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The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks

Author:
Amy Stewart
Read by:
Coleen Marlo
Read Read Own Own

Unabridged Audiobook

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Ratings
Book
88
Narrator
10
Release Date
March 19, 2013
Duration
10 hours 19 minutes
Summary
Every great drink starts with a plant. Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when medieval physicians boiled juniper berries with wine to treat stomach pain. The Drunken Botanist uncovers the surprising botanical history and fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even a few fungi).

Some of the most extraordinary and obscure plants have been fermented and distilled, and they each represent a unique cultural contribution to global drinking traditions and our history. Molasses was an essential ingredient of American independence when outrage over a mandate to buy British rather than French molasses for New World rum-making helped kindle the American Revolution. Captain James Cook harvested the young, green tips of spruce trees to make a vitamin C-rich beer that cured his crew of scurvy—a recipe that Jane Austen enjoyed so much that she used it as a plot point in Emma.

With over fifty drink recipes, growing tips for gardeners, and advice that carries Stewart’s trademark wit, this is the perfect listen for gardeners and cocktail aficionados alike.
Reviews
Profile Avatar Anonymous Feb 2021

Very educational and entertaining.

Profile Avatar Anna M. Nov 2019

I loved this book. would recommend for younger readers and older alike. took me back to my western watching youth. the narrator took a little getting used to but over all reads well.

Profile Avatar Ian H. Oct 2024

I really enjoyed the topic and recipes even though I don't really drink anymore. Gave interesting history and background to a variety of plants and herbs covered with their respective uses. I found the narration soothing, yet kept me entertained enough.

Profile Avatar Marcus G. Aug 2023

Even as a non-cocktail aficionado, this stroll through the finesse behind the booze is well researched and conveyed.

Profile Avatar Anonymous Mar 2023

If you like plants and mixing cocktails, this is a super-fun book. Science, cultural history, and recipes!

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks

Author: Amy Stewart
Read by: Coleen Marlo
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