated alcohol metabolism. Since people can be infected with microorganisms that create alcohol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-brewery_syndrome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto-brewery_syndrome), it seems the reverse should be possible, too. Perhaps the pre-drink concoction even serves as a trained signal, like Pavlov's bell, triggering Koch's flora or liver to accelerate alcohol metabolism processes in anticipation. Inviting Koch in for tests might provide the cheapest initial indicator whether these could be a possibility.