Drinking mezcal. How to avoid a hangover?

The art of drinking mezcal without the cons

«Mezcal doesn’t get you drunk, it makes you magical,» says the popular expression among the lovers of this distillate. And how to deny it? Among its many virtues, it has a power that seems too good to be true: it does not give hangover. Or at least not like other alcoholic drinks.

According to the Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago in Illinois, mezcal is the purest distillate or alcohol that exists on the planet and the noblest with the human body. This characteristic comes from its chemical composition. While other beverages are converted into monosaccharide sugars that our liver must process and eliminate, producing that unpleasant effect known as hangover; mezcal is transformed into a polysaccharide sugar, which, as soon as it comes in contact with the mouth, begins to disintegrate, making its transformation in the body much faster and with fewer side effects. However, we must understand that mezcal, besides being magical, is jealous.

Is a common mistake to combine other alcoholic beverages with mezcal at parties or meetings. Mixing pure mezcal alcohols with not-so-refined liquors will result in a terrible hangover the next day. So, if you are one of those people who doesn’t like to drink mezcal alone all night long and at a particular moment you need a rest for your palate, the best accompaniment will be a «chaser» of water with ice. The water will help you relax your palate and taste buds while allowing you to appreciate the notes of mezcal longer. Also, it is not good to take many types of mezcal in one night. Try 2 or 3 and choose one to continue for the rest of the evening, so you will avoid certain discomforts the next day.

But, at the end of the day, everybody is different. There are people with greater or lesser capacity to process the sugars of alcoholic beverages. The physical or emotional state will influence the final result of the mezcal experience. If you have already decided to combine your mezcal with some beers or cocktails, there is a 100% Oaxacan remedy that we can recommend: pennyroyal tea.

This tea not only serves to remove the hangover but is also good for the stomach and respiratory system. Besides, hot or cold, it will give you almost instant relief due to its mentholated and refreshing flavor.

Now you know how to spend a night by the side of your accomplices without being a victim of the next day’s hangover.