About this episode

The episode explores the rise of alcopops in the 1990s and their impact on drinking culture.

Diving deep into all things ’90s. Bright, sugary and brewed to go down far too easily, alcopops arrived in the ’90s with a bang. They blurred the line between soft drink and spirit, encouraged a new generation into the pubs and if you believed the tabloids sparked a youth drinking revolution. This week on Talk ’90s, Miranda is joined by drinks writer Pete Brown to revisit the sticky-sweet rise of Hooch, Bacardi Breezers and Blue WKDs. We take a look at the moral panic that followed and how their legacy impacts how we drink today. • Want an extra mini-pod every two weeks, early ad free episodes and access to merch? ⁠Support us on Patreon Follow us on: BlueSky Instagram TikTok Subscribe to our Spotify playlist • Buy Miranda’s book Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll be helping the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too. • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of…

People in this episode

Host: Miranda Sawyer

Guest: Pete Brown

Topics covered

• alcopops
• 1990s drinking culture
• youth drinking
• moral panic
• soft drinks vs spirits
• drinks industry

Keywords

• alcopops
• Hooch
• Bacardi Breezers
• Blue WKDs
• 1990s
• youth drinking
• moral panic
• drinks writer
• Miranda Sawyer

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Podmasters

Products: Hooch, Bacardi Breezers, Blue WKDs

Books & works: Uncommon People: Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Talk ’90s to me podcast page.