Just wanna add one more thing. The drinkers in his world--family, friends--more than likely do not feel that he needs to quit drinking. Dollars to donuts, their conversation was all about how he drinks "too much"and has to get it "under control." They want him not to be so crazy when he drinks, to quit acting like a jerk when he drinks. NOT to "stop drinking and learn to live sober for the rest of your life."
Of course, they are asking the impossible, but that's the reaction of normal drinkers (even the ones who party down), because they do not understand alcoholism.
It's not your job to run interference for him. Normal drinkers (or even other alcoholics in denial about themselves) are part of the world he will have to navigate when/if he gets sober. When he's really ready to get serious, he will listen to the advice of other sober alcoholics about how to handle these situations.
I just wanted to mention that because one of the things lots of us do is to try to manage the alcoholic's social activities in the interest of trying to keep them sober. It is doomed to failure and may make the alcoholic resent you, which isn't particularly helpful to anyone.