New Year's Eve: Want to avoid a hangover? Here are some tips to help you

As party prep begins for the big night, we reach out to bartenders, a musician and a restaurateur for tips to avoid the dreaded hangover the morning after, plus a few quickfire recipes to make it to 2024

Party goers have already started to mark out their weekend schedule for the big night as D-Day comes closer. But for many, the high of the celebration is followed by the red eye on the morning after. Nobody wants to wake up to a ringing headache and a queasy stomach in the New Year. Yet, many do. So much so that January 1 is unofficially known as National Hangover Day in the United States. We’ve got you covered to stay hangover-free into the New Year.

Stay cool
Bharat Sharma, senior mixologist, Woodside Inn, Colaba.

A hangover is never a nice thing to wake up to. Anything with a touch of citrus, salt, a hint of spice will help to get your digestive juices flowing. A fresh mandarin juice; or a Bellini [right] with a chilled sparkling water with orange juice would also help.

Another solution from the left field is a chilled beer to help counter the hangover. Cold and fruity drinks will help calm things down. Before you start partying, hydrate yourself well. Do not mix your spirits through the night. It also helps if you get a minimum of eight hours sleep the next day.

The Bloody Mary route
Manoj Alphonse, beverage head, Bellona Hospitality, Dobaara, Lower Parel.

The key to avoiding a painful morning after the party is water. Drink a lot of water before you set out of the house. The other quick-fix solution is a hangover drink i.e. the Bloody Mary or a masala buttermilk. January 1 is celebrated as Bloody Mary Day. The drink has tomato juice and pepper. The sour and the spice will help to cure your hangover. Nevertheless, you must be well hydrated. If you lack high tolerance, I recommend sipping on fruit cocktails or a Long Island iced tea to keep you fresh the next morning.

Prep yourself well
Tejas Menon, musician

I am 34, and it is an age where hangovers are not worth drinking all night for. I have a detailed prep before I even step out to party. I start with a party pill, or Gatorade, beforehand. I also make sure to never drink on an empty stomach. I eat well, and hydrate myself. While at the party, I ensure that I stick to one type of alcohol through the night. Another trick is to pace your drinks and hydrate yourself between them. Above all, I always make sure that I do not have an early start on the day after. It might seem like a lot of steps, but it works for me.

Quality over quantity
Chef Gresham Fernandes, Bandra Born

I believe in the old motto — never drink on an empty stomach. Eat a proper meal before you start, or a full glass of milk. It helps prepare for the long night. If you are planning to enjoy yourself, spend on good quality alcohol. It might be expensive, but it is worth the taste and the experience. It will also help you to avoid a nasty hangover.

Rinse the stomach
Rakesh Avhad, bar manager, PCO Cocktail Bar, Lower Parel. 

A simple fix is copious amounts of ice-cold water before you begin. It will hydrate your system and keep it cool. If you still face a torrid morning, make yourself a virgin Bloody Mary with citrus, celery, Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice and tabasco. Energy drinks high on caffeine also help to quell the unease in the morning.

Bloody Mary

Ingredients
>> 55 ml vodka
>> 120 ml tomato juice
>> 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
>> 2 dash tabasco hot sauce
>> 15 ml lime juice 15ml
>> Black pepper 
>> Celery stick, cherry tomato or a green olive

Method
Add the ingredients together in a mixing glass. To this mix add ice cubes, and stir well. Serve in salted rim highball glass. Garnish with celery stick, cherry tomato or a green olive.

Lit fixes

>> Jeeves Takes Charge by PG Wodehouse
Worcestershire sauce, raw egg and red pepper whisked together vigorously

>> Death In the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway
A jigger of absinthe diluted with ice champagne

>> On Drink by Kingsley Amis
Beef paste and vodka

>> Whitnail and I by Bruce Robinson 
Aspirin, saveloys and a walk in the fresh air

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