Publication Date: June 9, 2026
America’s founding generation drank a staggering amount of alcohol by today’s standards.
It influenced their politics, built and sustained their relationships, and drove the economy. Booze was not a small part of colonial society, nor covertly consumed in private spaces—it was integral to American life.
Historians have been reluctant to discuss the influence of alcohol on the founding of the United States, but it is necessary if we want to gain a full picture of the movement—it’s time to reveal the drunken side of the American Revolution.
In Cocked and Boozy—two of Benjamin Franklin’s two hundred terms for drunkenness—public historian Brooke Barbier examines the role that alcohol played in spurring, binding, and winning the American Revolution and how it shaped the nascent United States. Every chapter concludes with an eighteenth-century cocktail recipe made for modern tastes, so readers can participate in their own historic tippling.
The intoxicating story begins in 1763 after the end of the French and Indian War and spans until 1800, with the presidential election of Thomas Jefferson. During these nearly four decades, Americans witnessed unprecedented disorder and prodigious growth, and through it all—powering it, in fact—was alcohol. Put simply, drink helped transform British subjects into Americans.
As the country prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, author Brooke Barbier traces the influence of alcohol on the American Revolution.
Cocked and Boozy proves to be an excellent title, offering insight into two of the words found in Benjamin Franklin’s “Drinker’s Dictionary.” Organized into nine chapters, the story begins in 1763 and ends in 1800.
The author delves into how alcohol contributed to building community and trust, noting that it was a fundamental part of American culture and society.
Through images and historical notes, the author underscores the people and places that contributed to the American Revolution. The 18th-century cocktail recipes at the end of each chapter provide an innovative touch.
Cocked and Boozy highlights the role alcohol played in the founding of America.
Brooke Barbier is a public historian who received her PhD in American history from Boston College. The author of “Boston in the American Revolution: A Town versus an Empire,” she founded and operates Ye Olde Tavern Tours, a popular guided outing along Boston’s renowned Freedom Trail.
