The electronic version of the Chronicle of Higher  Education, 14 Oct. 04,
includes a report on alcohol in history:

"Recent titles explore the history of alcohol, from the ubiquity of beer in
the Middle Ages to absinthe's role in European art movements of the late
1800s."

Unfortunately, since I don't subscribe to the print version all that I can
read is the sentence quoted above!  If anybody is more fortunate, please
let us know what the Chronicle says.