The alcohol industry has long relied on young adults eventually becoming regular drinkers.Now, Gen Z is forcing the industry to shift as they embrace "sober-curious" lifestyles and search for quality beverages.A 2025 Gallup poll found that the percentage of U.S.
adults who said that they consume alcohol fell to 54%, the lowest rate in the 90 years it had been tracking.From 1997 to 2023, Gallup found that at least 60% of Americans reported drinking alcohol.
The figure fell to 58% in 2024 and again to 54% in 2025.The alcohol industry faces a new challenge.Rather than simply getting young adults to become lifelong customers, they now must convince them that their product is worth the price.GEN Z STILL DRINKS, JUST EARLIER AS THE 'DAYCAP' TREND BEGINS UPENDING NIGHTLIFEBartesian CEO Ryan Close says consumers are seeking premium experiences, opening new opportunities for the at-home cocktail industry.
(Courtesy of Bartesian)Ryan Close, the CEO and founder of Bartesian, said he is seeing consumers choose quality over quantity.He said they are not looking to consume more or less alcohol, but rather they're searching for better and higher-quality beverage options."I'm not gonna argue with the data, you know, they probably are drinking less alcohol.
I think they're drinking less, but with the expectation that 'I want better,'" he told Fox News Digital, regarding Gen Z's drinking habits.Bartesian makes an automated at-home cocktail machine that allows users to create bar-style cocktails by inserting flavor capsules and adding their own spirits.Close told Fox News Digital that before starting Bartesian, he noticed people were mostly drinking wine and beer at home, despite ordering cocktails while out at bars and restaurants.He said many found cocktails to be too difficult and that they did not want to gather all the necessary bitters and other ingredients.
Despite having years of bartending experience, Close struggled to make a classic cocktail: the Old Fashioned, a flavo...