Young Men Aren’t Drinking—and the Industry Should Pay Attention to Why

BY KATE DINGWALL9 MIN READ. THE WINE ENTHUSIAST

There’s a scene in Animal House where toga-clad 20-somethings are hooting, hollering, chanting and chugging sticky beers. 

After premiering in 1978, the movie quickly became the rubric for drinking as a dude in your early 20s, with an emphasis on beer pong-playing, keg-standing and overall debauchery.

Lately, however, something has shifted. Men in their 20s are drinking less, spending less and just generally staying home more, at least according to recent research. Encouragingly, young men are binge drinking less than they used to. 

Few are fretting the downfall of the drunken frat party. But this trend does raise some interesting questions for the adult beverage industry as a whole. Many are wondering what is driving this change and whether Gen Z men may be alienated from wine, spirits and beer for good. 

“That’s the big question in the industry right now,” says Britt West, CCO of Gallo Wines & Spirits. “Is this sales slump structural? Is it cyclical? How much of it is the economy?”

Hangovers, “Hangxiety” and Money Woes

Gender aside, it’s a weird time to be 29 and under. Covid-19 dampened many 20-year-olds’ prime partying years, which, in turn, affected how they socialize. According to a recent report, 61% of young people report having increased financial anxiety, 58% feeling lonely and isolated and over half feeling depressed since the pandemic.

“With bars and social venues closed for extended periods, this age group missed out on the traditional ‘training ground’ for adult social drinking,” says Brian Rosen, founder of adult beverage private equity firm InvestBev. “As a result, we’re seeing lower overall consumption because of this delayed embrace of drinking culture compared to Millennials or Gen X at the same age.”

Hospitality professionals have taken notice. “It seems rare that I serve any Gen Z guests,” says Matt Colvin, the beverage director at Maxwell Alley. “When I do, it’s like they don’t know how bars or restaurants work. Ordering, communicating, or even navigating a menu seems difficult for them.” (See: the Gen Z stare.)

Are these broader generational trends hitting men harder? Some in the industry suspect yes. 

We spoke with several Gen Z men about their drinking habits, and their responses underlined the post-Covid trends outlined in the Edelman report. (We’ve omitted their last names due to the sensitive nature of the topic.)

Will, a 23-year-old who works in construction management, blamed hangovers for his lack of a relationship with alcohol, while other men we surveyed cited mental clarity, “hangxiety” and impaired social skills. Others were more concerned about their physical fitness. 

“I graduated college in the Covid era, right when TikTok exploded,” says Noah Susskind, the 27-year-old co-founder and CMO of Juan Please, a line of spirit-based, low-sugar RTDs. “All of a sudden, people were scrolling through and saw men hitting their fitness goals and said oh, he’s ripped and he’s not drinking. It has a huge stronghold on our generation.’” Now? 73% of Gen Zs go to the gym, compared to 54% of Gen X. 

Peter Flores, co-founder of Juan Please, says he drank in high school and college because he was watching American Pie and other “movies about house parties broken up by cops.” 

“We were trying to replicate that,” he says. “For women, it was Sex and the City, where women sit around and drink wine with their friends. This generation doesn’t have those movies. They have TikTok.”

Rolling the Dice with Other Vices

As the cost of living rises, Gen Z are feeling the pinch. If they do have money to spend, those dollars are competing with other “vices” that have become far more accessible in recent years, like gambling, gaming and cannabis.

Many of these alternative dopamine sources court young men specifically. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, young men are gaming more and working less. Platforms like FanDuel, Stake, ESPN Bet and DraftKings (which are responsible for 95% of sports betting in the U.S.) have brought betting online, and Gen Z men are particularly susceptible to digital sports betting: 25% of men under the age of 45 have bet on sports or racing online, according to an Intuit Credit Karma study. 37% of Gen Z gamblers reported being addicted—14% more than all other demographics.

Drinks industry pros hypothesize that these trends are impacting the way young men relate to alcohol. 

“There’s more competition for that ‘drinks spend’ today, from sports betting to YouTube, TikTok and endless streaming content,” says Cooper Spirits’ Executive Vice President Jon Holecz. 

Cigarette sales are down, but Zyn (a nicotine pouch) is in. These hobbies add up. “Between online gaming, gambling, Starbucks and Zyn, we’re talking about $40–a-day habits from this generation,” says West. “We have these competing forces in beverage alcohol like never before.”

Vices aside, Gen Z isn’t exactly flush with cash and disposable income. It makes sense that they’re not crushing multiple brews at their local bar throughout the week. 26-year-old Max says money is his biggest worry. “Gen Z is broke, and cocktails and beer in the city can go upwards of $25 a drink.”

Bye Bye Binging, Hello Mindful Consumption

The tides could be changing. Research firm IWSR shows that alcohol consumption is upamongst Gen Z. Among the young men he serves, Ari Stevens, owner of the natural wine bar and bottle shop Good Clean Fun in downtown Los Angeles, has observed a trend towards more mindful consumption.

“Gen Z guys are drinking, but not like we did,” he says. “We don’t see as many Gen Z customers as we’d like in general, but the guys who do come in are super dialed in. They’re not crushing IPAs or ordering vodka Red Bulls. They’re asking us about skin contact, sulfur, native yeast. They’re showing us wine memes. It’s awesome.”

Stevens feels that the vibe has shifted from “get drunk” to “get curious,” and he loves to see it. “They’re not drinking to party,” he says. “They’re drinking to learn something, try something new, impress a date or just [to be] in the know.”

Italian oenologist Silvia Bacci, who runs Dalla Botte Wine Club, has noticed growing interest from younger men, between the ages of 22 and 30. “They often come in groups ranging up to 20 people,” he says. “For them, wine is less about complexity and more about enjoying good times together.”

This more intentional drinking isn’t great for sales numbers, but it’s positive from a social perspective. “Resetting our relationship with alcohol is a good thing,” says Colvin. “I come from a generation that purposefully dropped shots of Jägermeister into a glass of Red Bull to chug. Our goal was pretty clear back then.”

Is it such a bad thing that high-octane drinking isn’t as hip anymore? Colvin sees the silver lining. “I think an entire generation of people who aren’t binge drinking in their prime ‘party years’ might lead to a more thoughtful and responsible group of consumers.” 

Getting Men Excited About Wine

If Gen Z men are drinking, albeit more mindfully, then how can the beverage industry better welcome them into the fold? West believes it starts with marketing—few wine brands are speaking to the 20-something men demo.

According to the Wine Institute, women purchase 57% of the wine in the United States. Marketers know this. “In the ‘90s, merchandisers and brands started to attract that specific shopper that was in the grocery store,” says West. “It became a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy and over time, wine was marketed more and more towards women.”

Brands like Layer Cake, Skinny Girl and Little Black Dress aren’t really for the boys. The biggest celebrities in wine are actresses like Cameron Diaz, Sarah Jessica Parker and Reese Witherspoon.

“Where are the wine brands that are supposed to be introducing wine to a young male consumer?” asks West. 

The growing sobriety movement has high-profile advocates like Tom Holland, Lewis Hamilton and Zac Efron, young men who have talked about their journey away from alcohol. Profoundly influential, if controversial, figures like Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate have also been public about their sobriety—it helps them hustle. Stay fit. Achieve financial goals. 

What’s Next?

To welcome 20-something men back into the world of wine, spirits and beer, brands have to get to work. 

“It’s going to require the entire industry to dedicate itself,” says Gallo’s West. “Suppliers, we have to make brands and styles that are relevant to young men. Wholesalers, how can we sell these wines to customers? How do we staff train a new generation of folks on premise and in independent wine shops to carry wines that are less expensive, more approachable?”

West wants to see more wine brands in sports arenas and concert venues—basically, places young people go. He has high hopes that TetraPaks, which can be brought to the beach and beyond, will make it big.

“I’m optimistic, but I tell people all the time that hope is not a strategy,” says West. 

Holecz, of Cooper Spirits, is meeting the digital generation where they live: “We’re reaching this audience by showing up exactly where they are. Our strategy focuses heavily on geo-targeted media, paid social and partnerships with creators who speak their language—whether that’s through sports culture, music, or online entertainment.”

Dean Foerter, executive director of Wine Country Ontario, has noticed the gap between wine and young men. So their recent campaigns include younger winemakers. “We’re profiling a bunch of up-and-comers because we want that generation to see themselves in wine,” he says.

They also opened a pop-up in downtown Toronto, where they pour local bottles as DJs spin. If young drinkers aren’t coming to wine country, bring wine country to them. “We can’t rely on them coming to you.”

Perhaps this generation of men is learning to love wine on their own terms.

“As long as humans have been alive, there’s been alcohol,” says Foerter. “I don’t like putting the emphasis on drinking though—wine is culture. We just need to tweak the wine drinker lifestyle to make the category more accessible, participative and welcoming of younger people, especially younger men.”

Hey, few would complain if the raging kegger gave way to convivial wine and cheese parties—even if it’s far less entertaining to watch on screen.