Hair of the dog. When it comes to hangover cures, this popular rule might well be our favourite. You may be thinking this isn’t your thing, but just stop there for a sec… A tactical Bloody Mary might be the very hangover antidote you’ve been waiting for. Mix this cocktail in with a healthy dose of hangover fuel and you’re in for a winner.

Luckily for us, Manchester’s newest hangover friend is coming to town. Aptly named, Your Buddy, Mary, this brand new drinking concept is ready and waiting to share their enthusiasm for Bloody Marys with us in all their glorious forms. To get a pre-launch taster, we went along to experience one of their “Buddy Clubs” for ourselves.

On Arrival

It was 11:30am on a Saturday morning and maybe we were a little unsure about drinking alcohol before noon. One mimosa later, however, and any previous doubts were history. Let’s be honest, what better way is there to start the day than by sipping champagne and citrus juice? The idea is that you book on to one of these daytime events on a weekend with a group of 4-6 for another sesh with your pals.

We head to our tables before a selection of Bloody Marys arrived. A selection of Bloody Marys? Yep, these cocktails have more to them than simply vodka and tomato juice making for an array of different options to suit your tastes…

• Virgin Juiced Mary: This was a refreshing drink with a light and fragrant taste. Served in a martini glass, this was the perfect way to cleanse our palates in-between Bloody Mary varieties and mouth-smacking food.
• Red Snapper: This was my favourite of the trio. Served in the cutest mini-kilner glass, this thicker libation was made using Martin Miller Gin and packed a spicy punch that made my mouth water.
• The Original Bloody Mary: Served in a shot glass, the hard-hitting kick of Stoli vodka didn’t come as a surprise. Silkier in texture, this is the one I would have gone for to soothe a killer hangover. Apparently this particular brand of vodka doesn’t cause any hangover pain as the harshest chemicals are removed...

Your Buddy, Mary is providing Manchester with a hearty, Bloody Mary led experience.

A Little Something Extra

Breakfast Begins… #InBreakfastPizzaWeCrust

Your Buddy, Mary curate experiences best shared with your best-est mates. And what’s better than sharing? The first course was a sharable pizza bowl, oozing with cheese and sumptuous breakkie-inspired toppings such as beans, mushrooms and bacon bits.

The Showstopper: #TheresSomethingAboutMary

Next came the queen of all Bloody Marys. Inspired by the ludicrously gluttonous diner fare found in The States, this is a Bloody Mary in tower form. Picture this: a large Kilner jar filled to the brim with the nicest Bloody Mary you ever tried with food including a full burger, spiced chicken goujon, pickle stick (and more) vertically stacked on top. Hats off to the chef.

Do-It-Yourself - #MyBuddyMary

Then it was time to get educated. A platter of spices and condiments was placed on the table as Simon, Chief Buddy over at Your Buddy, Mary, taught us how to make our very own version to take home with us. The ingredients of #MyBuddyMary: Citrus Stoli vodka, smoked chilli-flakes, lemon juice, hot sauce (the spiciest variety!), celery salt, gherkin juice...

... don’t judge until you’ve tried it. It’s an essential in Bloody Marys!

After a thorough mix in a cocktail shaker, we poured our creations into a little glass bottle and sealed with a bottle top ready to pop in my fridge. I certainly enjoyed my very own DIY hangover cure the following morning.

Delicious and defiant, the event knew no bounds in getting us stuffed.

Summary

An experience with Your Buddy, Mary is definitely to be recommended with your pals post-night-out. There are lots of different events to choose from:

• #TheBuddyClub: Expect this to pop up among your favourite bars around Manchester town. Expect 90 minutes of beautiful Bloody Marys accompanied with winning food to take the edge off your hangovers. 
• Or there's #BuddysBoozyBargeBonanza: Board a barge from Manchester Castlefield to Media City on a 3-hour trip with your pals. Chill out with live acoustic music as you sip away your post-lash blues.

Sign up to a Bloody Mary experience with a difference with your pals. You’ll have a buddy good time.