If you are in either New Orleans or Sydney right now, there’s a fair chance that you are about to indulge in a relatively cocktail-fuelled Mardi Gras weekend. In New Orleans that probably means a Sazerac or a Ramos Gin Fizz will at some point cross your path. In Sydney, an Aperol Spritz or an Espresso Martini will mysteriously find its way into your hands, depending on the time of day.
In fact, it doesn’t really matter where you are, when the cocktails are calling, what started out as ‘just one drink’ can turn into a weekend where booze more than blood is running through your veins. We’ve all been there.
Now while it’s all good fun at the time, come Monday, your body will seek to punish you for your indulgence. Walking up won’t really seem worth it and trying to get even the most basic tasks done will leave your head feeling like you are wadding through molasses.
PIN ITThe Day After, by Edvard Munch (1895)
Yep, you have ventured into the peculiar world of the hangover. A place where the fun is but a distant memory and your head and stomach join forces to take no prisioners.
Now while there really is no such thing as a hangover cure. We thought we’d run through a few of the ‘strategies’ that have been thrown around over the years.
Sleep – Really, there is nothing that can replace sleep as the ultimate hangover cure, but while certainly the best, it is perhaps the most elusive of the options. Sure, the effects of alcohol might help you drift off, but it will never aid deep restorative sleep.
Something Greasy – Whether you choose fast food or a full English breakfast, tossing as much fried food down the hatch is an old trick. The hope, of course, is that various fats and grease will somehow “soak up” the residual alcohol in the system. And while eating may seem a solid idea, it’s those solids hitting your digestive system where other problems can sometimes start.
Getting Physical – Sweating it out with vigorous physical exercise immediately upon waking, may seem logical but rarely has anyone with a hangover been seen to actually go the hard yards. It not only takes a superhuman resolve but as any cardiologist in the gravest terms will tell you, it’s an extremely effective way of giving yourself a heart attack. So be warned.
Detox – Seeking out fresh fruit, miso soup or ginger tea, while avoiding meat fat, excessive caffeine and the temptation to eat a block of chocolate in a single sitting is virtuous, it’s often unrealistic and frankly unsatisfying. Sure, eventually the ying will cancel out the yang but it requires monk-like discipline (and trust us, your head will quickly let you know this is far too hard to achieve …).
Hair Of The Dog – Although he wasn’t specifically talking about hangovers, Greek comic poet Antiphanes, in 400BC said those immortal words “Take the hair, it is well-written/ Of the dog by which you are bitten.” While it may seem counterintuitive, ’getting back on it’ is one of the few ‘strategies’ that actually does provides immediate relief.
But remember, with ‘hair of the dog’ you walk a very fine line. While a drink, will help you feel better, once that liquid hits your lips, your brain will want you to keep on drinking. But show restraint and only have one, maybe two at the most. If you overindulged again, you’ll be right back where you started.
Thankfully, there have been over a hundred years where bartenders have found themselves in a similar situation to you and they have come up with some pretty nifty stomach revivers to get you through. No matter which you choose, one of the five cocktails below is bound to help you press reset.
Bicyclette
Campari has serious stomach-soothing properties and if you substitute the traditional white wine for kombucha you can make a “healthy” version.
50ml Campari
100ml plain Kombucha
Grab an Old-Fashioned glass or a wine glass and fill it with ice. Pour in the Campari and Kombucha and stir. Drop in a half Lemon Slice and a plump green Olive on a long stick to garnish if you fancy.
The Breakfast Martini
Such a simple cocktail but so effective, especially if you drop the Cointreau. Really, the Marmalade adds all the sweetness you need, as well as turning it into a morning drink.
50ml Gin
15ml Lemon Juice
15ml Marmalade (approx 1 heaped dessertspoon)
15ml Egg White (optional)
If you are using egg white, shake all the ingredients hard without ice and then again with the ice before double straining into a martini glass.
The Dr Henderson
If you are after something simple and unfussy, this Fernet Branca drink is the bitter Italian herbal Liqueur version of a go-to.
50ml Fernet Branca
25ml Crème De Menthe
Pour the liqueurs into a tumbler. Add plenty of ice. Stir.
The Bloody Maria
You know the drill … Tomato Juice, Lemon and Spice – all rich in amino acids, B-vitamins and so on. Swap the Vodka for the more vegetal notes of Tequila (or even Mezcal) and then go to town adding whatever is on hand – this is one version that’s been quite effective.
50ml Tequila (or mezcal)
100ml Tomato Juice
Dash of Fino Sherry
Dash of Campari
Dash of Mexican Hot Sauce
Salt and pepper
Celery stick
Lemon wedge
Place the Tequila and Tomato Juice in the cocktail shaker without ice and stir. Add the other ingredients in stages, tasting as you go. Freshen with Lemon, season with Salt & Pepper, then pour into a tall glass, garnish with celery and a lemon wedge.
The Corpse Reviver #2
The corpse reviver #2 is one of the most celebrated creations of Mr Harry Craddock & his The Savoy Cocktail Book. The lemon juice purifies, the liqueur adds sweetness, the Lillet makes it feel sophisticated but it’s the absinthe that lends the drink its peculiar insinuating quality.
20ml Gin
20ml Orange Liqueur
20ml Lillet Blanc (or sweet white vermouth)
20ml Lemon Juice
2.5ml Absinthe (approx 1tsp)
Shake hard with plenty of ice and double strain into a cold cocktail glass. Garnish with a Lemon Twist
