Millenials are making sobriety a lifestyle choice. #soberlife #soberSaturday #soberissexy are all trending instagram hashtags amongst 22 – 37 year olds.
“We don’t need alcohol. We don’t need to pretend to be someone else. We come as we are to sweat, dance and connect with ourselves and each other. See you on the dance floor”. This is the mission of DayBreaker – a worldwide movement of morning of sober dance parties and one of many alcohol free events occurring across the globe. Party-goers are replacing downing a few beers with their mates with “natural happy chemicals” – endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin.
Furthermore, a 2018 report from Berenberg Research found that respondents in their teens and early 20s (Gen Zers) are drinking over 20% less per capita than millennials – who drank less than baby boomers and Gen Xers did at the same age. The analysts concluded that “twenty years of anti-drug, anti-smoking and anti-alcohol education has done its job: it is no longer ‘uncool’ to not drink or take drugs” (Business Insider).
At the same time we are all becoming more aware of our wellness and mental health needs. The Washington Post recently noted that the millenial and Gen-Z driven “sober trend” is part of the burgeoning wellness movement and a shift toward abstemiousness more generally.
Beer companies are responding in an interesting way. In an attempt to keep business alive, they have started brewing wellness beers ie. with just 4% alcohol and a pinch of Himalayan sea salt for an electrolyte boost.
Whether it’s less alcohol or no-alcohol, it’s a welcome healthy lifestyle choice that could benefit us all. “A Hard Earned Thirst needs a big cold beer and the best cold beer is …. (insert name favourite wellness beer!)”.
This is our considered but light and brief introduction to the topic. For more information please check out: