Bartenders around San Mateo County offer their perspective on New Year’s remedies for hangovers

Spices, grease, electrolytes, bubbles and more alcohol are all common recommendations from bartenders across the county.

In San Mateo, Justin Hobson, bartender at The Swingin’ Door, will make his patrons what he calls “Hangover Juice.” He commonly makes his mixture of Sprite, bitters and Fernet-Branca around the holiday season.

Although experts say that there is no real cure to a hangover, the herbs in the bitters and Fernet-Branca are said to ease the stomach paired with the bubbles from the soda.

If Fernet is not favored, Jacqui Heck at The Swingin’ Door recommends a Sea Breeze for a more fruity taste. With 15 years of experience, she makes her Sea Breeze with any type of vodka, rum and tequila with soda water, cranberry, pineapple and orange juice.

The Swingin’ Door first opened in 1955 and has since then become known for its fish and chips, award-winning burgers and 18 different chicken items. With greasy food being another remedy for hangovers, the bar’s food menu is another way to ease the nausea and headache from a night of drinking.

“Usually the day after St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s we have a lot of people coming in for a bloody mary or michelada,” Owen Molloy from Molloy’s Tavern in South San Francisco said.

Molloy has 30 years experience with bartending in his family’s 85-year-old business. His method of using spices and bubbles to combat a hangover is commonly used by other bartenders as well.

Kenya B. at Hidden Spot in South San Francisco has been bartending for five years and recommends the same drinks for her hungover customers.

“The michelada helps because of the spiciness and the fizziness from the beer,” Kenya said. “Every couple of days people will come by complaining about a hangover.”

At the American Bull in Burlingame, bartender Katie says a Ramos Fizz is a cocktail that they make for everyone in the morning. The drink includes gin, citrus, simple syrup, egg white, heavy cream, orange flower water and club soda.

This frothy drink is known to be a difficult one to make, with its ingredients of egg white and heavy cream. Many tales say that the hangover antidote was said to be a favorite remedy for celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Jim Morrison.

If the symptoms of a hangover are too unbearable to take a trip to the local bar for one of these drinks, prepare for the nausea, headache and fatigue with a supply of electrolyte drinks such as Liquid I.V. and Pedialyte. Bartenders are frequently asked for electrolyte drinks but unfortunately never have any on hand.

“The bar slows down after New Year’s because of resolutions” Heck from The Swingin’ Door said. “But after a couple months, they start coming back!”