Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is generally known as a stress-induced metabolic regulator with enormous therapeutic potential to treat metabolic diseases, but a more specific role of FGF21 concerns physiological handling of alcohol in mammals. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Choi et al. demonstrate that FGF21 mediates the recovery from alcohol intoxication by directly activating noradrenergic neurons in mice, thus advancing our knowledge on FGF21 biology and further diversifying its therapeutic potential.