Curious if anyone has a similar reaction to alcohol

Not asking for advice, just wondering if this is all in my head.

I rarely drink, maybe 6 drinks per year if I’m extra social. To me it’s extra calories and money I don’t need to spend. Last Friday, however, I did go to a bar and get some fruity canned alcohol beverage and later had a whiskey soda. Oh and two jello shots in between.

On Tuesday I began noticing a sore throat and thought it was dehydration, but it got worse and worse. I had no other symptoms related to a virus (no coughing, sneezing, fever, runny nose etc). I got a strep test to be safe and it was negative but my throat was red and swollen. No one around me got sick so I was confused why i was the only person with this severe throat pain causing painful swallowing.

I had something very similar to this about a month ago. Same thing, no symptoms besides really bad sore throat. I was trying to figure out what the similarities between last time and this time, and what I remembered is that last time I had this sore throat was about two days after going bowling and having a cider.

I know alcohol lowers immunity, but I also didn’t drink much. Is it possible I’m having like a weird reaction to alcohol? Like causing inflammation in my throat? It’s so painful. No allergy meds help. It’s so damn painful.