Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench our thirst. They have been used as currencies, in religious rites, as political symbols, or as sources of philosophical and artistic inspiration. ... Six drinks in particular - beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and cola - have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of our history during pivotal epochs, from humankind's adoption of agriculture and the birth of cities to the advent of globalization. .... [Back cover].