Nightcaps: Confessions of a Late Night Liquor Delivery Agent

Ah. The nightcap. The drinks that give a peaceful night’s sleep, robbing away the day long tensions, worries and anxieties. Working as a late night liquor delivery agent has been a boon in my life. Besides delivering a wide variety of alcohol in the late night hours, I’ve also had the pleasure to research the various nightcaps and their benefits. 

Not being a tippler myself, I do indulge in a glass of whiskey or wine, occasionally, before hitting the bed because you know how alcohol promotes good sleep, right? After a long day at work, I make sure to have a quality nightcap in the smallest amount that helps me enter the soothing world of sleep, where I am not delivering liquors to customers in any part of Calgary! 

Like me, I am sure many of you trick yourself into drinking for better sleep. And then regret harming your health. But the truth is unless you’re drinking alcohol in heavy doses regularly, a small quantity of alcohol before bed reduces REM (Rapid Eye Movement) that makes way for deeper and quicker sleep.

A lot of my friends complain of having terrible hangovers after drinking the previous night, at a formal dinner invitation, ordering alcohol from a 24 hour dial a bottle store or in an impromptu outing with friends. I ask them only one question, 

“How much did you drink?” 

“Four or five glasses,” they said.

Now there’s the problem!

Drinking to sleep and waking up without a hangover has a certain way to do it. You can’t drink any alcohol in any amount and then expect to face no consequences. That sounds foolish. The intensity of your hangover depends on the amount of congeners, complex organic compounds in the alcohol, produced after fermentation in your body. So, lesser the congeners, safer is your nightcap.

Now time for some real discussion. I am going to share a few of my favourite and potentially ‘harmless’ nightcap recipes that you can indulge in before bedtime. And no, they won’t affect your sleep quality in the long run. 

My List of Favourite Nightcaps

1. New York Sour: Made with wine and whiskey, this is the most versatile nightcaps you’ll ever come across. The Whiskey Sour base has a red wine float on the top and it easily combines to make the tastiest concoction. 

How to make it: Create a Whiskey Sour. If you don’t know how a Whiskey Sour is made, read this carefully – add two parts rye or bourbon, one part lemon and ice. Fill a little more than half of the glass with Whiskey Sour and the rest with a sweet wine of your choice.

2. Negroni: Had a heavy night meal? Making yourself a glass of Negroni is such a relief for your loaded stomach. Although it looks a difficult-to-make-drink due to its complicated flavour and splashy colour, trust me, it isn’t! 

How to make it: Take sweet red vermouth, gin and Campari in equal parts and stir nicely. Garnish with lemon or orange, whichever you want. 

P.S. If you’re wondering how I get my preferred wine, gin or bourbon late at night, I order them from a reliable liquor delivery 24 hours store and they deliver within 30 minutes. Yay!

3. French Connection: This is the easiest to prepare, especially when you’re awfully tired after a hectic workday and have the energy only to eat, drink and sleep! 

How to make: Just three steps – 

Pour cognac and Amaretto in equal parts over ice

Stir well

Sip and enjoy! 

4. Hot Toddy: This is a winter-special nightcap that I really admire. Usually, winter in Calgary is for four or five months but at times, it gets longer than that. So, make the most of those months and relish this nightcap by the fire!

How to make: Boil water. Pour two parts of bourbon or rum, one part honey and lemon. Add the boiled water to the mug. Finish it off with a tinge of cinnamon. 

Wrapping up: So, with this, I come to the end of my nightcap list. These nightcaps are my favourite for three reasons – they aren’t too strong, they taste deliciously flavourful and most importantly, I don’t get a hangover the next day! I go to work with a fresh mind and a happy soul. Make sure you follow the exact measurements I’ve said if you don’t want to wake up with a headache. Oh! And for the late night liquor delivery, you can find any alcohol of your choice at Calgary Dial a Bottle. They’ll deliver it safely at your doorstep, no matter what time it is at night. 

Try these out and let me know which one you loved and why. Till then, I’ll see you guys again next time!