The Halacha established that the Beracha of Hagefen covers all other beverages, including hard liquor. The Halacha also states that the Beracha of Hamosi on bread covers both food and beverages consumed during the course of a meal. Interestingly, the Poskim disagree whether the Hamosi also exempts hard liquor drunk during the meal. The Taz (Rabbi David Segal, Poland, 1586-1667) rules that Hamosi does not exempt liquor, since it does not serve to whet the appetite and is not an integral part of the meal. According to him, one must make a separate Beracha of Shehakol on liquor consumed during a meal in which Hagefen was not recited. On the other hand, the Magen Abraham (Rav Abraham Gombiner, Poland, 1637-1682) holds that liquor does serve to whet the appetite, and therefore, it is included in the Beracha of Hamosi. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) in Parashat Naso writes that his father would circumvent this dispute by reciting a Shehakol on a piece of sugar during the meal in order to exempt the arak drunk during the meal, in the event it required a Beracha.
Hacham Ovadia, in Hazon Ovadia, employs the principle of "Safek Berachot L’Hakel" (to be lenient in a case of uncertainty with Berachot), and rules to refrain from making a Beracha on liquor in the meal. The best way to avoid the debacle is to make a Beracha on the liquor before the meal, and that will cover the liquor drunk in the meal. One can also use the method cited by the Ben Ish Hai of saying a Shehakol on a sweet that certainly requires a separate Beracha. This case demonstrates the importance of studying the Halachot of Berachot. It shows that even though there is a "bottom line" conclusion," one also has to learn to navigate the differences of opinions which create uncertainty.
This question also applies to liquor drunk at the conclusion of the meal before Birkat Hamazon. In such a case, the Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) rules that all agree that this liquor is not part of the meal and requires a separate Beracha. Nevertheless, Hacham Ovadia hold that even in this case there is still a doubt, and it has the same Halacha as liquor consumed during the meal. It is best to avoid this situation and defer drinking liquor at the end of the meal to after Birkat Hamazon. The same applies to coffee or tea served at the end of the meal before Birkat Hamazon. It is hard to consider these drinks a part of the meal, and they most likely would require a separate Beracha. Therefore, the best practice is to refrain from drinking them until after Birkat Hamazon. Of course, in a meal in which wine was drunk, the Hagefen exempts all beverages including liquor and coffee served at the very end of the meal.
SUMMARY
If one drinks hard liquor during a meal in which the Beracha of Hagefen is not recited, it is questionable whether the Hamosi covers the liquor. Therefore, one should`avoid uncertainty by saying the Beracha on the liquor before the Hamosi. One should refrain from drinking liquor or hot beverages at the very end of the meal and defer them until after Birkat Hamazon.
