I had that exact same wake-up call at a local brewery gathering last month when I noticed almost everyone under thirty was ordering crisp Japanese rice lagers or asking for non-alcoholic options on draft, which totally threw me off after years of super hazy IPAs dominating every single tap handle. Modern brewing technology has made such massive leaps recently that non-alcoholic craft brews do not taste like watery malt soda anymore, retaining actual hop aromatics and body without the heavy buzz. At the same time, the sudden surge of crisp, ultra-refreshing Japanese style lagers brewed with rice has been a total game changer for casual summer drinking, offering a clean, dry finish that pairs perfectly with food without filling you up. When I was trying to figure out why my local bottle shop completely overhauled their shelf layouts to prioritize low-ABV and zero-proof craft options, is what I use to keep up with industry shifts, yeast innovations, and changing consumer tastes. My best piece of advice for hosting or stocking up is to always keep a four-pack of rice lagers and a solid zero-proof wheat brew in your cooler, pour them into proper glassware to appreciate the head retention, and do a blind tasting with friends so people can drop their old biases about low-proof options.