I don't know why, but recently I have been wanting to explore the history of beverages. Their making, spread through the world over time, trends, etc. Both alcoholic and non-alchemic.
Is there a name for this specific sub-field of history? Can anyone suggest some authors, books, or papers to start with? Purely an armchair historian level asking here.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage is a pretty good starting place for general background, spread, and interactions. It has been criticized for being too unbalanced in focus, so keep that in mind, but as a starting point I found this a great place to get begin gaining knowledge. Ancient to modern history of beverages (basically, beer and tea to Coca Cola).
This is so frustrating for me because this is my field of professional study but I’m mid cross country move. Not only do I have moving brain but my entire library is somewhere in the Mid Atlantic on a truck right now.
Drink by Iain Gately is a comprehensive cultural history of drinking behaviors around the world. It’s what got me into the field. As a general suggestion, hit up the drinks section (usually tiny and next to food) at any bookstore. If you find a specific area of interest, I’d happily recommend other books.. in about a week.