Drink Your Way Around The World (2017)

[Cheryl]

DRINK YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD (2017)

Share books about booze or in which booze consumption has a noteworthy role.
Think: Whisky in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series... Kate Hopkins' 99 Drams of Whiskey...

BOOZE defined: Booze here = TYPES of liquor / spirits / alcohol, rather than specific mixed drinks.

OUR APPROACH: Let's be a chill group. No strict rules, policing one another, etc. If you say, GIN because you're reading PG Wodehouse... We'll slap you on the back and say, Good job, mate!

THE BOOZY LIST:
*I'll start us off with a few of my favorites - to stimulate the palate. Then, I'll periodically update the list with the types of booze you all mention below.*

POTEEN
MOONSHINE
SCOTCH WHISKY
BOURBON
RYE
GIN
MEAD
WHISKEY (AMERICAN)
IRISH WHISKEY
VODKA

For more ideas, see List of national liquors (Wikipedia).
(I'm keen to try Nepali raksi.)

HOW THIS WORKS:
1- Read a book.

2- If you note significant use of, reference to, or cultural associations with a type of alcohol, you've got a winner for this group.

3- CREATE A NEW COMMENT BELOW this post for each book, including the following:

BOOZE:
TITLE & AUTHOR:
CONCURRENT CONSUMPTION: Yes -- No -- I Shall Not Say
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
COMMENTS (optional):

[Cheryl]

BOOZE: SCOTCH WHISKY

TITLE & AUTHOR: A Breath of Snow & Ashes (Outlander series) by Diana Gabaldon

CONCURRENT CONSUMPTION: Nope.

CULTURAL CONTEXT: A bunch of Highland Scots settling in America / North Carolina. Just before the Revolutionary War (US).

COMMENTS: Diana Gabaldon's Outlander introduced me to scotch. Truly - I was 1/3 of the way through it, late at night, tons of snow on the ground in Northern Wisconsin - and I had to run out and find some. I ended up with a 12 yo bottle of Balvenie (purchased on an income of less than $20K). It took a few years, but I finally came to appreciate it. ;-p
*sigh* I've not been drinking along with A Breath of Snow... as I've been off sugar for many months now. But, oh my - every time they pour a dram, I salute them!

[Cindy III]

Thinking of giving this a try.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

BOOZE: Wine (both grape wine and wine from fermented grains)

TITLE & AUTHOR: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 1 by Luo Guanzhong

CONCURRENT CONSUMPTION: No

CULTURAL CONTEXT: Set during the Three Kingdoms Era (220 AD). The Han dynasty has just come to an end and three kingdoms battle for control of China.

COMMENTS: Many references to the consumption of wine. Grain wines were most common during this time, but there were references to grape wine, which was rare and highly prized. An example of a common ancient grain wine at the time (although not mentioned by name in the book) is Choujiu. A character in the book compared the taste of the two wines, noting that grape wine was sweeter.

[Diane , Armchair Tour Guide]

BOOZE: Ale

TITLE & AUTHOR: Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham

CONCURRENT CONSUMPTION: No

CULTURAL CONTEXT: Set in London between WWI and WWII. Title actually derives from fable by Aesop (Town Mouse & the Country Mouse) and the quote: "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."

COMMENTS: There are several references in the book to having a drink. Most do not specify what is being consumed, although port and whiskey are mentioned by name. Common ales that might be consumed in London during that time frame include brown ale and pale ale.