Have a holiday hangover? Boise bartenders suggest these morning drinks to cure a headache

Shaun Goodwin
·3 min read

It’s the holidays, and you’re home with family or taking some time off work. For many, it’s the perfect excuse to crack open a cold one and enjoy a drink (or six).

Your only problem? The hangover in the morning is going to hurt.

It’s a common myth that drinking more alcohol in the morning can help soothe the hangover. While it may minimize your hangover symptoms in the moment, it’s only going to prolong the hangover once it arrives in full force later that day.

Regardless, if you still fancy a little of the hair of the dog that bit you, we’ve got you covered. The Idaho Statesman talked to bartenders across bars in downtown Boise and asked them for their best drinks to help “cure” a hangover.

The following drinks are personal suggestions from bartenders and are not served at that bar unless otherwise noted.

Sam Pence, Solid Grill & Bar

Irish Coffee

  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

  • 1.5 ounces Irish whiskey

  • 6 ounces hot coffee

  • 2 ounces lightly whipped cream

  • Sprinkle shaved dark chocolate

“The best thinking for a hangover is electrolytes. For most people, I’ll get the biggest glass I can find and load it up with water, cranberry juice, muddled lemon and lime, and add some salt,” Pence told the Statesman.

“If they absolutely want a cocktail, an Irish coffee can do the trick,” he continued. “Caffeine gets your metabolism working faster and can help you process the alcohol quicker, but you also run the risk of making the headache worse.”

You can follow Pence’s mixology social media accounts on Instagram, TikTok and Threads.

Emily Austin, Double Tap Pub

Bloody mary

  • 2 ounces Tito’s vodka

  • 1-2 tablespoons Sun Orchard fresh bloody mary mix

  • Splash pineapple juice

  • Tajin seasoning rim

A bloody mary can be ordered from Double Tap Pub.

Akayla John, Double Tap Pub

Chai Me

  • 4 ounces Chai tea

  • 1 ounce vanilla vodka

  • 0.5 ounces half-and-half cream

  • 0.25 ounces Buttershots

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • Cinnamon stick

  • Orange slice

Cody Meurer, Bittercreek Alehouse

Bloody mary

  • 2 ounces vodka

  • 1-2 tablespoons tomato juice

  • Demitri’s bloody mary mix

  • Tabasco sauce

“A shower beer,” Meurer added. “There’s nothing better than a hot shower and a cold beer at the same time.”

Jyllian Ahart, Matador

Michelada

  • 10 ounces Dos Equis lager

  • 2 ounces bloody mary mix

  • 0.5 ounces Lime juice

  • Tajin seasoning rim

  • Lime wedge garnish

Michelada can be ordered from Matador.

J.D. Espinoza, The Mode Lounge

Rise and Shine

  • 1 ounce brandied cherry juice

  • 0.5 ounces lime juice

  • 1 ounce whiskey

The Rise and Shine can be ordered from The Mode Lounge.

Karli Chistenson, Coa de Jima

Breakfast Shot

  • Jameson Irish Whiskey

  • Butterscotch liqueur

  • Orange juice back

  • Candied bacon on the side

Michelada

  • 10 ounces Dos Equis lager

  • 2 ounces Clamato juice

  • Sprinkle salt and pepper

  • Splash Worcestershire sauce

  • Splash Tabasco sauce

  • Tajin and Chamoy seasoning rim

The Breakfast Shot and Michelada can be ordered from Coa de Jima.

Erin Henretty, Bardenay

Sunday Morning Paper

  • 1.5 ounces lemon vodka

  • 1 ounce spicy bloody mary mix

  • 1 ounce housemade sour beer

  • Tajin seasoning rim

  • Two olives

The Sunday Morning Paper can be ordered from Bardenay.

Jayda Phillips, The Wylder

True Grit

  • 2 ounces Old Forester bourbon

  • 0.75 ounces red pepper honey

  • 0.75 ounces lemon juice

  • 1 ounce simple syrup

The True Grit can be ordered from The Wylder.

Morgan Pratt, Fork

El Guapo

  • 2 ounces Reposado tequila or mezcal

  • 0.75 ounces simple syrup

  • 4 lime wedges

  • 5 cucumber slices

  • 2 dashes hot sauce

  • 1 pinch black pepper

  • Salted rim

“Muddle the limes and cucumbers with the simple syrup,” Pratt said. “Add all the other ingredients and shake with ice. Pour into a cocktail glass with a salted rim.”