In our old cong alcohol was all they lived for. And not just young ones up to 30 odd. Even the po served a glass of wine or two after the book study. Every event there would be alcohol either smuggled in or bought at the venue. Something simple like the cinema turned into a 'drink what you brought ' event.
I personally think that most JWs can not get through normal life without drinking. It would always amaze us that elders and their kids would be drunk at open air concerts, and nothing would be said of it at the next meeting. One elder got so drunk at an open air rendition of Macbeth, he threw an apple at the cast on stage and started to heckle them. Again, at the meeting, nothing was said. He even said the opening prayer. No one batted an eyelid!