Skip to main content
Epicurious

Poo Driver Cocktail

Brown drink with a lemon sitting on blue surface.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie

“I love pranks, and I hate the status quo. This was the first brunch cocktail we put on the menu at Cafe Mutton, as a sort of flag to ward away people looking for mimosas or screwdrivers. It didn’t work—some people really love it anyway. And while it began as a joke, it’s one of my favorite drinks on our menu. Although the prune juice is a nod to the drink’s laxative reference in the name, I love its deep, rich flavor. Lemon juice cuts through the sugar in the prune, Fernet offers bitter contrast and icy freshness, and vodka makes it count. One customer told me, ‘It’s so intense! I could definitely only have three of these per week!’ I think that’s the perfect amount of Poo Drivers to drink in a week.” —Shaina Loew-Banayan

Cafe Mutton in Hudson, NY, is one of our 10 Best New Restaurants in 2022. Find the full list here →

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1

Ingredients

2½ oz. prune juice
1½ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. vodka
1 tsp. (scant) Fernet-Branca
Tiny pinch of kosher salt

Preparation

  1. Combine 2½ oz. prune juice, 1½ oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 oz. vodka, 1 tsp. (scant) Fernet-Branca, and a tiny pinch of kosher salt in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass. Do not be afraid.

TagsBeveragesCocktailAlcoholPruneDried FruitFruitVodkaBon Appétit
Read More
Green Apple Martini
Call it an appletini if you wish, one thing's for certain: This Jolly-Rancher-hued drink, garnished with a candy-red cherry, is as striking as it is delicious.
Golden Hour
Pleasantly bitter Suze pairs with ginger syrup, sparkling wine, and a piece of candied ginger that fizzes and bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
BA’s Best Old-Fashioned
A classic drink that never goes out of style. Stick with these steps and you’ll nail it every time.
Cranberry-Maple Mule
This big-batch cocktail made with ginger beer, cranberry juice, fresh lime, and a spiced maple simple syrup makes the perfect low-alcohol holiday drink.
Sake-Grapefruit Fizz
This light and drinkable cocktail pairs the bittersweet flavor of grapefruit with botanical gin and sparkling sake for a bubbly finish.
Caramel Apple Monkey Bread
This irresistible fall treat is studded with spiced apples and draped in cider caramel.
Coconut Tempeh Larb
This riff on the Laotian classic comes together in 20 minutes.
Rob Roy
Named for a Scottish revolutionary, a New York City operetta—or both—this effortless scotch cocktail is built to last.