The Milk of Lions: A History of Alcohol in the Middle East

Alcohol has been around for almost as long as man has. This book tells the story of alcoholic drinks in the Middle East region across the ages and follows the communities that have adopted them as part of their national identities. It explores the various cultural and religious attitudes regarding alcohol, with an emphasis on the production of Lebanon’s national drink, Araq.

Araq - or its sister spirits, pastis, raki, sambuca, mastika, and chartreuse to name just a few - traces its origins ...