Yes you can also say " y en beberlo si puede" but only if you are talking in the usted form. If you want to use the "ustedes" form then it is also correct to say "y en beberlo si pueden". All this are correct.

You are right when you say that they are refering in a more general way and not only the person they are speaking to.

how about  "y en beberlo si se puede "
is that ok?

could he have made beber reflexive for use as an all inclusive /impersonal drinking term? like the tirarse example in the previous line?

y en beberse lo si possible

and i wonder if clothing might be a neater translation for ropa? as its singular.

Thank you for answering my queston

Spanishpod team

Lili was nice enough to answered my question.  Unfortunately I left out one word which total changed the meaning of the question.  My question was suppose to be:

In this dialog the man says “y en beberlo si puedes”  - and in drinking it if you can.  I interpret the you here to be a person in general and not just the person to whom he is speaking.  Would it have be just as correct and common for him to say “y en beberlo si se puede”  and in drinking it if one can.  ?   Thanks you

It is grammatically correct to say "y en beberlo si se puede."  Using the tú form here is a way of making it more personal. 

We do this in English a lot, I call it the "locker room you."  That's because when athletes are being interviewed in the locker room, they often say, "you know, when you go out there, you just try to play your best, and then you just gotta leave it all on the court."  

They don't really mean "you," the reporter.  If we were French or German, it might be common to hear "one" as in "when one goes out there, one has to play one's best...." 

But what's really happening is that the athlete is talking about himself/herself, but at the same time putting us in his/her point of view.   "when I go out there... I just try to play my hardest..."

So that's what Leo is doing when he stumbles in; he's speaking about himself, but repersonalizing it so that Esti sees his point of view.

Thank you for answering my question so quickly.  This subject is a little confusing to me.  In school we lean that in Spanish, the impersonal se is used when we, in English, would uses “you” to mean people in general.  For example, you use an umbrella when it rains – se usa una paraguas cuando llueve.  You also did a Pa’ Que Sepas on the subject, thank you.  But I also hear Spanish speakers using “tu” or “usted” when they mean people in general, like in this dialog.   It helps to know that when “tu” or “usted” is used to mean people in general it is more personal.  Would it be uncommon to hear a Spanish speaker say “tu usas una paraguas cuando llueve” when he/she means people in general and are  trying to speak personally?

it would not be uncommon... I think you have a handle on this!  :)  

I'm trying to think of suggestions to help feel less confused... tell me if it's not intuitive.

When you say, for example, "Aquí se habla español" or "Aquí no se fuma..."  in those cases it would seem overly personal to use tú or usted.

However, if you're trying to get someone to relate to you, it sounds more natural: 

Él siempre habla de sus problemas, y sabes, después de un rato, se te cansa, ¿no? He's always talking about his problems, and you know, after a while, you get sick of it, right?

Anyway, stevestrv, if this distinction is not clear to you now, don't worry, this is one of the tiny details that WILL NEVER cause problems or misunderstandings, and you'll pick it up with more exposure.

Thank you very much.  This helps a lot and I think that now as I am exposed to natural Spanish speech and writing with your explanation in the back of my head it will become even clearer.

Stevee