Yeah it does have a "where the hell will this end" feel to it.
I think drinking is going down in the US and up in Canada and the UK.
It's been a challenge to stay ahead of the US in drinking, but we've been there since, well, forever.
I've never been much of a drinker but I've noticed that even in large cities that dedicated liquor stores frequently go out of business. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with it now being commonly available in grocery stores but my impression is just that drinking is also less popular but I don't know. A quick Google search indicated that this may be true but I haven't looked too deeply into it.It's been a challenge to stay ahead of the US in drinking, but we've been there since, well, forever.
To be honest, I'm not sure we'd miss any US ales, as we brew plenty of our own excellent stuff, and for lagers we have the rest of Europe to pick from. I also know most of my friends, while liking some of your bourbons (or whatever you call them over there), would much rather have something from Scotland or Ireland. Even a blended variety. (Personally I can't stand the taste or even smell!). And as for wines, I'm happy to leave you to your Californian stuff. Nappa valley is okay, but vastly overpriced for what you get. While the UK isn't renowned for its wine-growing, we have rather easy access to the best of Europe (and, admittedly, some of the worst, such is our demand for cheap rubbish) and our commonwealth countries on the other side of the world keep us stocked up with decent stuff as well. So, that leaves... ??
Welcome to your self-imposed sobriety!
Oh. Wait. That's a good thing, right?
What varieties of alcohol can and cannot be sold in grocery stores varies from state to state, but there's a lot of data that suggests that younger people are drinking a lot less than previous generations. Maybe it's something to do with the legality of marijuana? I don't know.
I think weather has a lot of do with it. Big downtown areas in poor weather areas tend to be drinkers although I think Seattle drinks a little less than average.
Best beer in the world is Belgium and costs went through the roof to bring after Brexit. Beer is pretty crap in the UK, there is the odd one that is ok.
Last time I had wild Turkey I ended up in jail so I'll pass. Luckily for me it was in a small town where you got woke up with a cup of tea egg on toast and a good telling off from several police officers.
We fought a war (2 in fact, you splendid chaps helped out) and have football rivalry but getting drunk with Germans was a great experience.
NEIPA Rivals Belgium and Manchester Cloud Water rivals both. The pub is an important part of British culture, the industry has suffered a lot, credit crunch then COVID closed so many that did not re-open.