We sat with Henry Jeffreys’ to discuss his book, Empire of Booze: British History through the Bottom of a Glass.
Henry is a renowned drinks correspondent, and features editor at the Master of Malt blog. He worked in the wine trade and publishing before becoming a freelance writer and broadcaster. His work has appeared in the Spectator, the Guardian, the BBC Radio, and the Oldie and Food & Wine magazine.
The book is fantastic. It looks at the source of modern drinks starting from the XVII century, presenting a case for British influence and its contributions to virtually every major alcoholic drink we have come to love.
Booze is deeply ingrained in our society and a common part of our social conventions. But its history is more complicated and richer than you think, as it is also the byproduct of human ingenuity and imperial influence. People say history gets to be written by the victors, but booze is a perfect case study on how a region in the small corner of Europe capitalized and influenced modern preferences, one sip at a time. If you’re someone with an untrained palate (like me), or your connoisseurship is limited to mainstream brands, you’ll likely find yourself googling Marsala, Porto, Madeira and many other vintage drinks you have likely never heard of. Some of which are still commercially available, carrying with it a taste of history and the genetic lineage of the very same materials used to produce these for hundreds of years. And there lies the beauty of this book. It is a masterclass on the history of British colonialism through the lens of alcohol. But beyond that, its narrative is not limited to places, people, and historical facts, but a vivid description giving readers a taste of the rich, colorful, and sophisticated flavors that made some of these drinks legendary. A book meant for drink enthusiasts but written for a general audience. #bookreview #bookstagram #books #book #bookshelf #bookstore #bookshop #bookshelves #bookslover #history #beach #beachlife #beachvibes #reading #booksoverdrinks #sunny #greece #travelphotography #travel #travelblogger #politics #british #england #drinking #booze #drinks🍹 #drink