#65: Why Do We Care What's In Someone Else's Cup? (Ft. Our Gen Z Cousin Sylvie)
#65: Why Do We Care What's In Someone Else's Cup? (Ft. Our Gen Z Cousin Sylvie)  
Podcast: Mocktails Or Messy
Published On: Thu Aug 20 2026
Description: Why does saying “I’m not drinking tonight” require an explanation? Why do we care what’s in somebody else’s cup? And why did filling a beer can with water feel less embarrassing than just ordering a mocktail? We didn’t have a good answer. So we talked it out. In this episode of Mocktails or Messy, Ryan & Kelly are joined by their cousin — and resident Gen Z content genius — Sylvie for a wide-open conversation about drinking culture, sober-curious pressure, and why nobody should have to justify what’s in their glass. They get into the family pushback Ryan faced early in his sobriety, the “normies vs. wackos” divide between people who can stop after two drinks and people who can’t, and why being the one sober friend at a wedding still somehow requires a speech. They also unpack the internet’s reaction to Brad Pitt’s “I was sober for seven years, now I have a couple glasses of wine” moment — is moderation ever really safe for someone in recovery, or is it a slippery slope with a nice Italian vacation attached? — and Sylvie weighs in on how her generation is actually rethinking alcohol altogether, curious about low- and no-alcohol drinks while still wanting to learn their limits before college. From smuggling water-filled beer cans as broke 20-somethings to sipping adaptogen mocktails out of a fancy glass now, this is the honest, funny, occasionally chaotic conversation about drinking, not drinking, and everything in between. If you’ve ever: • felt like you owed someone an explanation for not drinking • played “fun police” for skipping a shot • wondered if someone in recovery can ever safely drink again • wanted a mocktail that actually tastes like something …this episode is for you. No judgment. Drink, don’t drink, order the mocktail, order the cocktail — just stop making somebody else’s choice weird. Welcome to Mocktails or Messy. #MocktailsOrMessy #SoberCurious #Sobriety #MocktailRecipes #NonAlcoholic #MindfulDrinking #SoberLife #MomLife #GenZ #Podcast Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2042098/fan_mail/new) Mocktails Or Messy podcast (http://mocktailsormessy.com/) IG: @mocktailsormessy (http://www.instagram.com/mocktailsormessy) | TikTok: @mockmess (https://www.tiktok.com/@mockmess) Watch | YouTube Mocktails Or Messy (https://www.youtube.com/@Mocktailsormessy) Listen | Apple (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mocktails-or-messy/id1645707533) , Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/7MVKRmq9o8Z5xoM8VP5P8e) , or wherever you listen to podcasts. (https://mocktailsormessy.buzzsprout.com/) Featured | #11 of Best Local Podcasts: FeedSpot (https://podcasts.feedspot.com/pittsburgh_podcasts/)