It really depends on how much you drink and if you lose control when you do drink. The test for people who do drink is rather simple. Can you stop once you start, or do you go to your tolerance level? To have 1-3 drinks is not a problem. But, if you tend to crave alcohol after you start drinking and blow past a moderated level .. it's a problem.
As far as HRT, alcohol use in cis males tends to redistribute fat to female areas -- breasts, butt, and unforgettably the belly and face and neck. So, IMO, occasional low risk use of alcohol should not effect HRT. But, regular binge drinking and worst case, daily drinking, may add fat to female areas, but grow that belly and increase face fat and remove muscle. Alcohol is not helpful when transitioning.
