Dead Distillers: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits

An extensive history of the figures who created the American distilling trade. This book contains fascinating and sometimes frightfully morbid biographies of farmers, scientists, criminals, and oligarchs who distilled spirits and shaped the history of liquor in the United States. Along side the usual suspects like Jasper "Jack" Daniel and Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle, some suprising names include George Washington and Andrew Mellon, and others who shaped our drinjing industry. This book offers a spirited portrait of the unusual and storied origins of drunenness and liquor in American history.