Winner of the Fortnum and Mason Best Debut Drink Book Award 2017
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 worlds favourite alcoholic drinks came to be.
Read about how we owe the champagne we drink today to seventeenth-century methods for making sparkling cider; how madeira and India Pale Ale became legendary for their ability to withstand the long, hot journeys to Britains 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. Filled to the brim with fascinating trivia and recommendations for how to enjoy these drinks today, you could even drink along as you read
So, raise your glass to the Empire of Booze!
Henry Jeffreys was born in London in 1977. After graduating from the University of Leeds, where he studied English and Classical Literature, he worked in the wine trade for two years before moving into publishing. In 2010 he started a blog about wine called Henrys World of Booze. Following its success, he was made wine columnist forThe Lady, as well as a regular contributor toThe Spectator, theGuardian andThe Oldie on booze and other matters. He was shortlisted for Drink Writer of the Year at the 2014 Fortnum& Mason Awards, and in 2017 he won Best Debut Drink Book forEmpire of Booze. He lives in Blackheath, south London with his wife and daughter.
