Category: Yesterday

In this episode, we hear about the journey of the English and French Kings to the Holy Land to try to save the last Crusader states from Saladin. The English King was Richard the Lionheart, who has passed into history as one of the most heroic of all the Kings of England. He is also central to the folk story of Robin Hood, the legendary English outlaw, that has featured in so many films. But what was he really like? Find out in this episode.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

The story of American prohibition: temperance, scapegoating, hypocrisy and their unlikely love child the Margarita. 

It’s 1920 and alcohol is now constitutionally illegal in the United States. This week we look at the dark forces that got us there, what happened when Americans couldn’t drink and how the noble experiment eventually collapsed thirteen years later. We also look at the Margarita, a curious creation that was born south of the border that found its way north in the 20th century. Guests this week are Derek Brown from the Columbia Room in Washington, DC and David Suro-Piňera of Siembra Azul.

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Please SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. Join us every two weeks as we talk about history's favorite drinks and how what we drink shapes history. To see what's coming next follow Greg on instagram @100ProofGreg. #drinkinghistory

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Frederick Barbarossa's Crusade had failed miserably when the German Emperor accidentally drowned in a river while crossing Turkish-held Anatolia. The Crusaders left in the Middle East were  desperately hanging onto Tyre, Tripoli  and Antioch. Quarrels between them undermined their hopes of resisting Saladin. But at the moment of despair, there was an unexpected development that would give the Crusades a whole new lease of life.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

In this episode, we hear how, on receiving news of Saladin's great victory at Hattin in 1187, and his taking of Jerusalem, the Monarchs of the West pledged to stop fighting each other and to march East on a Crusade to recover Jerusalem for Christendom.  First among them was the German Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa. He set out with a great army, taking the land route to Constantinople. But his passage through Anatolia would lead to a most unexpected outcome.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

The Martini, the 1960s and how hand-in-hand they went wrong together. 

This week on Back Bar we explore the age of fancy cars, white picket fences, and Mad Men. It was the 1960s and America was changing, becoming more suburban, more wealthy and more of the same - at least on the surface. Over top of this stewing counterculture was the Martini, a classy drink that came roaring into fashion with the end of WWII and fell from grace along with another foreign war only a few years later. Our guests this week are Professor Fred Smith from the College of William & Mary and Scott Harris from Virginia’s Catoctin Creek Distilling.

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Please SUBSCRIBE and RATE the show if you can. Join us every two weeks as we talk about history's favorite drinks and how what we drink shapes history. To see what's coming next follow Greg on instagram @100ProofGreg. #drinkinghistory

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Back Bar by becoming a member!

Back Bar is Powered by Simplecast.