Photo: Amy Brothers / Contributor (Getty Images)
We’ve all been sick at one time or another and sought different remedies to cure our ailments. From Dimetapp to Robitussin, we’ve chugged enough cough syrup to make us as drunk as we might be at a half-price happy hour. It wasn’t until now that we realized we could have just ordered some shots of bourbon to help fight the common cold and the flu.
Whiskey has been shown to help nighttime coughs and it’s about time someone explained why we can substitute this in place of all those nasty-tasting medicines we’ve been drinking since childhood. Faith Durand at thekitchn.com mixed a delicious alternative using bourbon whiskey and it apparently makes for a good night’s sleep when you got a hacking cough.
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The recipe for “Bourbon Cough Syrup for Grownups” — which we, of course, want to try even when we’re not sick — calls for 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey, half a juiced lemon, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Durand also says you can add 2 to 4 ounces of water, but that’s optional. We prefer to drink that water the following day when we’re hungover from fighting off our colds.
More from Durand:
Mix the bourbon, lemon juice, and water (if using) in a tumbler or mug and heat in the microwave for about 45 seconds. (You can also do this on the stovetop in a little saucepan.) Take out and add the honey. Whisk to combine, then microwave for another 45 seconds.
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Of course, this isn’t going to cure all your ailments. The mix will only help you sleep better while your body attacks the sickness inhabiting it. But hey, if you’ve got a hacking cough and a taste for something better than drugstore medicines this might be the fun way to go. Cheers, Mandatory faithful!
