Upper Bottom

Is a rock-and-roll lifestyle a shortcut to hitting rock bottom?

Cess invites his musical pals Louis Brennan and Tom Bowen, who both stopped drinking during the pandemic, to explore the dangerous dance between sonic creativity and intoxicants.

It's a wild jig – and a level lower than usual for Upper Bottom listeners. Indeed, Tom reveals that he was shocked into giving up boozing after a doctor said he had only a year left to live if he didn't change his lifestyle.

However, the episode is timely, given the tragic premature death of musical megastar Liam Payne. RIP.

Booze News items:

UK Addiction Treatment Centres: Liam Payne: A talent lost – Alcoholism, struggles, and tragic death (https://www.ukat.co.uk/blog/celebrity/liam-payne-a-talent-lost/)

The Independent: Donald Trump reveals real reason he doesn’t drink alcohol (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-reveals-real-reason-he-doesn-t-drink-alcohol/ar-AA1t5Lzt)

BBC: Pub garden smoking ban dropped from government plans (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c79ze8gv1w4o)

The Independent (via MSN): ‘I wish I’d never taken it’: More young people seeking rehab as ketamine addiction spirals in the UK Story by Holly Evans (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/i-wish-i-d-never-taken-it-more-young-people-seeking-rehab-as-ketamine-addiction-spirals-in-the-uk/ar-AA1tqBwF) 

#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety
#rockandroll
#sobermusicians

#UpperBottomPodcast

#sobermovement

To mark episode 40, co-hosts Ollie and Cess have a heart-to-heart about the progress of the podcast, which began in February.

They've packed a lot in the last nine months, spoken about their troubles and interviewed the great and the good in this space – but has it all been a form of therapy, albeit in a public forum?

The soul-searching comes as listener numbers are stubbornly not rising – but does that matter? What's next for Upper Bottom? Have Ollie and Cess been cured? Or is that when complacency sets in?

Watch this space ...

Booze News items:

Newcastle Chronicle: Newcastle nightclub packed out as top DJ hosts city's first ever sober rave (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/newcastle-nightclub-packed-top-dj-124051796.html)

The Grocer: Alcohol industry rages as duty set to go up in line with inflation (https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/alcohol-industry-rages-as-duty-set-to-go-up-in-line-with-inflation/697266.article)

Daily Mail: Ozempic could be dished out to help curb boozing and prescription drug addiction

(https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13974337/Ozempic-dished-help-curb-boozing-prescription-drug-addiction.html)

The Telegraph (via MSN): Dear Richard Madeley: My recently sober friend blames me for his drinking behaviour (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/celebrity/dear-richard-madeley-my-recently-sober-friend-blames-me-for-his-drinking-behaviour/ar-BB1qIMNI)

#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

When Ollie was drinking, "October 31 sounded the starting pistol to a one-person race for which there were no winners – apart from the venues where I would jollily buy outrageous Yuletide rounds," he writes in his latest Low No Drinker Magazine column.

"I can now detect, while scrolling back through my phone to revisit nightmares of past Hallowe’en parties, the grinning glee of the two months of booze-heavy chaos about to ensue," he continues. "In my head, it permitted me to go on the sesh three – or more – times a week until the end of the year."

Do you feel the same? If so, we have got you.

The so-called Golden Quarter can seem especially scary for newly sober people, but Cess and Ollie arm listeners with the tools necessary to battle and win this busy party season.

Just don't expect Cess to join you on your axe-throwing night out ...

Booze News items:

Financial Times: Competitive socialising pulls Britons from the pub (https://www.ft.com/content/d4bbda55-c203-44be-bc32-3b4c481b2eba)

ITV News: Grolsch drops alcohol content amid sales slump and tax rules on weaker brews (https://www.itv.com/news/2024-10-21/grolsch-drops-alcohol-content-amid-sales-slump-and-tax-rules-on-weaker-brews)

Evening Standard: What is drinkflation? (https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/what-is-drinkflation-b1189176.html)

Insider (via MSN): I went to my favorite Halloween theme park events sober. They were even scarier — and more fun. (https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/i-went-to-my-favorite-halloween-theme-park-events-sober-they-were-even-scarier-and-more-fun/ar-AA1sAePF)

Daily Mail: White Britons are dying faster than other ethnic groups because of their drinking and smoking habits, latest figures show (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13981531/White-Britons-dying-faster-ethnic-groups-drinking.html)

#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast
#halloween

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

Of no-or-low beer, wine, and spirits, the latter sub-category has most underwhelmed Cess since he started his sobriety journey on January 1, 2023 – can this week's guests change his mind?

The co-hosts are joined by Michael Allen, Co-Founder of Scotland-based Naesip, producer of a non-alcoholic gin, called Munroe (much to Cess's excitement), and Casa Lumbre Spirits' Chief Innovation Officer, Iván Saldaña – aka the "spirit whisperer". He helped create Lewis Hamilton's Almave drink.

It's a jolly discussion, and one that begins after the weekly Booze News items – featuring Spider-Man actor Tom Holland's new non-alc beer brand – and a unique Just the Tonic.

Ollie and Cess would like listeners to recommend Upper Bottom to as many people as possible. The winner – verified on dodgy grounds – has been promised an Upper Bottom mug. So get sharing, and spread the good word (please)!

Booze News items:

i: The non-alcoholic beers with more sugar than a real pint (https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/non-alcoholic-beers-more-sugar-real-pint-3314006?ico=related_stories)

ABC News: Tom Holland explains how his sobriety journey inspired his new non-alcoholic beer (https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/tom-holland-explains-sobriety-journey-inspired-new-alcoholic/story?id=114861323)

#nonalcoholicspirits
#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety
#UpperBottomPodcast
#NoLowDrinkTrends
#sobermovement

Cannabinoid (CBD) drinks and "functional" drinking are on the rise – indeed, the latter is enjoying a 38% year-on-year increase in the UK, according to Eoin Keegan, Co-Founder & CEO at Goodrays. His drinks are even available as part of the Waitrose meal deal at the moment.

For this week's episode, Ollie and Cess dive into the CBD space with a fascinating interview with Eoin and Brendan Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of NuWave AF Beer.

The pair discuss the calming effects of these drinks and their many related benefits, and look ahead to the future of socialising across the globe. For non-drinkers, more "third spaces" that don't revolve around booze are popping up.

Booze News items:

i (via MSN): How quitting alcohol benefits your body after a day, a month and a year (https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/how-quitting-alcohol-benefits-your-body-after-a-day-a-month-and-a-year/ar-AA1rRJmc)

i: I gave up drinking and discovered who I really am (https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/gave-up-drinking-discovered-who-really-am-3299240?ico=most_popular)

Ollie and Cess join Lou Pollitt, Category and Insights Director at Lucky Saint, for a 5-kilometre run around Regent's Park in London. This is a regular community-building event for the leading alcohol-free beer brand, which has rocketed since its establishment in 2018.

The trio meets at the Lucky Saint pub, the company's headquarters, to discuss drinking trends and plans for the coming years – plus the secret to the brand's success.

There is also a post-run snippet with Jonty Brown, Founder of Run Unlimited, who led the community run. He has an interesting and inspiring story you should listen to.

Also, for Just the Tonic, Cess does something very unexpected – and quite beautiful.

Booze News items:

Yorkshire Evening Post: Go Sober in October: Going out without alcohol in Yorkshire just got easier (https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/community/go-sober-in-october-going-out-without-alcohol-in-yorkshire-just-got-easier-4800961)

Huffington Post: 10 Powerful Things You Can Do To Support Your Sober Partner (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/supporting-sober-partner-powerful_l_66f5a7a5e4b08b9c8c8c9cbc) 

New York Post: Kris Kristofferson once thought he’d be dead by 30: ‘I was a functioning alcoholic’

 (https://nypost.com/2024/09/30/entertainment/kris-kristofferson-once-thought-hed-be-dead-by-30/)

i: I regret going sober – I’m happier now I’m a moderate drinker (https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/regret-going-sober-happier-moderate-drinker-3299144?ico=in-line_link)

#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast
#soberrunning

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

#luckysaint

Over 5,000 adults were surveyed for the annual Drinkaware Monitor – since 2009, the UK’s only national survey that provides an insight into the country’s drinking habits, according to the official bumph.

The 2024 Monitor, published on Sept 26, shows:

• Nine in ten UK drinkers moderate their drinking – up from 87% in 2023 and 84% in 2018
• Yet in five (19%) UK drinkers – around eight million people – are exceeding the UK Chief Medical Officers' low-risk drinking guidelines, and putting their health at serious risk
• Some 28% of people have been concerned about someone else's drinking in the last 12 months

And there are plenty more findings to discuss in a report that is 76 pages long. Luckily, Cess and Ollie are joined by Drinkaware CEO Karen Tyrell to discuss it all. 

Additionally, there is a plug for Ollie's latest column for Low No Drinker Magazine – issue 10 came out over the weekend. Editor Denise has kindly offered Upper Bottom listeners a 20% discount by using the code UPPER20. Enjoy!

Finally, with it being the first of the month, perhaps you would like to participate in a no-drinking October? Maybe you want to raise money for cancer research at the same time? This week's Just the Tonic flags how you can "Go Sober" this October, and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support: https://www.gosober.org.uk/. Good luck!

Booze News items:

Hummus societies, sober spa evenings and macramé crafts nights: How Gen-Z students are ditching the booze this freshers' week (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13903727/Gen-Z-students-ditching-booze-freshers-week-Hummus-societies.html)

The Independent: The disturbing (and extremely sobering) story behind the anti-alcohol movement (https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/wine-alcohol-health-movendi-who-templars-b2616361.html)

CNN (via MSN): Some experts are calling for age restrictions on the sale of nonalcoholic drinks. Here’s why (https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/some-experts-are-calling-for-age-restrictions-on-the-sale-of-nonalcoholic-drinks-here-s-why/ar-AA1qTURW)

Daily Mail: It's no beer Keir! As Labour reveal latest attack on booze, how Starmer's nanny state drive to 'boost health' threatens to decimate Britain's hospitality industry (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13884921/Its-no-beer-Keir-Labour-reveal-latest-attack-booze-Starmers-nanny-state-drive-boost-health-threatens-decimate-Britains-hospitality-industry.html)

#soberjourney
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

#drinkaware

Cess and Ollie invite Cami Vidal, Founder of La Maison Wellness, and Gaby Lamb, Co-Founder (with her husband) of 6PERCENT, to discuss a new alcohol-free subcategory: light.

The interview – which takes place in Ollie's kitchen (as everyone is based in south-east London) – covers drinking trends, how long it takes to develop a 6% wine that people are happy with, predictions about the future of socialising, and plenty of advice for fellow Upper Bottoms. And much more. It's an episode you won't want to miss, as it's packed full of insights.

Cami even brings around some sparkling tea, offering a tasty alternative to drinking. And there is the usual Booze News and Just the Tonic – but this is shorter than usual, as the interview was too good to distill too much!

Booze News items:

Guardian: Pint of no return? Two-thirds measure could boost English health – study (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/sep/17/pint-two-thirds-beer-measure-english-health-study-pubs)

Daily Mail: The four coded questions doctors ask to uncover a hidden alcohol problem (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13854961/coded-questions-doctor-alcoholic-addiction-secret.html)

Morning Advertiser: Big Drop is meeting the challenge of low & no on draught (https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2024/09/16/big-drop-talks-about-adding-a-low-no-draught-line-at-a-pub)

Telegraph (via MSN): I took a pill to help fix my drinking problem (https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/i-took-a-pill-to-help-fix-my-drinking-problem/ar-AA1qCq9M)

#soberjourney
#lighteralcoholfree
#sobercurious
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

#sober

Ollie and Dan have been busy attending various no- and low-alcohol events, and they are wearing Upper-bottom t-shirts, of course. Here, they capture some of the main takeaways from Drink It In and the Club Soda Low, Light & Alcohol-Free Summit.

So, where is the category right now? And what needs to happen to help it grow? Plus, what is the future of socialising? Is it nootropics bars? We'd love to know your thoughts (via a rambling, stream-of-consciousness voice note, if possible).

Booze News features sober dating apps, sober freshers' weeks, sober raving, and Mash Gang's acquisition – and going-on-tangents galore. (What's your favourite emoji?)

Booze News items:

STV: Sober clubbing: Rise in ravers enjoying alcohol-free nights out

(https://news.stv.tv/west-central/sober-clubbing-rise-in-ravers-enjoying-alcohol-free-nights-out)

Epigram: Socialising as a sober student this Freshers’ Week (https://epigram.org.uk/socialising-as-a-sober-student-this-freshers-week/)

TechCrunch: Drybaby is a dating app for the ‘sober curious’ movement (https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/10/drybaby-new-sober-dating-app-betting-on-surge-in-sober-curious-movement/)

The Grocer: Mash Gang acquired by alcohol-free beverage group DioniLife (https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/finance/mash-gang-acquired-by-alcohol-free-beverage-group-dionilife/695456.article) 

#soberjourney
#clubsoda
#sobercurious
#nootropics
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

#sober

The hosts catch up with Jack, aka Kickingthecans on Instagram. He previously featured in one of Upper Bottom's most popular episodes, Final whistle: Why is watching football so boozy, and what's it like sober?

Now Jack has reached the milestone of a year sober. And, although he won't be celebrating as such, life is good – and much better than it was 12 months ago.

His mental health is considerably improved, his relationships are stronger, and – even if he has changed, a little – he is not missing the booze at all.

The difference between the before – losing all memory for four hours on his uncle's stag do (was he in a car park, as his phone suggests?) – and after is incredible.

With the year up, it triggers memories of early sobriety for Ollie and Cess, and the trio offer many insights for those thinking about kicking the cans.

Tom Daley and Elle Macpherson feature in Booze News – as does the revelation that Ollie used to also be known, very briefly, as "the body".

Booze News items:

The Caterer: Pub owners believe outdoor smoking ban would risk closures

(https://www.thecaterer.com/news/pub-owners-believe-outdoor-smoking-ban-would-risk-closures)

Daily Mail: Elle Macpherson reveals she still attends regular AA meetings following her decision to quit alcohol 20 years ago: 'Without being sober, I wouldn't be here’ (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13804345/Elle-Macpherson-AA-meetings-sobriety.html)

Guardian: UK MPs urged to give up freebies from tobacco, alcohol and junk food firms (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/30/uk-mps-urged-to-give-up-freebies-from-tobacco-alcohol-and-junk-food-firms)

Mirror: Retired diver Tom Daley sports knitted trunks with a safety message to swimmers (https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/tom-daley-swimming-alcohol-awareness-33460487)

#soberjourney
#soberadvice
#sobriety

#UpperBottomPodcast

#NoLowDrinkTrends

#sobermovement

#sober