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Books > Health, Home & Family > Cookery / food & drink etc > Beverages > Alcoholic beverages > General
-Pulls aside the curtain of puffery to show . . . the business of
liquor to be every bit as fascinating as the fictions in which the
distillers love to swaddle themselves.- --Wayne Curtis, The Wall
Street Journal Walk into a well-stocked liquor store and you'll see
countless whiskey brands, each boasting an inspiring story of
independence and heritage. And yet, more than 95% of the nation's
whiskey comes from a small handful of giant companies with links to
organized crime, political controversy, and a colorful history that
is far different than what appears on modern labels. In Bourbon
Empire, Reid Mitenbuler shows how bourbon, America's most iconic
style of whiskey, and the industry surrounding it, really came to
be--a saga of shrewd capitalism as well as dedicated craftsmanship.
Mitenbuler traces the big names--Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Evan
Williams, and more--back to their origins, exploring bourbon's
founding myths and great successes against the backdrop of
America's economic history. Illusion is separated from reality in a
tale reaching back to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794, when the
ideologies of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton battled to
define the soul of American business. That debate continues today,
punctuated along the way by Prohibition-era bootleggers, the
liquor-fueled origins of NASCAR, intense consolidation driven by
savvy lobbying, and a Madison Avenue plot to release five thousand
parrots--trained to screech the name of a popular brand--into the
nation's bars. Today, the whiskey business takes a new turn as a
nascent craft distilling movement offers the potential to
revolutionize the industry once again. But, as Mitenbuler shows,
many take advantage of this excitement while employing questionable
business practices, either by masquerading whiskey made elsewhere
as their own or by shortcutting the proven production standards
that made many historic brands great to begin with. A tale of
innovation, success, downfall, and resurrection, Bourbon Empire is
an exploration of the spirit in all its unique forms, creating an
indelible portrait of both American whiskey and the people who make
it.
Dolly Perkins and Jack Larkin have grown up in the notorious gin
palaces of Birmingham.It's a world of happiness and friendship, but
also violence and poverty. Now that Dolly runs the Daydream Gin
Palace on Gin Barrel Lane she can finally control her own destiny,
but sometimes fate still plays its hand. Keen to expand her empire,
Dolly and Jack take on a new pub, but they are in for a shock when
a foul smell in one of the bedrooms turns out to come from a body
hidden in the wall. As the police hunt for their suspect, rumours
abound, spread by the local urchins - happy to be used as runners
for a little bit of food and a coin or two. But rumours can be
dangerous, and as one of the worst winters on record covers
everything in snow, Dolly and Jack have to fight for the lives they
have made for themselves, and for the urchins that they have come
to think of as family. Will the arrival of a new baby on Gin Barrel
Lane bring the promise of new hope, or will the long-awaited thaw
uncover new secrets and new tragedies... The Queen of Black Country
sagas is back on Gin Barrel Lane with a rip-roaring, heart-warming,
page-turning story of family, friendship and beating the odds.
Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews. Praise for Lindsey
Hutchinson: 'A great story with a great mix of characters, well
written and keeps you hooked with each page turn!' Sarah Davies,
NetGalley 'A wonderful read ... The author writes so well, it's a
really hard novel to put down!' Grace Smith, NetGalley. 'Make sure
to read this book where you won't be disturbed because once it gets
going, you won't want to put it down' Andrea Ruiz, NetGalley 'A
very poignant, feel-good-factor novel' Shelia Easson, NetGalley
'Excellent story!' Stephanie Collins, NetGalley 'The story will
linger in your mind long after you finish it' The Avid Reader
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