Americans are drinking less. That's killing Dry January.

"Angelo Warren has never poured as much hard liquor in his 10 years of bartending as he has over the past few months. Even this January, when there would typically be a pullback, has been pretty busy. His bar does a lot of corporate events where attendees drink for free, and people who would typically take it easy around their bosses are cutting loose. "I've had to cut off hosts of parties because they're drinking too much," Warren, who lives in Chicago, says."

"Dry January is hitting a little different this year and, frankly, a little damper. Bartenders like Warren say fewer patrons seem to be partaking, and that drinkers seem to be giving themselves some grace on a month of complete sobriety. It's not that we're all becoming lushes - it's that the culture around drinking continues to shift in nonlinear ways. More people are moderating and drinking less overall, which may alleviate the desire to take a full month off."

Bartenders report heavier pouring of hard liquor recently, with corporate events fueling higher consumption even in January. Sales outside events remain steady and customers show a renewed preference for strong drinks rather than mocktails. Fewer patrons are observing strict Dry January abstinence, and more drinkers are allowing themselves moderation or a lighter approach to sobriety. Public rhetoric around alcohol has cooled from alarmist to pragmatic, acknowledging social benefits for some. Many Americans who overconsumed during the pandemic recalibrated their habits, and peak adoption of Dry January appears to have passed, reducing its cultural cachet.

Read at Business Insider