Nightcap (drink) Nightcap (drink) A nightcap is a drink taken shortly before bedtime. For example, a small alcoholic drink or glass of warm milk can supposedly promote a good night's sleep. Traditional nightcaps include brandy, bourbon, and cream-based liqueurs such as Irish cream. Wine and beer can also function as nightcaps. In folk medicine, consuming a nightcap is for the purpose of inducing sleep. Alcohol is not recommended by many doctors as a sleep aid because it may interfere with sleep quality. But, in low doses, alcohol has sleep-promoting benefits, and some popular sleep medicines include 10% alcohol, although the effects of
Barley water, then mixing the barley water with white wine and other ingredients, such as borage, lemon and sugar. In the 19th century, a different barley wine was made prepared from recipes of ancient Greek origin. Nonalcoholic drinks such as barley water and roasted barley tea have been made by boiling barley in water. In Italy, barley is also sometimes used as coffee substitute, "caffè d'orzo" (coffee of barley). This drink is obtained from ground, roasted barley and it is prepared as an espresso (it can be prepared using percolators, filter machines or cafetieres). It became widely used during the Fascist