The message that Generation Z (born between 1997-2012) are eschewing alcohol has been big news in recent years. However, the data doesn’t seem to support that statement.

For the sake of a rational discussion, let’s absolutely not think of the Gen Z children here and just consider those young people on the right side of legal.

A recent study by UCL concluded that contemporary young adults are not just imbibing, they are binge drinking. The research found 68 per cent of those in their early 20s report consuming six or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting in the past year and 29 per cent of them say they regularly do. That doesn’t feel like a downward trend, but is there any basis for comparison?

Well, back in 2005, 29 per cent of the same demographic reported binge drinking at least once a week. Exactly the same amount. Admittedly, that number was down to 18 per cent in 2013 and has crept back up. But the fact remains that by looking at broadly comparable data, young people appear as likely to partake in an alcoholic tipple as much as any generation before them, and are just as likely to fall into the trap of excessive consumption.

While the continued tendency towards binge drinking is bleak, young people have one great new advantage. They are blessed with a landscape characterised by choice in a way we have never seen before. Thanks to those options, they are embracing moderation more regularly than they embrace excess. Club Soda’s 2025 Drinks for Everyone reports that 37 per cent of young people are consuming alcohol-free beers, wines or spirits weekly – that’s four times the rate of over-55s.

Combining that information with the University of Sheffield’s recent assertion that the people, of any age, most likely to drink alcohol-free drinks regularly were the same ones who drank alcohol to “risky” levels. Extrapolating out, I would suggest that while some young people are undeniably drinking to excess, as a cohort they are also more mindful of the potential harm it can do. Perhaps more than any set of twenty-somethings before them.

All of these studies combine to build a general picture of young people’s relationship with alcohol not really having changed so much, but their new access to product choice has made it much easier for them to moderate their consumption in social situations. They might use zebra-striping, for example – alternating between standard drinks and low-or-no alcohol alternatives.

And who can blame them? When I started writing about alcohol-free beer, nearly 10 years ago, you could quite comfortably try them all. In one afternoon. The market was small, but quality was on the up. Fast forward to 2026, and it is claimed that more than 1,400 British breweries are producing alcohol-free products. That is absolutely wild. If accurate, some two thirds of British brewers now have their own alcohol-free line. It’s certainly not a fad.

Unfortunately, not all alcohol-free products are up to standard yet. Some examples are, frankly, awful. Some new ideas ultimately don’t make it. There are still a handful of brewers selling hop water to a small, but deeply loyal following, for example. But, one by one, they are quietly being dropped from production.

Full disclaimer: I viscerally dislike hop water. I have no time for any flavoured water or hard seltzer either. I am a devotee to the cult of flavour, and these dilute drinks lack the power or the structure to gain my approval.

And flavour is the key to success in the alcohol-free sphere. Once you’ve made the decision not to drink alcohol, your next choice is what to have instead. The only sensible answer is “something delicious”.

The big brewers know that. All of the macros have invested heavily in crafting zero per cent versions of their biggest brands. Asahi commissioned research last year that found Gen Z was looking for alcohol-free drinks that “elevate occasions – aesthetically, functionally, and through taste”. I can’t tell you what most of that means, but I do understand that flavour is a key driver.

Buxton brewery is one of many independents using the same playbook – creating Axed, an alcohol-free take on its flagship beer, Axe Edge. They say Axe Edge’s “quality, boldness, hop-forward flavour and freshness were used to create an alcohol-free (AF) beer that supports and echoes those values”.

The good news for us all here is twofold. Buxton underwent a significant amount of development work to get Axed’s recipe right. So, first off, it does taste good. It is a credible beverage. But more interestingly, the level of attention to detail and extra quality procedures demanded by brewing an AF beer has actually helped the brewery to drive improvements in its processes across all its beers.

It would seem that the increasing level of choice on the market is not just making moderation easier but also helping to improve quality for consumers of all generations.