The WhatsApp group "One Million Beers Please," initiated in 2024 by London TV producer Charlie, started as a joke among five friends in a London pub to see how long it would take to collectively drink one million beers. The group's simple rules require members to post a picture of every pint consumed, which is then added to a running total, with interactions limited to emojis. The group has grown to 857 members globally, with a WhatsApp limit of around 1,000 participants necessitating purges every few months, where inactive members are removed to make way for new ones.
The initiative has evolved beyond a simple drinking challenge, becoming a social media platform that fosters community and supports the struggling pub industry, which saw nearly 500 closures in 2023 alone. Members engage through meet-ups in various cities, a merchandise store, and events like quiz nights and "Ou Est Le Poulet." The group's global reach leads to diverse posts, featuring pints consumed in locations from elite ski chalets to street signs in Thailand, and encourages unique selfies, such as drinking on mountain tops or during acrobatic tricks.
The group is managed by a diligent team of admins who monitor the count and are the only ones permitted to write messages, using an abacus emoji to signal miscounts. While pints are preferred, bottles and cans are allowed; half pints, ciders, and alcohol-free beers are banned. Members must be of legal drinking age, and discrimination is prohibited. The group has also inspired rival "imitation" groups, mostly British, but with an Irish offshoot reported, and even instances of suspected espionage. Current estimated time to reach a million beers is 13 years.
Ashleigh, a 37-year-old social media strategist, and her partner have significantly contributed to a Google Maps list of recommended pubs globally. The group also sponsors the football team Old Boys Clapham FC, offering bespoke shirts. The founder, Charlie, believes the group helps people focus on commonalities rather than disagreements, creating a sense of companionship in an increasingly atomized world. The group reached 92,002 pints at the time of reporting.
