Irish car bomb
Cocktail
An Irish car bomb with Baileys Irish Cream.
TypeBeer cocktail
Standard drinkwareA pub glass and a shot glass.
Commonly used ingredientsGuinness stout, Baileys Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish Whiskey
PreparationThe whiskey is floated on top of the Irish cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into the stout

An Irish car bomb, Irish slammer, Irish bomb shot, or Dublin drop[1] is a cocktail, similar to a boilermaker, made by dropping a bomb shot of Irish cream and Irish whiskey into a glass of Irish stout.[2]

History

The cocktail was invented in the US in 1979 in Wilson's Saloon in Norwich, Connecticut by Charles Burke Cronin Oat.[3] He had originally created a mixed shot drink called a Grandfather combining Baileys Irish Cream and Kahlúa. On 17 March 1977 (Saint Patrick's Day), he added Jameson Irish Whiskey to the drink, calling this drink "the IRA." In 1979, Oat spontaneously dropped this shot into a partially-drunk Guinness, calling the result a Belfast Carbomb or Irish Carbomb.[4]

Name

The "Irish" in the name refers to the drink's Irish ingredients; typically Guinness stout, Baileys Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish Whiskey.[5]

The term "car bomb" combines reference to its "bomb shot" style, as well as the noted car bombings of Northern Ireland's Troubles.[5][6][7] The name is considered by many to be offensive, with many bartenders refusing to serve it.[8][9][10] Some people, including Irish comedians, have likened it to ordering an "Isis" or "Twin Towers" in an American bar.[6][11]

In 2014, The Junction nightclub in Oxford included the drink in promotional material for St. Patrick's Day.[12][13][14] This drew complaints, followed by withdrawal of the promotion and a public apology by the bar manager.[12][13][14]

The drink is known by other names, including: "Irish slammer",[15] "Dublin drop",[1] or simply the "Irish bomb" [citation needed] to avoid offending patrons.

Preparation

The whiskey is layered over the Irish cream in a shot glass, and the shot glass is then dropped into a glass of stout. The drink should be consumed quickly as the alcohol will cause the cream to curdle within a short time.[7][16][17]

While Kahlúa was part of the original recipe, it is often excluded from the drink today. Some refer to the original recipe as a Belfast car bomb.[18][19][20][21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Dublin Drop". Drizly.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  2. ^ "Irish Car Bomb drink recipe". Drinknation.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
  3. ^ Romero, Gabby (February 20, 2024). "The Story Behind The Most Infamous St. Patrick's Day Cocktail—And Why You Should Never Order It". www.delish.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  4. ^ Burke Cronin Oat, Charles. "The CARBOMB: The Creation of An Historic Cocktail". www.barnonedrinks.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "This St. Patrick's Day Staple Is a Crowd Pleaser". Liquor.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Pardilla, Caroline (March 17, 2015). "Why the Irish Car Bomb Is St. Patrick's Day's Most Controversial Drink". Eater. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Why You Probably Shouldn't Ever Order An Irish Car Bomb". HuffPost. March 14, 2013. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Dicke, Scott (March 6, 2007). "History of Irish Car Bombs Isn't Something to Drink To". Daily Nexus. University of California, Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  9. ^ Detelj, Tina (July 5, 2010). "Irish group slams cocktail". New Haven, CT: WTNH. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  10. ^ Fisher, Rebecca (April 25, 2022). "Liveline listeners outraged by controversial crossword". Extra.ie. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  11. ^ "Here's Aisling Bea on Americans and their "Irish car bomb" cocktails". entertainment.ie. December 24, 2020. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Nightclub scraps Irish Car Bomb shots poster". March 12, 2014. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Junction's 'Irish Car Bomb' poster inflames local opinion". Oxford Brookes University. March 12, 2014. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "The Irish Car Bomb: the controversial drink with a split reputation". the Guardian. March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Gore, Makinze (March 2, 2021). "Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Irish Slammers". Delish. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  16. ^ Sennett, Bob. Complete world bartender guide. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  17. ^ Charming, Cheryl (October 1, 2007). The Everything Bartender's Book: 750 recipes for classic and mixed drinks (2nd ed.). Everything Books. p. 178. ISBN 978-1598695908.
  18. ^ "Carbomb Creation". April 16, 2009. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  19. ^ "The Meaning of an Irish Car Bomb". March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  20. ^ "IrishCarBomb.com". Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  21. ^ "Belfast Carbomb #1". Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.

External links

The Wikibook Bartending has a page on the topic of: Irish Car Bomb
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