I vaguely remember reading something about the differences between winemaking and beer-drinking cultures. The climate doesn't promote wine-making in Britain, although John Barleycorn thrives. Unlike wine, beer won't keep for very long, and it would be a waste to pour it away, amirite? So we developed a binge culture, in order to make the most of the beer we brewed. The French, and other more Mediterranean nations, could sip in moderation, happy in the knowledge that the rest of their stocks wouldn't spoil.
Quite how that explains the Russian relationship with vodka, of course, is an excellent question...