Great book to read about the history of American drinking is "Drink: A Social History of America" by Andrew Barr <https://www.amazon.com/Drink-History-America-Andrew-Barr/dp/...>. It covers the historical forces behind the current state of drinking, why the drinks are what they are, and more. Fascinating, and full of anecdotes. This is a parallel book to his "Drink: A Social History" which was about the British social history of alcohol. Also fascinating.