Summer's Greatest Hits: How to Drink Like an Alcohol Minimalist

What does it actually look like to drink like an Alcohol Minimalist?

This week, as part of Summer’s Greatest Hits, I’m revisiting one of the most downloaded and foundational episodes of the Alcohol Minimalist Podcast, originally released in September 2022.

Being an Alcohol Minimalist isn’t just about counting drinks or adding more alcohol-free days to your calendar. It’s about changing the way you think about alcohol, planning intentionally, paying attention to how alcohol affects your body, and ultimately creating a relationship with alcohol that feels peaceful—not restrictive, stressful, or out of control.

In this episode, I’m sharing practical strategies you can use when you choose to drink, including how alcohol by volume affects what actually counts as a standard drink, why eating before you drink matters, and how slowing down can make it easier to stick to your plan.

I also talk about an important distinction that sits at the heart of the Alcohol Minimalist approach: I don’t drink alcohol with the intention of getting drunk.

If intoxication is the primary reason you want to drink—if alcohol is how you escape, let go, numb out, or create fun—that’s worth getting curious about. Your most peaceful relationship with alcohol might look different than someone else’s, and for some people, that may ultimately mean choosing not to drink at all.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why making a drinking plan ahead of time is an act of empowerment—not punishment or deprivationHow small, 1% improvements can help you build evidence that you are capable of changing your drinking habitsWhy checking the alcohol by volume (ABV) matters, especially with higher-ABV beers like IPAsHow choosing lower-ABV beverages or combining alcoholic and non-alcoholic options can reduce your total alcohol intakeWhy drinking on an empty stomach can cause alcohol to be absorbed more quicklyHow food, mixers, carbonation, caffeine, and other factors may influence your experience with alcoholWhy paying attention to your drinking pace mattersHow alternating alcoholic beverages with water or non-alcoholic drinks can help you slow downWhy you never have to finish the drink simply because it’s sitting in front of youThe difference between intentionally including alcohol in your life and intentionally drinking to become intoxicatedWhy “alcohol makes things more fun” is a belief worth questioningHow to recognize when your most peaceful relationship with alcohol might actually be no alcohol at allThe Characteristics of an Alcohol Minimalist

In the episode, I also share the eight characteristics I believe define an Alcohol Minimalist.

A Question to Consider

If the only reason you want to drink alcohol is because you want to feel drunk, what are you actually asking alcohol to do for you?

You don’t need to answer that question with judgment. Answer it with curiosity.