The history of our species would have turned out very differently if not for a lucky genetic mutation that allowed our bodies to break down alcohol. Since then, a person has not parted with a bottle - for thousands of years, drinking has given people joy and consolation, helped to talk with the gods and create culture. A Brief History of Drinking is the story of Homo sapiens' longstanding love affair with alcohol. In every era, from the Stone Age to Prohibition, we will find answers to specific questions: what did they drink? how many? who and in what composition? And most importantly - why and for what reason? Along the way, we will get acquainted with the Neolithic shamans, who turned alcohol into a channel of communication with their ancestors, attend the feasts of the ancient Greeks and Romans and find out how the real saloons of the Wild West differed from the Hollywood ones. This is the story of mankind in its happiest state - tipsy.