Aibu to suggest alcohol is out of fashion in middle class circles?

[Coffeeandacupcake]

Just an observation, out for dinner with friends last Saturday night. We got taxis in, we always had a booze fest but now my friends have either cut out alcohol completely or stuck to one glass of wine or gin & tonic! Is alcohol going out of fashion in over 40, middle class circles or is it just my friends?

As someone who bought a wine fridge just yesterday, I can't relate.

Drink what you like, no judgement from me but where in the SE are you ?
It's sodding freezing, blowing a hooley and raining in Hampshire, I'm under a duvet working 🙃

I work for one of the biggest alcohol companies in the world, we had a conference last week and 55% of adults in the UK are now moderating their alcohol intake, and 25% of 18-25 years olds don’t drink at all, so things are changing on a large level; our focus brands now also include alcohol free options and the investment is in the alcohol free space, for example Carlsberg have just purchased britvic.

I personally believe that alcohol will be our generations cigarettes (and yes I do have a plan to leave the booze industry at some
point…I’m also nearly 2 years sober!!)

Same. But we class each other as "other people" so we drink most nights 😂

@ComtesseDeSpair Mumsnet is the judgiest, sneeriest and most hyperbolic place on Earth when it comes to alcohol. Pay no attention and enjoy your wine!🥂

I used to live with genuine alcoholic, so it drives me mad when Mumsnet jumps in with “this is alcohol dependency” whenever anyone drinks more than weak lager shandy once a week.

In my 40s too and I think for myself, our social circle have younger kids. All very responsible people who know the next day will be hell with a hangover. A glass of something is my maximum now and I am fine with that. Good conversations or doing something is much preferred than drinking my face off.

I'd be with the over 60s on this holiday - they sound like a blast 😀

I think it's age, alcohol has made me feel sick since my 40s

They are! But after a lifetime of drinking they don’t get ‘drunk’ so that doesn’t really come into it. They’re fun even first thing in the morning. Or maybe they’re just always a bit drunk?? 😂

I believe that poster and think it sounds extremely pleasant! 😁

What a peculiar mindset though - not believing someone because they sound happy, satisfied and successful?!

I think my drinking patterns have changed (50 with DH and friends up to mid-50s). I definitely drink less in one sitting as the idea of a hangover now is just too awful. And I go out less with work since Covid. But still enjoy a few G&Ts or glasses of wine of a weekend. Also now mid-week will have an alcohol free beer rather than a real one. I think society has changed now as others have said - it's perfectly fine to have no alcohol on a night out whereas in years gone by it would maybe have led to questions or assumptions.

It’s amazing how weather is so regional. I’m south east London, and enjoying sunshine and 27 degrees; yet possibly not more than 20-30 miles from you.

It's age, as others have said, particularly for women, some friends of mine have become unable to drink during perimenopause (we're 48 this year). I can happily have up to a half bottle of wine. That feels like plenty at home or in a restaurant if dh and I order a bottle, but in a pub environment that is only two 'rounds' (and that's if you insist on the 175ml 'medium' glass, two large glasses is far too much for me now).

I'm much nearer the coast, it's bloody awful today, definitely not wine weather :-)

In my own experience, it’s my more middle-class mates who drink the most. When I see my more middle-class friends, we tend to drink loads. When I meet up with old school friends, whose background is more similar to mine and a lot closer to working class, they drink less than I typically would.

I drink too much at home, but in the situation described in the OP, we now all drive to meet up, instead of using taxis. This doesn't have anything to do with alcohol consumption - we just all want to get home easily at the end of the evening. Some of us live a long way out of town and no longer relish a 40 minute, high speed taxi-rally down dark country lanes with a (usually) male driver, who then charges £40 for the privilege of making us feel like throwing up our lovely dinner!

No it isn’t 😆

I've noticed this too. I went out for dinner and drinks with some old work colleagues - most of us just above or below 40, and I was an exception having two glasses of wine.

Lots have given up for health reasons or cut back massively. And we all shared a lot about different alcohol free beverages we enjoyed.

TBH I'm one of that crowd really. I can go months without a drink and typically only drink a maximum of 2 drinks when out. I don't like the physical or mental stress the day after.

Or maybe they’re just always a bit drunk?? 😂

This is actually my plan for retirement. Never properly hammered, but alway just tipsy enough to be jolly. Like on Christmas Day when you start with a Buck’s Fizz at breakfast and just carry on, but in a gently paced way so you never feel awful and are still fine at midnight.

Don't think it's a middle class thing particularly but more a general thing - I am not middle class and I don't think most of my friends would think of themselves as middle class, and quite a few of us, including me, don't drink any more. There are lots of nice "zero" options now which reflect the fact that more adults are choosing to go alcohol free.

Personally I think it's a good thing that it's socially acceptable now not to drink alcohol on a night out. Gives people the choice.

No, being sceptical due to defensiveness and boastfulness. There are a lot of fantasists on MN. People who are genuinely comfortable in their own skin don't tend to need to jump to defend themselves from allegations of alcoholism by telling us how fast they can run!

Also @KreedKafer , functional alcoholics are genuine alcoholics too.

I went away with my mum a few years ago and this was my state the entire holiday in order to be able to cope with her 😂A couple of Bloody Marys / Bucks Fizz at breakfast, wine or beer with lunch, cocktails pre-dinner, wine with dinner, espresso martini / whisky after dinner... It made the week a lovely, easy, blurry haze - I was so relaxed the whole time😂

I am joking. She was brilliant and we got on like a house on fire but it could get quite intense when it was just the two of us 24/7!

You know that more than two drinks a week in small glassed is called alcoholism.

@ComtesseDeSpair I am in the midlands, More like mulled wine than chilled Chablis.

Interesting!

Ive noticed it more with my experience of the younger generation as well. I am 35 and my main friend group is aged 31-38 and they booze a lot. For them, a social event usually equals drinking, ie a picnic in the park and there is booze, a pub quiz on a weeknight, a movie night etc.

My boyfriend is 28 and his group is age 22-28 and they barely drink. They can easily go out for a meal and not even consider having alcohol, do a murder mystery at home on a Sat night and no one is drinking, Sunday bbq and no one even thinks about alcohol.

I hear a lot of teenagers are less interested in drinking than my generation was when we were that age, it’s “cooler” now to live that clean, green LA lifestyle where they go to the gym a lot and compare protein smoothie recipes.