Is This The End Of Drinking Culture As We Know It?

You’ve probably heard the news about Gen Z (those born between 1997-2012) drinking less alcohol, and the same for Millennials (1981-1996), but did you know that Gen X, those born between 1965-1980, may be becoming a generation of non-drinkers too?

Research from research agency Censuswise and drinks brand Eisberg shows that one in five Generation Xers are completely teetotal and over a third are ‘sober curious’ or cutting down on booze. This age group of Brits, between 43-58, is the biggest buyer of wine but increasing numbers are admitting to suffering memory loss, embarrassment, and fatigue after a night of drinking. As a result, 31% of them are drinking less than they were this time last year.

Of course, these hungover symptoms are nothing new. Indeed, many of us will be over familiar with them! But this turn away from alcohol is new, as drinkers are undergoing a trackable attitude change to drink. This change appears to get stronger as the generation gets younger, with under a quarter of Baby Boomers (1946-1994) trying to cut down, but significant rising numbers of teetotallers amongst Millennials and more noticeably, Gen Zers.

Now, most people (particularly after a heavy night) have said, ‘I’m not drinking again’ or something similar, only to find themselves in a similar situation sometime later, so does it actually mean anything when people say they’re planning to cut down? Well, half of Gen X have actually tried alcohol-free options, so they’re putting their money where their mouths are and trying the flurry of No-Lo brands, such as Eisberg themselves. Part of this willingness to try these options appears to be the increase in quality, as 28% say they believe the options have become more appealing. We’ve seen this ourselves – where options used to be extremely limited, there is now innovation and research, resulting in way more exciting No-Lo drinks.

As people become more conscious of issues around wellness, the demand for alcohol alternatives has increased, and so has the research and development of drinks brands in turn. Whether this trend will continue in the same direction no one knows, but if it does, it will be the end of drinking culture as we know it.

If you feel like you want to try a No-Lo alternative for your favourite drink, then we’ve got a couple of guides here and here with suggestions.

The Science Behind your Hangxiety

We’ve all been there. It’s the day after the night before, and following a few too many drinks you wake up feeling majorly anxious. The reason seems unclear: was it an awkward drunken conversation? Did you do something embarrassing? Not necessarily: you’re probably just suffering from hangxiety.

Hangxiety is exactly what it sounds like: that anxious feeling that accompanies a hangover. And according to science, it’s real. Not just real, in fact, but normal – your brain’s rebalancing act after a night on the tiles.

When you drink alcohol, two things in your brain are affected: glutamate (which makes your brain more active) and Gaba (aka gamma-aminobutyric acid, which makes it less active). With every drink, glutamate decreases and Gaba increases, chilling you out, lowering your inhibitions and slowing your reaction time. According to Sophie Ward, a Tik Tok-er who recently posted a now-viral video on the topic, drinking basically makes your brain operate on slow-mo.

The next day, as alcohol leaves your system, your brain works to get the balance back to normal. But it over-compensates. Glutamate spikes, making your brain hyperactive, while Gaba, which would normally calm you down, is suppressed. And so hangxiety – which can last a few hours, days or even weeks depending on how much and how often you drink – is born.

Is there anything you can do to stop it? Not really, apart from moderating your intake. But next time you wake up hangxious, rest assured that it’s totally normal. The friends you partied with are probably feeling exactly the same way – and knowing that can be pretty anxiety-relieving in itself.

Don’t forget to check out our wellness campaign articles on how to make yourself happy and how to improve your mood.

Mindful Drinking: Fine Wine in Half Bottles

If you’re anything like me and my other half, you may be looking at your lockdown alcohol consumption over the past couple of months and thinking ‘oops!’ When did a glass of wine a night become a bottle? Or more sometimes, if we’re honest.

I know that it's unrealistic - in my household anyway - to think that we are going to give up drinking entirely, but we do realise that we can and should tone it down now and think about more mindful drinking. Yes, we’ll take more nights off booze a week but there’s one thing we know would really help: smaller bottles. If the bottle is smaller in the first place, you really have to think about what you’re doing before opening another and often, just that pause to think is enough. With that in mind, I looked for places to find half bottles of wine, but not just any rubbish wine - really good wine. Thankfully, the half wine bottle world is growing quickly, so the choice is now better than it has ever been. Here are some great wines in half bottle that I found of varying styles and price levels for every budget: 

Half bottles of white wine (37.5cl)

Macon Blanc Villages, Louis Jadot, 2018, £8:30 from Morrisons
Soft, easy drinking, melon-scented Chardonnay with a touch of vanilla. 

Chablis, Louis Jadot, 2018, £10.99 from Wholefoods
Cool, dry, classic Chardonnay from Chablis with a characteristic, savoury tang and a leafy note.

Sancerre, Reverdy Terre de Maimbray, 2017 £13 from Dulwich Vintners
Sauvignon Blanc at its most elegant and understated from its spiritual Loire Valley home. 

Kumeu River Chardonnay, New Zealand, 2017 £15.95 from the Little Fine Wine Company
Full-on, fruity Chardonnay with toasty, smoky oak. 

Mas de Daumas Gassac Blanc, 2011, £17 from Dulwich Vintners
A glorious, weighty and aromatic blend of white varieties led by Viognier, from the Languedoc. 

Condrieu, Guigal, 2017 £22.50 from the Little Fine Wine Company
Creamy, apricot and blossom-scented Viognier at its finest from its most famous appellation.

Half bottle of Rosé wine (37.5cl)

Côtes de Provence, Whispering Angel, 2019, £10.95 from the Little Fine Wine Company 
Pale and pretty, dry and complex with a saline tang from one of Provence’s famous producers.

Half bottles of red wine (37.5cl)

Beaujolais Villages ‘Combe aux Jacques’, Louis Jadot, 2018 £6.85 from Tesco & Morrisons
Light in its feet with crunchy, strawberry and raspberry notes. A perfect summer red. 

Rioja Crianza, Beronia, 2017, £7 from Ocado 
Brilliant, concentrated Rioja, packed with spicy red fruit with a touch of tobacco-smoke.

Zinfandel, Seghesio, Sonoma County, 2017, £18.95 from The Little Fine Wine Company
A modern, more elegant style of Zin with notes of damson jam and cinnamon spice.

Chianti Classico, Fontodi, 2016, £14.50 from The Little Fine Wine Company
Old-school Chianti Classico with a cool, mineral core, tangy red fruit and fresh herb notes. 

Morey St Denis, 1er Cru, Lignier, 2013, £21 from Dulwich Vintners
Moreish (!), Burgundian Pinot showing some secondary tobacco and leather notes. Delicious.

Half bottles of Champagne  (37.5cl)

Mumm Champagne, NV, £18 from Ocado 
Rich, brilliant value bubbles from a well-loved house.

Bollinger Special Cuvée, NV, £23.99 from Ocado
Weighty, complex Champagne with toasty, brioche notes.

Billecart Salmon Brut Rosé NV, £ 36 from Dulwich Vintners
The benchmark for elegant pink fizz. Delicate colour with red apple skin and patisserie notes.

If you like this, check out our piece on the best no and low alcohol drinks and Small Beer.