I was today years old when I learned that there’s a simple hangover cure that doesn’t involve greasy food, Advil, and going back to bed for the rest of the day. Honestly, why were you all keeping secrets from me?! While shaking up cocktails during a mixology class earlier this month at the most glamorous food festival of all time, Taste of Lovango, celebrity mixologist Ariel Rosario shared his iteration of a simple concoction that dates back centuries and is known to cure your pesky upset stomach.
According to Rosario, this simple recipe has been around since the 1850s! Historically, People mainly used it to quell an upset stomach and gas problems. However, it seemingly can also help with the dreaded hangover. All you need is three ingredients!
Rosario’s recipe includes 12 ounces of soda water, one squeezed lime, and six dashes of Angostura bitters, which he shared is actually the original purpose of bitters to begin with, not cocktails. “There is no official recipe for it, and bartenders can add more ingredients, too,” he says. “If you want it to help with a hangover, some people add things like salt, olive juice, or pickle juice. You can use other bitters like Peychaud’s, but for me, Angostura does the trick,” he tells Delish.
In a Reddit thread, other bartenders share their versions of this long-lauded drink. One bartender who pours half Sprite, half soda, and Angostura bitters dubbed it the “greatest hangover drink of all time.”
Another shared their unique recipe: “Baking soda, juiced lime, club soda, and bitters.” This bartender noted that baking soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, is a main ingredient in most antacids, so it makes sense!
Yet another bartender wrote that they pair the concoction with aspirin or Tylenol, and it works every time. “This little concoction is an amazingly fast cure and I’ve given it to more people than I can count. It’s like a miracle cure,” they claimed.
We tapped mixologist Cody Goldstein of Muddling Memories to dish on his version of the drink: soda water, mint, Peychaud’s bitters, and fresh lime. “This drink brings a cooling effect, which can help cool you down when sweating out the alcohol,” he says. The anise and mint in the bitters, he says, “will help bring down your anxiety and be calming.”
We did a little digging, and there there’s no strong scientific proof that this centuries-old drink really can “cure” hangovers. However, hydration and electrolytes —from ingredients like pickle juice or salt—can for sure help with some symptoms. And, mint and lime may help with nausea. Ultimately, many people swear by these drinks for relief, so cheers to that! It seems like there are many ways to doctor up this historic hangover cure, and honestly, I’m down to try them all.
