Links between young adult friendships and drinking practices are of interest from multiple disciplinary perspectives and methodological starting points. For example, alcohol has been studied in both survey and interview research as a catalyst for initiating friendships and developing intimacy within friendships. Using an inclusive, methodologically plural approach we draw together emergent findings from the diffuse empirical work relevant to this topic area. Research is critically discussed across two broad subsections: “How do friendships influence young adults’ alcohol use (and non-use)?” and “How does alcohol use (and non-use) shape friendships?”. A final chapter section draws on recent work concerning friendship in the context of mental health interventions to present the case that friendships appear to be underutilised in alcohol harm reduction interventions. Specifically, we argue that closer attention to the fine-grained detail of interactions within specific friendship groups may provide an effective basis for challenging heavier drinking practices.