Empire of Booze

Henry Jeffreys was born in London in 1977. After graduating from the University of Leeds, where he studied English and Classical Literature, he spent so much time in Oddbins that they offered him a job. He worked in the wine trade for two years and then moved into publishing. At the same time he worked as a freelance journalist, book reviewer, founder member of the London Review of Breakfasts website and contributor to the Breakfast Bible (Bloomsbury 2013).

In 2010 he started a blog about wine called ‘Henry’s World of Booze’ which became one of the most popular wine blogs in Britain. Following its success he was made wine columnist for

The Lady

by Rachel Johnson and in 2014 was shortlisted for Drinks Writer of the Year at the Fortnum & Mason awards for his work in the

Spectator

. In 2015 he wrote a weekly column for the

Guardian

called ‘Empire of Drinks’ looking at history and alcohol. He is now a regular contributor to the

Spectator

, the

Guardian

, the

Oldie

and

Food & Wine

magazine on drink and other matters, and has appeared on the Food Program and Broadcasting House on Radio 4. His first book

Empire of Booze: British History through the Bottom of a Glass

won Fortnum & Mason debut drink book 2017. He lives in Blackheath, south London with his wife and daughter.

Praise for Henry Jeffreys:

“Henry Jeffreys is everything you want a wine writer to be: funny, knowing, unpretentious but also un-blokeish, funny, clever, refreshing, original, funny and inquisitive. And did I say funny?” – Craig Brown, author and parodist

"Even if you don't like wine, and you don't like reading, you will enjoy reading Henry Jeffreys on wine and other ‘tipples’ (sorry – banned word). He writes so well on wine that I made him the first ever ‘Wine Columnist’ of

The Lady

magazine. If you don't enjoy his tour d'horizon of the British Isles through alcohol I will give you your money back." – Rachel Johnson, author and journalist.

"I am a great admirer of Henry Jeffreys and have been eagerly awaiting his booze and empire book for many years!" – Elif Batuman, author, academic and journalist.