Most people get a little flushed or pinkish from drinking because alcohol causes the skin's capillaries to open up, bringing blood to the surface. This is also why you feel warm or hot when you drink. For some Asian people there is a phenomenon called "flushing" which is a mild to severe allergic reaction to alcohol, caused by an inadequate amount of alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme produced by the liver that breaks down alcohol. People who experience flushing are more impacted by a given amount of alcohol than the norm and are at greater risk for alcohol-induced problems.