The Corpse Reviver cocktail has been around at least since the 1870s, which kind of makes sense, since this was about the time when cocktail culture was firmly becoming established, along with its accompanying hangovers. The Corpse Reviver is less a single cocktail than a class of hair-of-the-dog drinks specifically created as a means to quell those common attributes of overindulging. The first version, found in The Gentleman’s Table Guide from 1871, is half brandy, half Maraschino liqueur, and two dashes of Boker’s Bitters. Another of the more famous Corpse Revivers is the Number 2, found in Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930. This version calls for equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe. Craddock warns that “four of these taken in swift succession will un-revive the corpse again.”

Of the more obscure versions we’ve come across there is the sort of Pousse-café iteration from 1884 that requires you to gulp down the layered concoction of Yellow Chartreuse, Crème de Noyaux, and Maraschino liqueur. Another layered version, the one from Frank Newman’s American Bar from 1900, also includes mint liqueur. A version in the 1912 Hoffman House Bartender’s Guide by Charley Mahoney forgoes the euphemistic “Corpse Reviver” name and simply calls their version a “Morning Cocktail,” that includes a shot of brandy, a shot of whiskey, and a dash of absinthe, among other ingredients. Good morning, indeed!

Here at Fellow Well Met, we’ve been known to overindulge from time to time so we figured we should put our own stamp on this classic hair-of-the-dog drink. Our version includes white Lillet as found in the Corpse Reviver #2, but since our main poison is rye we’ve decided to go with the old adage “never mix, never worry” even if it’s not until the next morning. And since we are absolute grapefruit freaks we’ve switched up the lemon juice to fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and included apricot bitters and a dash of Herbsaint for a finish with a bit of zing. Enjoy! We hope our version will get you over the hump next time you’re feeling a bit frazzled from the night before.

Ingredients for one cocktail

¾ ounce good rye (here’s a list of some brands that are decent and won’t break the bank)

¾ ounce Lillet Blanc

¾ ounce Cointreau

¾ ounce fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice

Dash of Herbsaint

Liberal shake of Cecil & Merl Apricot Bitters

(We tend to eyeball the ingredients and we recommend playing with the various amounts to suit your individual tastes.)

Fill a shaker with ice. Add all ingredients. Give a hearty shake. Pour into a chilled stemmed glass and garnish with a thick slice of grapefruit rind. Drink. But keep in mind Harry Craddock’s warning about un-reviving the corpse by drinking too many of these in succession.