Pandemic or not, when it came to alcohol consumption during the summer, it never really stopped. Instead it has become more common as of last year. Summer 2019 was a time before the world was thrown into the COVID-19 frenzy. The hottest of days reached 90 degree temperatures in the months July through October. It’s the season of social gatherings, beach bods and cookouts on the fire. Summer meant hanging out poolside, tunes blasting and people grooving. Whatever the outcome was, one thing is certain—alcohol will be flowing.

 Alcohol sales have risen since the pandemic began, with sales increasing 54 percent. It became somewhat of a trend to stock up on your own personal liquor stash and drink—why not? Whether you were an essential worker, clocked in from your own home or were laid off left to receive benefits from unemployment (EDD), the impact of the coronavirus for many Americans was stressful. Not only were our social lives thrown out of balance, but also our daily routines.

 Regardless of the situation, people have been drinking since the pandemic first started and have continued well into this year. This has given life to the word “binger,” which basically means to binge drink. Since then there has been a wider range of new alcoholic beverages, especially the rise of alcoholic seltzers. Names like White Claw and Truly had become the go-to of the summer. Even brand names like Michelob Ultra, Bud Light and Smirnoff have launched their very own hard seltzer just to keep up with the trend.

 With various options at their literal fingertips, some Americans have ventured out to try them all. Online orders made purchasing even more convenient with delivery. According to an article by Forbes, e-commerce has grown drastically from March to May—just three months in 2020. The International Wines and Spirits Record stated that China had the largest online alcohol purchasing margin; however, through the years of 2019 to 2020, they have been surpassed up by the U.S., along with the United Kingdom, Australia and Brazil.

 So how is it that in just three months, the U.S. e-commerce boom compared to a 10 year’s growth? The answer quite simply is that we all have been binge-drinking and preparing for the world to open up again. After all, it’s at social gatherings like an outdoor concert that alcohol just pairs so well with live music. White Claw and Truly alone have already released various flavor packs like the White Claw pack No. 3, and their newest Surge flavor with 8% alcohol volume.

 If grasping the simple concept of why summer and alcohol go together is difficult, just remember that the U.S. alone has proven that pairing with the increasing consumption of alcohol.