Empire of Booze

By: Henry Jeffreys

Narrated by: David Thorpe

From renowned booze correspondent Henry Jeffreys comes this rich and full-bodied history of Britain and the Empire, told through the improbable but true stories of how the world’s favourite alcoholic drinks came to be.

Learn how we owe the champagne we drink today to 17th-century methods for making sparkling cider; how madeira and India Pale Ale became legendary for their ability to withstand the long, hot journeys to Britain’s burgeoning overseas territories; and why whisky became the familiar choice for weary Empire builders who longed for home.

Jeffreys traces the impact of alcohol on British culture and society: literature, science, philosophy and even religion have reflections in the bottom of a glass.

©2016 Henry Jeffreys (P)2018 Isis Publishing Ltd

marvelous

what a wonderful book. going to listen to it all over again. a gentle and entertaining companion full of insight and joy