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Alcohol free beer brand Mash Gang is encouraging people to ‘Get Mashed not Smashed’ this January as the brand aims to shift the narrative on the boring month of January for good. Mash Gang wants people to have more fun than ever during the first month of the year, just without the booze! Social circles are increasingly shifting towards alcohol-free choices, reflecting a seismic shift in drinking habits.
Nearly half (48%) of Gen Z drinkers were planning to go alcohol-free at Christmas, contributing to the meteoric rise of the non-alcoholic category – so if people are already giving up the booze over the festive season and having a great time, then it makes sense to continue this into January and the year ahead.
Alcohol Change UK has revealed that 29% of Brits are planning on taking part in an alcohol hiatus in January with almost one in 10 (9%) saying they intend to prioritise improving their relationship with alcohol throughout 2025.
Gone are the days of hiding yourself away and cutting back on fun in January, however. For Mash Gang January is a month of exploration, trying new things, setting goals, and rising above what can be the monotony of dark nights, empty wallets and a feeling of overindulgence post-Christmas. The brand is challenging people to try new things in January, to gather your friends, create memories and experiences, and crucially, remember every second of it.
To show Mash Gang’s commitment to what it is calling the “Death to Boring January” the brand is planning a funeral in its spiritual home in Brighton on Saturday 18 January. The event is set to be complete with a sampling hearse with Mash Gang undertakers handing out free samples of beer, and a wake at Bison Bar @ Sea Lanes, with live entertainment and of course, a finger buffet! Founders Jordan Childs and Michael Baggs will also be giving a eulogy to Boring January of past and throwing a party so everyone can ‘Get Mashed not Smashed” this January.
Global Web Index reported that the number of people choosing to not drink alcohol has risen to 13% in 2024 and the British Beer and Pub Association forecasts that a record-breaking 140 million pints of no- and low-alcohol beer were sold in UK pubs last year. Majestic Wines have also reported a 600% sales spike in its no and low offering, so it is clear non-alcoholic drinks are here to stay.
With sober curiosity on the rise and more people partaking in practices like ‘zebra striping’ non-drinkers now also have a significant sway over where social groups go out. Sixty-five percent of UK adults stated that the preferences of non-drinkers impact their decision, a figure that rises to 85% amongst Gen Z. If so many people partake in sober events with their friends, it only goes to show that we better start having a great time whilst doing it, and that boring January’s need to be a thing of the past.
Jordan Childs, Mash Gang Head Brewer and Founder, said: “At Mash Gang we want to flip January on its head – we’re calling out for people to ditch the notion of a boring January and make the most of the first month by getting Mashed not Smashed.
Ditching the booze doesn’t mean you’re missing out, and the days of cutting back on alcohol equating to cutting out fun are long gone, and social events are evolving.
We want people to dive into sober events with friends and family, drink outrageously good non-alcoholic options and remember it all in the morning.
This isn’t just about surviving January, it’s about thriving, redefining what makes a fun night out and embracing good times through January and the year ahead. We’re giving boring January one last send off with its own funeral in Brighton and we’d love to see lots of friendly faces join us, drink copious amounts of Mash Gang and have a great time.”
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