From award-winning 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.

Empire of Booze traces the impact of alcohol on British culture and society, from madeira and India Pale Ale being created to withstand the long, hot journeys to overseas territories to why whisky became the favoured choice for weary empire builders longing for home.

Filled to the brim with fascinating trivia, this colourful history underlines that Britain's alcoholic innovations are some of its greatest, most lasting gifts to the world.

"Really, really brilliant. If you have any interest in drink or history or drink in history, it's absolutely unmissable" - The Rest is History

"Fascinating pub trivia... Henry Jeffreys is a wine columnist and drinks writer who clearly knows his stuff" - Mail on Sunday

"Well argued and full of fascinating booze-related facts...an ambitious undertaking, but he achieves it with a sharp eye and an understated humorous touch" - Daily Mail

"He clearly knows his booze. Perhaps a second edition might be purchased with a crate of samples" - Guardian

"Never mind books about drink - a book you can drink, now that's a Christmas gift" - Spectator

"That very rare beast - a non-fiction book written largely about wine (or wine-derived alcoholic drinks) that manages to be witty without being contrived, accessible without talking down to anyone, and educational without being preachy. I'll raise my glass to more of that" - Palate Press

"An ebulliently-written, fact-stuffed account" - Sediment

"If you wanted a project to "drink the empire", this is your handbook" - jancisrobinson.com