Ingredients
- 1 oz Irish Cream
- 1 Glass(s) Stout Beer
- 1 oz Whiskey
Instructions
Prepare the Shot:
- In a shot glass, combine 1 oz of Irish cream and 1 oz of whiskey.
Drop the Shot:
- Drop the filled shot glass into a glass of stout beer.
Drink Quickly:
- Drink the mixture quickly before it curdles.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy your Car Bomb!
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Car Bomb (or Irish Car Bomb) is a 1970s American bar invention named for its drop-shot delivery. Bartender Charles Burke Cronin Oat is credited with creating it in Norwich, Connecticut in 1979. The cocktail combines Irish whiskey, Irish cream and stout beer in a layered drop format.
It sits in the bomb-shot family with the Jagerbomb, the Sake Bomb and the Boilermaker. All four lean on a small spirit shot dropped into a larger beer or non-alcoholic mixer. The Car Bomb picks Irish whiskey and Irish cream as the shot, which is what gives the cocktail its Irish identity.
Best ordered at an American Irish-themed pub, around St Patrick's Day, or at any casual setting where a fast-pour celebratory drink is wanted. The cocktail is controversial: the name references the Troubles in Northern Ireland and offends some Irish drinkers. Some bartenders refuse to serve it under that name and offer it as the Irish Slammer instead.
What it tastes like
Stout malt and roasted-coffee notes up front, Irish whiskey grain warmth in the middle, soft Irish cream finish on the swallow. The three ingredients combine in the mouth on the gulp; the speed of the drink is what makes the flavours blend before the cream curdles.
Around 7 to 8 percent ABV in the half-pint once the shot drops into the beer. A real two and a half drinks in a single fast pour; the Car Bomb is a high-volume cocktail built for celebration, not for sipping.
The technique
Pour half a pint of cold stout beer (Guinness is the standard) into a pint glass; the half-pint pour leaves room for the shot drop and the head. In a separate shot glass, layer half an ounce of Irish whiskey on the bottom and half an ounce of Irish cream on top, floated over the back of a bar spoon.
Drop the shot glass into the stout from a height of two or three inches. The shot glass sinks; the whiskey and cream release into the beer. Drink the entire pint glass quickly, before the Irish cream curdles in contact with the stout. The whole drink takes ten to fifteen seconds to consume.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Irish whiskey
- Use
- Jameson, Bushmills, or Tullamore Dew.
- Skip
- Scotch or bourbon. Different flavour profile.
- Why
- Irish whiskey is the cocktail's headline spirit and the reason for the Irish name. The smooth, lightly-sweet character of Irish whiskey works with the Irish cream and the stout. Bourbon brings vanilla and oak; Scotch brings smoke; both pull the cocktail off the original profile.
The Irish cream
- Use
- Bailey's, Carolans, or Five Farms.
- Skip
- Coffee-flavoured Irish cream. The coffee competes with the stout's roasted notes.
- Why
- Irish cream is the soft top of the shot. Floated over the whiskey, it gives the cocktail its dairy texture and its sweet finish. The cream curdles in the stout if the drink sits, which is why speed matters.
The stout beer
- Use
- Guinness Draught, Murphy's, or any Irish dry stout.
- Skip
- Imperial stout or chocolate stout. Wrong sugar curve.
- Why
- Irish dry stout is the volume and the bitter-malt counterweight to the sweet shot. Guinness is the standard; any Irish dry stout works. Imperial stouts are too sweet and pull the cocktail toward dessert territory.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Car Bomb, dropped and downed
- Half-pint of Guinness with a layered shot of Irish whiskey and Irish cream dropped in, drunk in one pour.
The Irish Slammer
- Irish Slammer, same recipe new name
- Same recipe under a different name. Many bartenders prefer Irish Slammer because it avoids the Car Bomb name's reference to the Troubles.
The half build
- Mini Car Bomb, smaller pour
- Quarter-pint of stout with a half-shot of whiskey and cream, dropped and drunk. Less volume, less alcohol, faster pour. Suits casual settings where the full pint is too much.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Bourbon or Scotch as a fallback. The cocktail loses the Irish character; gains the substitute spirit's flavour. The Car Bomb is no longer a Car Bomb.
Coffee liqueur or coconut cream. The cocktail loses the dairy texture; the coffee liqueur shifts the flavour profile toward a Mudslide cousin.
Murphy's, Beamish, or any Irish dry stout. Imperial stout or chocolate stout pull the cocktail toward dessert territory; stick with the dry stout for the original profile.
Porter or brown ale. The cocktail loses the bitter-malt edge; gains a softer beer base. The drink works but reads as a different cocktail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Car Bomb?
Half a pint of Irish dry stout (usually Guinness), with a layered shot of half an ounce of Irish whiskey and half an ounce of Irish cream dropped into the pint glass and drunk fast.
How strong is a Car Bomb?
Around 7 to 8 percent ABV in the half-pint once the shot drops into the beer. A real two and a half drinks in a single fast pour; the cocktail is high-volume and high-speed.
Why do you have to drink it fast?
The Irish cream curdles when it meets the acid in the stout. Drunk fast, the cocktail reaches the mouth before the curdle starts; drunk slowly, the texture turns granular and the drink becomes unpleasant.
Why is the name controversial?
The Car Bomb name references the car bombs used during the Troubles in Northern Ireland from the 1960s through the 1990s. Many Irish drinkers find the name offensive; some bartenders serve the cocktail under the Irish Slammer name instead.
Where did the Car Bomb come from?
Bartender Charles Burke Cronin Oat is credited with inventing the cocktail in Norwich, Connecticut in 1979. The drink became popular in American Irish-themed bars in the 1980s and 1990s.
Should I use Guinness or another stout?
Guinness is the standard. Any Irish dry stout works; Murphy's and Beamish are the common alternatives. Imperial stout and chocolate stout pull the cocktail toward sweet-dessert territory and are not the right base.
What is the layered shot?
Half an ounce of Irish whiskey poured into the bottom of a shot glass, with half an ounce of Irish cream floated on top over the back of a bar spoon. The Irish cream sits on top of the whiskey because of the density difference.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
Replace the Irish whiskey with non-alcoholic whiskey, the Irish cream with non-alcoholic Irish cream, and the Guinness with non-alcoholic stout. The drink works the same way; the alcohol level just drops.
What kind of glass should I serve it in?
A pint glass for the stout and a one-ounce shot glass for the layered whiskey and cream. The pint glass needs to be wide enough to drop the shot glass into; a tulip pint or a standard English pint glass both work.
What other cocktails are similar?
A Jagerbomb, a Sake Bomb, a Boilermaker and an Irish Slammer (which is the same drink under a different name). All four sit in the bomb-shot family and use a small spirit dropped into a larger mixer.
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