OK, here is my question for Audrey!
If I come to your bar and order a sweet vermouth on the rocks, what would go through your head ? what would you think of me?
Because people look at me like I have three heads when I order that…!
Unintentionally Blank: The Straight Dope on hangover causes and cures.
Audrey, keep up the good work.
Please do try a smokey Martini sometime. I had a friend who does not like Martinis exclaim how this version was nearly without aftertaste. I recommend trying it without any Vermouth at first. If you’re not fond of gin, try it with vodka. It works equally well. The Whisky adds a hint of sweetness without the fruity flavors of Vermouth.
You may wish to look for Fris Danish vodka. It is sextuple distilled and slides down like water. “Warmth without burn” is how one critic put it. The quintuple distilled Pearl Canadian vodka is also quite palatable.
What’s your read on Bourbons? I have begun to appreciate them in their “single” cask styles. Their youth does not always foretell the roughness so common to young Whisky. Knob Creek is surprisingly smooth for being 101 proof. What is your favorite?
I make a drink that a friend of mine dubbed “Red Stuff”:
1 part Absolut (or equivalent)
1 part Malibu or Parrot Bay
2 parts cranberry juice (preferably a 100% juice brand)
I like to make shooters with it, but it makes a perfectly good mixed drink.
Great thread idea, BTW, Audrey.
I’m not Audrey, but I’d personally think that you’d be someone who has no idea what sweet vermouth is. Ick.
Sorry for the triple post, but have any of y’all tried a Canadien vanilla liquor called “Comet”? I read about it in Playboy a few months back, but haven’t been able to find any.
Thanks for the recipes and info, Audrey!
Unintentionally Blank, I don’t have the secret recipe for a Mother Of All Hangover Cures–and I ain’t gonna lie, I get 'em too–but 12 or so dashes of Angostura Bitters, in half a glass of soda water, seems to work really well when combined with some greasy grub and several glasses of water. (Bitters is also good for indigestion.)
I’ve been told hangovers are primarily caused by dehydration and, like you said, a lack of B6 and B12; I’ve also read that heavily sugared/carmelized liquors cause uglier hangovers. Rum, Southern Comfort, etc. But as to the precise science of it, your guess is as good as mine.
BTW, something not a lot of people know is that milk is an excellent way to sober up; it coats your stomach and slows down the rate of alcohol absorption into your blood. Water can actually increase “the spins” when you’re drunk, b/c it speeds up the absorption rate.
And whenever I know I’m going to be out drinking later, I drink as much water as I can stand; it almost guarantees no hangover the next morning.
I’ve had a few–very few–people order that; it would take more than that to freak me out. 
Vermouth is actually considered wine, not liquor, btw; it is not required to carry a TABC label.
And tell your friends that Hemingway’s beverage of choice was vermouth on the rocks. So THERE!
[SIZE = 1]Okay, so he was a raging alcoholic and ended up blowing his head off, but you see my point.[/SIZE = 1]
Oh, and it’s obvious I can’t code. sob
OH, and a marvelous hangover cure I forgot to mention is an ice cream shake; I’m serious. My boss came into work one morning, hungover like all hell, and I made him a strawberry milkshake and ordered him to drink it.
He came back within half an hour wanting to know if I’d spiked it with something, b/c he felt so much better.
Try it!
Demise, I haven’t heard of Comet; Absolut, however, just came out with their vanilla vodka a month ago and it’s FABULOUS. Mixed with Coke, it tastes just like a vanilla Coke; if you mix it with Sprite and a dash of grenadine, you’d swear it’s cream soda. (And no, I don’t work for Absolut. Just a big fan.)
…My friend turned me on to a Spanish liquer called “43”…its kinda vanilla flavored…i go with 43 & sprite but is there anything else you know thats good with 43…thanks
Just a little fact!
I am from France and we drink Sweet Vermouth on the rocks there! and that’s what we call a Red Martini (Martini rouge), there is also pink and white martini.
There is also “martini gin” as the name says, sweet vermouth and a splash of gin…
It is so good…!
Like Audrey stated it is a cooked wine, like Porto. Very “normal” to have in France.
Imagine my face when I first asked for a Martini in the States… I got served a Cosmo (I think), I was a little confused…!!
I’ve been a big fan of Stoli Vanil since the first time I tried it. I like making martinis with Vanil and Chambord. It’s also good with Grand Marnier; tastes like a creamsicle. 
Haven’t tried the vanilla Absolut yet, but I will definitely get a bottle the next time I go to the liquor store.
Guinness, I have heard of Liquor 43 b/c my best friend is a liquor rep whose brand it was, but I haven’t tried it so I’m afraid I don’t have any recommendations. I’ll ask her the next time I see her.
Zazie, thanks for the additional info on vermouth!
Demise, Absolut Vanilla (actually they spell it “vanilia”) is a bit sweeter than Stoli Vanil, just to let you know; I drink it with ginger ale.
And speaking of ginger ale, not many bars carry “real” ginger ale any more, and very few ginger ales sold today contain real ginger, so the old bar trick is to replicate it with Sprite and just a splash of Coke. Looks/tastes just like ginger ale.
Party trick, for those who’d like to know.
Have you tried Vernor’s? It is in a “glass” by itself.
Demise the liqour you are asking about is Das Comet–it is from the rumplemintz company–it is fantastic as a shot with OJ, kind of like a cremesicle or with sour mix, tastes like keylime pie. GUINESS, On that same thought Licor 43 is also used in keylime shooters. It is 2 parts vodka, one part licor 43, one part half and half and a splash of roses lime juice. Yum! (just another bartender checking in)
Thanks for the thread, Audrey
Speaking of creamicles, is there a drink that tastes like one?
Stoli vanilla, or Absolut vanilla and OJ on the rocks makes a pretty good cremesicle drink.
Stoli Vanil White Russians are damn good too.
Sounds howlingly good there, wolfman.