No, there won’t be a quiz, but as the way we talk about beverage alcohol changes, it’s important to know new terms that have made their way into the industry’s lexicon.
Language is always changing. Need proof? Just look at the 300 new words and phrases Merriam Webster recently recognized as part of the English language – deadass, noob, TBH, the list goes on! While some of these phrases might be more useful than others (What the heck is a petfluencer?? Relax. We tell you later!), it’s important for beverage professionals to keep up with industry terminology. So today we’re here to separate the slang from the science, and give you the rundown on some new terms every retailer should be fluent in now.
Adaptogenic Ingredients /əˌdæptəˈdʒɛnɪk inˈɡrēdēənt / (noun) Herbs, plants and mushrooms that help bodies respond to anxiety and stress. A new class of booze-free, alcohol alternatives contain
these botanicals.
Damp Drinking /damp ˈdriNGkiNG/ (noun) Taking a mindful approach to reduced alcohol consumption without giving it up altogether. Sometimes called moderation.
Day Drinking /dā ˈdriNGkiNG/ (noun) A song by the Grammy-winning country band Little Big Town, but also the favorite pastime of cracking open an alcoholic beverage at barbecues, tailgates and other
daytime hurrahs.
Functional Beverage /fuhngk-shuh-nl bev-rij / (noun) A new trend in bev alcohol. A product made with ingredients that may produce a healthy benefit.
Hazeboi /ˈhāzē boi/ (noun) A passionate beer fan – often seen in a backwards hat, waiting in line outside an obscure craft brewery – who exclusively buys and geeks out about New England IPAs.
Generation Alpha /jenəˈrāSH(ə)n ˈalfə/ (noun) The demographic that will succeed Gen Z. Generation Alpha may not have attained legal drinking age just yet, but in a few short years, they will be your
new customers.
Gluten-free v. Gluten-removed /ɡlo͞otnˈfrē ɡlo͞otn rəˈmo͞ovd/ (adjective) Gluten-free beverages are made with ingredients that never contained gluten, from start to finish. Gluten-removed beverages are made with gluten-containing ingredients, but undergo a process that reduces or eliminates it, making the
final product safer for those with gluten intolerance to drink.
Hang-xiety /haNG zīədē/ (noun) When a bad hangover goes beyond a headache and causes stress hormones to spike resulting in a foggy-headed anxiousness we’d all like to avoid.
Sober Curious /soh-ber kyoor-ee-uhs/ (adjective) A person who becomes more aware of how much booze they consume in order to develop a “healthier” relationship with alcohol. A lifestyle that encourages sobriety but still welcomes people who aren’t ready, or willing, to give up their favorite alcoholic beverages completely
Omnibibulous /omni- + bibulous/ (adjective) Someone who drinks a little bit of everything. Love beer? A sparkling hop water? Even a hard kombucha? Sounds like you’re omnibibulous!
