People Want to Drink. What's Stopping Them?

People Want to Drink. What's Stopping Them?

From VinePair Podcast by VinePair

May 21, 2026 · 36 min · Season 8 · Episode 40

About this episode

The episode discusses the reasons why people want to drink but are consuming less alcohol, focusing on various friction points.

Adam, Joanna, and Zach discuss the quandary that faces the alcohol industry at the moment: people generally want to drink, but are drinking less than they used to. Instead of ascribing this to theories about wellness trends or shifting demographics, what if we looked at the friction points that are keeping people from drinking: cost, social media pressure, an overwhelming array of choices, and more. Please remember to subscribe to, rate, and review The VinePair Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your episodes, and send any questions, comments, critiques, or suggestions to podcast@vinepair.com. Thanks for listening, and cheers! Zach is reading: With LYTT Electric Coolers, Boston Beer Co. Is Running Out of Bright Ideas Joanna is reading: Form Over Function: Why Some Wineries Are Rethinking the Shape of the Bottle Adam is reading: AI Won’t Replace Sommeliers, But It Could Help Save Wine Instagram: @adamteeter, @jcsciarrino, @zgeballe, @vinepair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Hosts: Adam, Joanna, Zach

Topics covered

  • alcohol industry
  • drinking trends
  • social media pressure
  • cost of drinking
  • consumer choices

Keywords

  • alcohol consumption
  • drinking less
  • wellness trends
  • demographics
  • social pressure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Boston Beer Co., VinePair

Books & works: With LYTT Electric Coolers, Form Over Function: Why Some Wineries Are Rethinking the Shape of the Bottle, AI Won’t Replace Sommeliers, But It Could Help Save Wine

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