Who's Under The Influence? Spilling the History of Alcohol

Everything you thought you knew about alcohol's role in society has been watered down.

Alcohol's history is a cocktail of stories about mankind-incessantly shaking up traditions, mixing definitions, straining symbols of devotion, and pouring them into new vessels to match the tastes of the day. It's often refreshing, sometimes sweet, and occasionally bitter. Although change is the only constant, spirited origins linger-hidden in every glass, diluted, and sometimes hard to swallow.

Who's Under the Influence? is an entertaining, fast-paced and often irreverent remix of booze's true impact on the world. Our obsession with alcohol has fuelled economies, ignited revolutions, and shaped cultures across history-not just what we drink, but how it's been sold, controlled, and mythologised.

This is not the history you were taught in Catholic school.

• See how Prohibition didn't stop drinking-it just turned crime into a global empire.
• Uncover the myths and marketing behind beer, vodka, whiskey, and the world's wine brands.
• Explore how religion, governments, corporations, and cultural movements have shaped drinking habits across history.
• Unveil the forgotten ties between witches and crackdowns on primeval craft beer.
• Dive into the hidden history of alcohol-from sacred brews to psychedelic wine.
• Discover how beer may have been the true catalyst for civilisation and perhaps the birth of religion.

From ancient temples to modern boardrooms, Who's Under the Influence? reveals how alcohol has been used to empower, deceive, and transform society. Behind every sip, every toast, and every prohibition law is a story far stranger than fiction.

Whether you're a history buff, a spirit's enthusiast, or just someone who enjoys a good drink and a better story, this book will change the way you see what's in your glass-and who put it there.

This is the perfect book for anyone looking for some new and sometimes outrageous stories to share over happy hour.