Rebellious Spirits : The Illicit History of Booze in Britain

__A delicious history of the secret, exciting and often dangerous world of illicit spirits__ The history of spirits in Britain has more illicit in it than licit. Even the official histories of brands that trade heavily on their authentic historical roots are full of gaps and short on detail. From their beginnings in ancient religious ceremonies, spirits have often been consumed in secret, and as swiftly as they have risen to popularity, they have been suppressed. Their story takes in the first Malt Laws in Scotland, the restriction on gin in Hogarth's London in the eighteenth century and the bootleggers of the Second World War. Today the state of illicit spirits is a darker and more sobering affair, of foreign gangs and organised crime. But legal versions of the bootlegging experience are flourishing, and the reader is taken on a whistle-stop tour of the best speakeasies to be found. It is a history that is dark, dangerous and utterly fascinating; this book will not... A delicious history of the secret, exciting, and often dangerous world of illicit spiritsThe history of spirits in Britain has more illicit in it than licit. Even the official histories of brands that trade heavily on their authentic historical roots are full of gaps and short on detail. From their beginnings in ancient religious ceremonies, spirits have often been consumed in secret, and as swiftly as they have risen to popularity, they have been suppressed. Their story takes in the first Malt Laws in Scotland, the restriction on gin in Hogarth's London in the 18th century and the bootleggers of World War II. Today the state of illicit spirits is a darker and more sobering affair, of foreign gangs and organized crime. But legal versions of the bootlegging experience are flourishing, and the reader is taken on a whistle-stop tour of the best speakeasies to be found. It is a history that is dark, dangerous, and utterly fascinating; this book will not only let people discover that history, but also give them the chance to taste it with authentic recipes. How did we drink gin before tonic? Was punch really made with milk? Or breakfast served with brandy porridge, and gin mixed into hot ale? What did the past really taste like?. --Provided by publisher A delicious history of the secret, exciting, and often dangerous world of illicit spirits The history of spirits in Britain has more illicit in it than licit. Even the official histories of brands that trade heavily on their authentic historical roots are full of gaps and short on detail. From their beginnings in ancient religious ceremonies, spirits have often been consumed in secret, and as swiftly as they have risen to popularity, they have been suppressed. Their story takes in the first Malt Laws in Scotland, the restriction on gin in Hogarth's London in the 18th century and the bootleggers of World War II. Today the state of illicit spirits is a darker and more sobering affair, of foreign gangs and organized crime. But legal versions of the bootlegging experience are flourishing, and the reader is taken on a whistle-stop tour of the best speakeasies to be found. It is a history that is dark, dangerous, and utterly fascinating; this book will not only let people discover that history, but also give them the chance to taste it with authentic recipes. How did we drink gin before tonic? Was punch really made with milk? Or breakfast served with brandy porridge, and gin mixed into hot ale? What did the past really taste like? A delicious taste of the secret, exciting and often dangerous history of illicit spiritsBritain has always been a nation of enthusiastic drinkers. Any attempt to regulate, limit or ban our favourite tipple has been met with imaginative and daring acts of defiance: selling gin through pipes in a London back alley; smuggling brandy across Cornish clifftops; or dodging bombs and shrapnel running whisky in the Blitz. The history of spirits in Britain has more illicit in it than licit - and that history has shaped these isles. Packed with wild stories, as well as authentic recipes from the past, Rebellious Spirits reveals the colourful characters and tall tales behind Britain's long and lively love affair with booze. Contents Introduction vii Chapter 1: Monks and Monasteries 1 Chapter 2: They'll Never Take Our Whisky 21 Chapter 3: The Gin Craze 55 Chapter 4: Pure Irish Spirit 91 Chapter 5: Worse Things Happen at Sea 115 Chapter 6: We'll Drink Again 149 Chapter 7: A Scottish Fairy Tale 179 Chapter 8: Exploding Garages and Secret Speakeasies 201 Recommended Further Reading 239 Acknowledgements 241 Index 243