Technically,
shots and shooters are a little different.
Shooters
have a mix to them like a Woo Woo, Purple Hooter,
or Lemon Drop. And since they have a mix, they
require a larger glass than just a shot glass because it
contains the alcohol and splashes of mixes. Rocks glasses
work well. You can also use 2-3 ounce shooter glasses.
Note:
Since around 2003 or so, bartenders have
been making shooters and then pouring them into shot-sized
glasses. The amount of alcohol in the shot-sized glass is
minimal, yet the young-hip-trendy-nightclub-crowd doesn't
seem to mind paying the same price for less alcohol. Pretty
stupid, huh? If you care about getting your moneys worth
these days then stick with shots (100% alcohol).
I
suspect that this evolved after the mid 90s to present "Martini"
craze. See, the flavored Martinis of today are really just
the 3-5 ounce shooters of yesterday. So when the current
generation gets a shooter that contains the same ounce-amount
as a flavored Martini then it boggles their mind.
Shots
fit into a shot glass
and should be 100% alcohol like a B-52, Buttery Nipple,
Liquid Cocaine, or a shot of tequila.
The thing they both have in common is that you drink both
very quickly in one gulp.
Preparation
for shots and shooters can be one of three
ways; neat, layered, and chilled straight up. Names for shots
and shooters can be; shot, shooter, drop, bomb, and slammer.
Know
that you can take practically any popular
drink and make a shooter from it by reducing the amount of mixer
to around two ounces. When ordering shooters at a club, you
really want to watch the bartender make them because you can get
ripped off. I’ve seen bartenders only put one ounce of alcohol
for six shooters filling it up with mixer to make it look like
they are giving you a large shooter.
Again
know that back in the 1980s and 1990s some
bartenders would sometimes present shooters in cocktail/Martini
glasses. Sadly, this can't be done today because of the flavored
Martini craze. Today anything you pour into a martini glass is
called a Martini. Just know that the chugged shooters of yesterday
are really just the Martinis that are sipped today.
B-52
This
layered shot gets its name
from B-52 Stratofortress bomber planes built for the American
Air Force in 1954. The planes lasted until 1991 when President
Bush took them off alert duty.
Mixing Method: Layer in the order given.
Garnish:None.
Note: If you replace the Grand Marnier with Crown Royal it’s
called a Duck Fart.
Blow
Job
This shot started in the late 1980s.
It’s novelty has lasted for 20 years and who knows how much
longer it will be popular.
Glass: Shot.
1/2
ounce coffee liqueur
1/2 ounce Irish cream
Mixing Method: Layer in the order given.
Garnish: Whipped cream and if it’s your first time, a stem
less cherry on top of the whipped cream.
The
novelty of this shot is that a guest places
his or her hands behind their back then leans over the shot and
sucks out the whipped cream. Then they wrap their mouth around
the glass and drink the shot using only their mouth. Hands stay
behind the back the whole time. Recipes for this shot vary. Some
bartenders don’t bother with the layering and just pour
a shot of coffee liqueur. Others have other combinations, however,
it’s all about how you do the shot. Oh, and if it’s
your first time, then some bartenders will set a stem-less cherry
on top.
Mixing Method: Layer in the order given.
Garnish: None.
Note: If you are in a college bar then you will get this shot
chilled and mixed straight up in a plastic cup.
Buttery Nipple Family
Slippery
Nipple: Irish cream and Sambuca. Slippery Dick: Irish cream and banana liqueur.
Shot
of Tequila
Glass: Shot.
1 1/2 ounces of Tequila
Mixing Method: Neat, however current trends lean towards chilled.
Garnish: Can be salt and lime wedge.
Note: There are many ways that you can present the salt and
lime wedge (some guests will ask for lemon). The easiest all-in-one
method is to salt 1/4 of the shot glass rim and put the wedge
on the rim as well. To keep the lime meat from soaking into the
tequila as it sits horizontally, try presenting it vertically.
Simply separate the meat and the pith on the end of the lime about
1/4 inch and set on the rim vertically. The pith is the middle
white part that’s in between the meat and the skin.
Passion
shots are very popular with tequila so you
may have guests ask for a saltshaker. What they do is lick a part
of their partner’s body, sprinkle the salt on the wet spot
and place the lime meat side out in lips/teeth in their partner’s
mouth. Then the guest will lick the salt, drink the tequila, and
take a bite of the lime.
When
someone orders a shot of tequila I ask with
a smile, do you want the training wheels? It takes them
a couple of seconds to understand that I mean the salt and the
lime. They seem to like it. Also, when I have a group of guests
that order around of tequila shots, I set them up on a cloth napkin
covered tray with a martini glass full of lemons and limes in
the middle. Not only is it a nice presentation for the guests,
it’s easier for me than having to deal with so many shot
glasses at one time. Also, almost everyone seems to set the shot
glasses back on the tray, making cleanup easier.
Slammer
Glass: Rocks.
1 1/2 ounces tequila
3 ounces of sprite or 7up
Mixing Method: Pour the tequila and the soda in a rocks glass
then lay a cocktail napkin on top and slam it on the bar top.
It will fizz up then chug.
Garnish: None.
Liquid
Cocaine
Glass:
Shot glass.
1 1/3 ounces of Jägermeister
1 1/3 ounces of Goldschlager
1 1/3 ounces of Rumple Minze
Mixing Method: Pour all 3 in a shot glass.
Garnish: None.
Note: These three items are normally kept cold behind the
bar.
Chocolate Cake
Glass:
Shot glass.
3/4 ounce of citrus vodka
3/4 ounce of Frangelico
Mixing Method: Shake and strain.
Garnish: Lemon wedge.
Note: You drink the shot then bite into the lemon and for some
weird reason it tastes like chocolate cake. Well, there is a very
small amount of cocoa in the Frangelico, but with all the lemon
it’s seems like it would be impossible to taste.
Boilermaker
The
original Boilermaker is a shot of bourbon
or whiskey dropped in a beer. Make sure that you take a look at
its family to see how it has evolved.
Glass: Shot glass and a beer glass.
1 1/2 ounces bourbon or whiskey
1/2 glass of beer
Mixing Method: Pour a shot of bourbon in the shot glass and fill
half of a glass with beer. Drop the shot in the beer and chug.
Garnish: None.
Boilermaker Family
Flaming
Dr. Pepper: 1/8 ounce grenadine, 1 ounce amaretto, and
1/4 ounce of 151 rum in the shot glass and a half a glass of beer.
Light the shot, drop it in and chug. It’s supposed to taste
like Dr. Pepper. Irish Car Bomb: Irish cream and Irish whiskey
in the shot glass dropped into a half a glass of Guinness. Jäger Bomb: shot of Jägermeister dropped
into Red Bull energy drink.
KamiKaze
(ka-mee-KA-zee)
The
KamiKaze is a Japanese word
( that means "Divine Wind") and refers to the suicide
planes filled with explosives from World War II that would crash
into American ships.
Glass: Rocks. Can be served on the rocks for sipping or chilled
straight up as a shooter. You must ask before making the drink
unless the guest specifies.
1 1/2 ounces of vodka
1/2 ounce of triple sec
1/4 ounce of limejuice
Mixing
Method: Shake and strain.
Garnish: Lime wedge
If
you are served a KamiKaze at your local
watering hole in a shot glass then you are being ripped
off. Think about it. How do they fit 1 1/2 ounces of vodka,
1/2 ounce of triple sec, and 1/4 ounce of lime juice in
a shot glass? Plus, don't forget that you are shaking it
so at least 1/2 ounce of water will be melted into the drink.
So what
are they doing? They are pouring you less booze but still
charging you for it.
Note:
A KamiKaze is just a Vodka Gimlet with triple sec added.
Mixing Method: Shake and strain.
Garnish: sugared rim with a sugar coated lemon wedge.
Note: There’s another kind of Lemondrop that is a shot
made with a sugar rimmed shot glass and chilled citrus vodka only.
I have a favorite decadent Lemondrop I make for special guests.
You need a saucer, sugar, book of matches, a sliced lemon, citrus
vodka, and Grand Marnier. Lay the lemon slice on the saucer and
cover with sugar. Pour some Grand Marnier on top of the sugar
to make it flammable then light. As the sugar is being crystallized
into the lemon, chill a shot of citrus vodka. By the time you're
done the flame will have died down. Drink the chilled shot then
bite into the warm sugary lemon. Pick up the saucer and pour the
leftover Grand Marnier into the shot glass and drink.
Glass: Rocks.
1 ounce Jägermeister
1 ounce coconut rum
2 ounces pineapple juice
Mixing Method: Shake and strain.
Garnish: None.
Mind
Eraser
Glass:
Rocks.
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce coffee liqueur
Fill with soda water
Mixing Method: Build over ice.
Garnish: Large straw.
Note: Stick the straw in and quickly suck it down.
Soco & Lime
Glass: Rocks.
2 ounces of Southern Comfort
1/2 ounce Rose’s lime juice
Mixing Method: Shake and strain.
Garnish: None.
Jell-O® Shots
To make Jell-O® shots
you simply replace the cold water portion of the Jell-O® box
directions with the alcohol.
You want to pour the mixture into small plastic portion cups.
1-2 ounce cups can be bought in bulk at restaurant supply stores
in your city or online. You can also buy lids making them portable.
Paper portion cups are really better because it’s easier
to squeeze into your mouth. The paper cups are sometimes called
nut cups. And can be found at party stores in the wedding section.
These are slightly larger than the paper soufflé cups meant
to hold ketchup at MacDonald’s® condiment bar.
You’ll
have to make some space in your fridge to
set the Jell-O® shots. The cheapest method is to measure the
space in your fridge and cut out cardboard or foam board squares
to create a stacking system; cardboard, layer of shots, cardboard,
layer of shots, cardboard, layer of shots, and so on. As to what
kind of Jell-O® shots to make, well, it’s unlimited
only by your imagination. Most people start with a real drink
and then look for the flavors of Jell-O® and spirits to make
them into miniature bite sized versions.
Here are the Jell-O® flavors as of 2006: Apricot,Berry Blue,
Black Cherry, Cherry, Cranberry, Cranberry-Raspberry, Grape, Pineapple,
Lemon, Lime, Mixed Fruit, Orange, Peach, Raspberry, Strawberry,
Strawberry-Banana, Strawberry-Kiwi, Wild Strawberry, Green Apple,
Watermelon, Wild Berry, and Magical Twist.
And sugar-free flavors include: Black Cherry, Cherry, Cranberry,
Lemon, Lime, Mixed Fruit, Orange, Peach, Raspberry-Strawberry,
Strawberry-Banana, Strawberry-Kiwi,Wild Berry.
Can you see all the possibilities?
You can find many novelty shot accessories at my Bar
Store such as test tubes, injectors, shooter belts
with holsters, bomber cups, drink backpacks, and more.
Older Shots and Shooters to learn later
Russian
Quaalude:
vodka, Irish cream, and Frangelico shaken and strained. Cement Mixer: Irish cream and Rose’s limejuice.
It feels gross in your mouth and id often used as a gag shot. Prairie Fire: shot of tequila with 5 dashes of
Tabasco. Jelly Bean: equal amounts of blackberry brandy
and anisette or Sambuca. Snake Bite: Yukon Jack and Rose’s limejuice
shaken and strained. Watermelon: Southern comfort, crème de
noya, and orange juice shaken and strained. Snowshoe: shot of chilled Wild Turkey and peppermint
schnapps
