I had a similar experience while in the UK. It did give me pause. I believe I read in NatGeo once that fermented fruit augmented socialization of our ape ancestors, indirectly affecting the rise of humans. But alcohol intake is normalized in our society and there are significant consequences, not the least of which is its use as a negative coping strategy and the deleterious effects of addiction on generations of families. But loneliness also kills. As does isolation. Nonalcoholic beer sales are on the rise in Canada, perhaps a way to achieve wellness without the rub? I wonder if your pub experience was due to the effects of homophily - a similarity between white, male persons, seeking and welcoming each other? Would your loneliness have been attenuated if you were a gender diverse person, an Indigenous person, or had entered the pub with your same-sex partner? I’ll state again that exclusion - loneliness, isolation - kills. Thanks for considering another perspective: not everyone is given the same power to enjoy the benefits of socialization. Whether imbibing or not.