Corpse Reviver Cocktails Have A History As Hangover Cures
The Corpse Reviver is a timeless tipple meant to heal that self inflicted wound known as the hangover by having some of the hair of the dog that bit you. First published in The Gentleman’s Table Guide* by E. Ricket & C. Thomas in 1871, it truly became a classic cocktail when arguably its most famous recipe formulation, Corpse Reviver #2, was included in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.
While the Corpse Reviver #2 deserves a place on your drinks menu for taste alone, it may be the notes author and bartender Harry Craddock added to the bottom of each these two hangover remedies that helped extend their notoriety decades later. Although neither could be considered popular by any means, they have lived a librating life-cycle in the limelight, where the cocktail has become a corpse as a crowd pleaser only to be revived back from the dead a time or two.
Cocktail Revives Corpse As Halloween Zombie
After all this time it seems pretty doubtful the Corpse Reviver will ever achieve widespread acceptance as a brunch drink like the Mimosa or Bloody Mary. However, that’s really not reason enough to banish this cocktail to only to be prepared in case of a hangover either.
With a macabre moniker like Corpse Reviver, the obvious choice may be as a Halloween themed drink to pair up with a Zombie Cocktail. After all, a Zombie is an animated corpse revived back to life using mystical powers such as witchcraft. You’ll think of other more festive occasions as well.
Careful though. These are both strong drinks and too many will have you haunted with a hangover they both were meant to remedy. Its a vicious cycle that only moderation will cure.
How To Make A Corpse Reviver Drink For The Living Dead
Original Corpse Reviver Recipe (No. 92, Gentleman’s Table Guide):
Listed under American Drinks, the Gentleman’s Table Guide specifies using a wineglass with half brandy and half maraschino along with two dashes of Boker’s bitters and no further instructions. Would suggest stirring in a chilled glass.
Corpse Reviver Drink Recipe (No. 1, Savoy):
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 1 oz apple brandy
- 2 oz brandy
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. “To be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed.”
Clearly from a different era as this would be severely frowned upon today.
The Corpse Reviver Cocktail (No. 2, Savoy):
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz orange liqueur
- 1 oz Lillet Blanc
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 dash absinthe
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. A stemless cherry and / or lemon twist have been adapted as fairly standard garnishes. “Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.”
Words to live by and usually much less than four, especially with a stiff drink like this. Some like to substitute Cocchi Aperitivo Americano instead of Lillet Blanc as a closer replacement to the original Kina Lillet which was slightly more bitter and is no longer manufactured.
Hey Hey! What Do You Say To All Those Corpse Reviver Cocktail Cousins?
Want to make a Corpse Reviver #2 but you haven’t stocked your home bar with any absinthe or gin? Not a problem.
Meet the Walken (dead) in-laws. Frank Sullivan, Hey Hey, Hoop-La and Odd McIntyre are Corpse Reviver Number Two’s identical twin cocktail cousins.
That’s right! They are all the same drink recipe and they were all included in the Savoy Cocktail Book† along with the Corpse Reviver(s). Each contains 1 oz of brandy, orange liqueur, Lillet Blanc and lemon juice. Hold the absinthe.
Sort of the reverse of all of heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman’s kids with the same name as his or that scene from Newhart, “Hi, I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl.”
With Harry Craddock largely credited with inventing the Corpse Reviver #2, these four relatives create a strange family reunion of sorts. Must be some inappropriate humor in there somewhere. Will leave the drinking jokes and one liners up to you.
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