The beer biz never sleeps at American Craft Beer. And here’s just some of what’s been happening in the beer world while you’ve been enjoying a long holiday break.

Gen Z Shifts On Alcohol Once Again

Gen Z’s relationship with alcohol may be shifting once again. New research suggests that the generation often credited with driving the sober-curious movement is showing less enthusiasm for abstaining altogether.

Data from the Bevtrac survey, commissioned by IWSR tracking consumer behavior worldwide, found that participation in monthlong abstinence among Gen Z drinkers has declined across many major markets.

In the UK, the share of Gen Z drinkers choosing to abstain dropped from 33% in autumn 2024 to 24% in the fall of 2025. Australia saw an even steeper fall over the same period, sliding from 39% to 24%.

Campaigns like Dry January have been especially popular with younger drinkers in recent years, but the latest figures suggest that momentum may be cooling. Declines among Gen Z were recorded in most of the 15 markets surveyed, pointing to what could be a broader change in attitudes rather than a localized blip.

Several European markets followed the same pattern. In France, participation fell from 32% to 24%, while Italy saw a sharper drop from 26 percent to 16 percent. Brazil also dipped, though more modestly, from 39% to 35%. In the US, the trend was largely flat, edging down just one point from 32% to 31%.

Mexico was the lone standout. There, Gen Z participation in monthlong abstinence campaigns actually increased, rising from 31% in fall 2024 to 35% a year later.

Taken together, the overall picture still points downward. Across all 15 markets combined, Gen Z participation in abstinence campaigns slipped from 30 percent in autumn 2024 to 28%  in the fall of 2025, suggesting that while moderation remains part of the conversation, fewer young drinkers are opting out entirely.

Words to Drink By

“Do something you really like, and hopefully it pays the rent. As far as I’m concerned, that’s success.” – Tom Petty, American singer, guitarist, and songwriter

The Brits Rethink Their Beer

Brits are steadily rethinking what ends up in their pint glasses, and the rise of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beer is one of the clearest signs yet. This year, drinkers across the UK are on pace to knock back more than 200 million pints of “no and low” beer—a landmark moment that underscores just how quickly drinking habits are changing.

That total would mark a sharp jump from 2024, when nearly 170 million pints of low- and no-alcohol beer were consumed. According to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), demand is expected to climb by almost 20 percent year over year, with December alone accounting for an estimated 22 million pints as pubs weather the busy holiday season.

The category’s growth has been anything but subtle. The BBPA says volumes have surged by 750% since 2013, fueled by heavy investment from brewers experimenting with better-tasting options and pubs expanding their taps and fridges to meet demand.

And consumers are clearly on board.

Recent research from alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware shows that 45 percent of people drank a no- or low-alcohol option in the past year—more than double the share recorded just three years ago. For an industry long defined by tradition, it’s a telling sign that moderation is no longer a niche choice, but firmly part of the mainstream.