Beer is simply not efficient if Drunk Factor is the priority. That's why you have to drink an entire case, loaded with calories, and get a fat belly from drinking 20 beers at a time. Vodka is a good alternative, smooth, doesn't cause hangover. Smirnoff has a line of flavored vodka now that is great to drink straight. Barefoot makes award winning wine that goes great with hot dogs/mac & cheese and it's like 3 aisles over at Wal-Mart. Mad Dog 20/20 has higher alcohol content and is only $3 a bottle but it tastes like panther p*ss. I used to drink it every weekend when I was 13 by saving my lunch money for that and smokes
http://www.alcoholcontents.com/
Some people only like beer, in which case there are much cheaper and better alternatives than Heineken. Malt liquor or "ice beer" are the best value, but taste awful.
Cheap liquor is always the most efficient, and you're right - go clear if you're going cheap, it will give you less hangover problems. Gordon's Vodka was always our drink of choice for cheap drunkenness.
Bumwine does the job well too. Mad Dog, Thunderbird, Night Train, etc. I never had a taste for it myself.