Lore 236: Spirited (ad-free) (Patreon)

Humans have done some horrible things over the course of history, usually because of internal issues. But one outside substance developed a frightening reputation thanks to folklore.

Produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research and writing by GennaRose Nethercott, and music by Chad Lawson.

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Further Reading:

1. “A Brief History of US Drinking. JSTOR Daily. August 12, 2016. https://daily.jstor.org/a-brief-history-of-drinking-alcohol/
2. “​​Acan and balche; alcohol in the ancient Mayan civilization.” Lords of the Drink. October 6, 2017. https://lordsofthedrinks.org/2017/10/06/acan-and-balche-alcohol-in-the-ancient-mayan-civilization/
3. “Bacchus.” Mythopedia. December 9, 2022. https://mythopedia.com/topics/bacchus
4. “Beer, Wine and Drinking Gods: the Foundation of Ancient Egypt.” Lords of the Drink. December 30th, 2017. https://lordsofthedrinks.org/2017/12/30/beer-wine-and-drinking-gods-the-foundation-of-ancient-egypt/
5. “Despite its Ritual Importance, “Toasting” Came from a Piece of Toast.” Ancient Origins. October 2, 2022. https://www.ancient-origins.net/weird-facts/toasting-0017348
6. “History of alcoholic drinks. Wikipedia. Date Unknown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_alcoholic_drinks
7. Pickering, David. Cassell Dictionary of Superstitions. (Cassell, 1995). Pp 88 & 288.
8. “The Highlander and the Devil, a Scottish Folk Tale About Whisky.” Lords of the Drink. February 5, 2018. https://lordsofthedrinks.org/2018/02/05/the-highlander-and-the-devil-a-scottish-folk-tale-about-whisky/
9. “The Pulque Vendor and the Devil, a Mexican Folk Tale.” Lords of the Drink. June 16, 2018. https://lordsofthedrinks.org/2018/06/16/the-pulque-vendor-and-the-devil-a-mexican-folk-tale/
10. “Why You Should Never Make A Toast With Water In Your Glass.” Huffpost. December 6, 2017. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-you-should-never-make_b_9694002
11. “Absinthe: How the Green Fairy became literature’s drink.” BBC. January 8, 2014. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20140109-absinthe-a-literary-muse
12. “Bitter Botanicals: What is Wormwood & Where Do We Find It?” The Alcohol Professor. March 25, 2022. https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/bitter-botanicals-wormwood
13. Conrad III, Barnaby. Absinthe: History in a Bottle (Chronicle Books, 1988), Pp 1-4, https://archive.org/details/absinthehistoryi00conr/page/n5/mode/2up
14. “Green Gold.” The New Yorker. March 13, 2006. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/03/13/green-gold
15. Nethercott, GennaRose. “Absinthe: A Historical Controversy.” Hampshire College. January, 2010.
16. “The Devil in a Little Green Bottle: A History of Absinthe.” Science History Institute. October 4, 2010. https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/the-devil-in-a-little-green-bottle-a-history-of-absinthe
17. “The history of absinthe.” Absinthe Fever. 2006. http://www.absinthefever.com/absinthe/history
18. “The Many Famous Artists Who Have Been Inspired By Absinthe.” Absinthia. May 11, 2022. https://absinthia.com/blogs/absinthias-blog/the-many-famous-artists-who-have-been-inspired-by-absinthe
19. “A Spirited Debate: How Did Some Alcohols Come to Be Known as Spirits?” Scientific American. October 16, 2019. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/a-spirited-debate-how-did-some-alcohols-come-to-be-known-as-spirits/
20. “The history of Halloween and spirits (alcohol and ghosts).” WGNO. October 27, 2016. https://wgno.com/news/the-history-of-halloween-and-spirits-alcohol-and-ghosts/
21. “Why Are Some Liquors Called 'Spirits'?” Mental Floss. November 5, 2021. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/652123/why-liquor-called-spirits
22. “Why Is Liquor Called ‘Spirits’?” Vine Pair. March 7, 2017. https://vinepair.com/articles/why-liquor-called-spirits/