Is it just me or is alcohol much more popular in Taiwan now than it used to be?

Alcohol, as opposed to bars and open socialising, has always been a big part of Taiwanese culture. The working class drink to deal with stress. Others to bond socially. A signifcant number of people don’t drink at all it’s true. Are people drinking more alcohol? I think it’s possible. Mainly due to consumer marketing.

What’s really increased beyond all reason is the consumption of coffee. The convenience stores figured out that selling cups of coffee was highly profitable, and the product addictive. I just can’t believe how everybody is drinking the stuff now because thirty years ago having a coffee was definitely an occasional social activity only.

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It may just be me, but I see alcohol being used liberally just about everywhere I go. And it’s the super strong 75% stuff too. I find it really dries my hands out if I use too much.

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As for alcohol. Maybe things are changing but when I came here REGULAR people who were drinking over the weekends where a minority, mostly younger than older, even if you also had lower class people drinking like crazy everywhere. But the average Wang was… more into videogames and shit. I really think that the proportion of young people who do clubs and bars in Taiwan is much lower than the ones in Europe or USA.

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They have KTV instead.

You should see what happens when you drink it!

Guy

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Why the hell would anybody do that? :thinking:

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Probably things are exactly the same.
Maybe YOU have changed: more mature, travelled, interesting. Therefore getting lots of invites!

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I think booze is more popular globally due to more people getting a taste for it during the pandemic (specifically “lockdown” periods when everything was shut and they were either bored or depressed).

My home country used to sell 70% drinking alcohol in supermarkets. You had to mix it with water though, drinking it without diluting would burn holes in your throat.

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Just get to the point lol.You want alchohol? You got it.

I have seen a few bottles in proper liquor stores here in the 70~80% range. not expensive either. the writing looks russian, or russian like. never checked the label because I value my organs.

Going to cocktail bars is a huge thing in Taipei. I dont really know many white collar Taiwanese in my circle who dont do that on a semi-regular basis.