Ingredients
- 15 ml Crown Royal whisky
- 15 ml peach schnapps
- 15 ml cranberry juice
- 120 ml Red Bull half a can, in the pint glass
Instructions
- Pour the Red Bull into a pint glass, about halfway up.
- In a separate shot glass, combine the Crown Royal, peach schnapps and cranberry juice.
- Drop the shot glass into the pint of Red Bull.
- Drink it down in one go before the foam dies.
Notes
Where it came from
The Vegas Bomb showed up in Las Vegas nightclubs in the mid-2000s, riding the same Red Bull-and-shot wave that made the Jagerbomb a household name. Crown Royal was a popular American whiskey shooter at the time and pairing it with peach schnapps gave the drink a softer, sweeter profile than the harsher Jager version.
Cranberry juice was added by Las Vegas pool bars to give the shot a colour and to cut the sweetness slightly. The drink became standard in Vegas and Atlantic City casinos by 2007 and spread out from there into bachelor and bachelorette territory.
Why people order it in groups
A Vegas Bomb works as a group ritual. Six shots, six pints of Red Bull, a count to three and a coordinated chug. The bomb format makes it photogenic and the sweet flavour means even people who do not like whiskey will manage one. It is the cocktail equivalent of a group selfie.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The whiskey
- Use
- Crown Royal Deluxe (the standard)
- Try
- Crown Royal Peach for double peach, or Canadian Club for a budget swap
- Skip
- Bourbon, the corn note clashes with the cranberry
The peach schnapps
- Use
- DeKuyper Peachtree, the original peach schnapps
- Try
- Archers, Mathilde Peche for something less candy-sweet
- Skip
- Peach liqueur made with brandy, too rich for a shot
The Red Bull
- Use
- Original Red Bull (the silver and blue can)
- Try
- Red Bull Sugarfree if you want less sweetness
- Skip
- Off-brand energy drinks, the flavour profile is meaningfully different
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Any Canadian whisky. Seagram’s VO works at a pinch. Avoid heavily smoked whiskies.
Apricot brandy is similar. Mango or melon liqueur take it in different directions.
Pomegranate or grenadine works. A splash of orange juice gives the Vegas Sunrise variation.
Any standard energy drink (Monster, Rockstar, Bang). The flavour will shift.
Use a full can of Red Bull (240ml) instead of 120ml. The shot stretches further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Vegas Bomb?
Crown Royal whisky, peach schnapps, cranberry juice and Red Bull. The shot (15ml each of Crown Royal, peach schnapps and cranberry) is dropped into a pint glass with around 120ml of Red Bull and chugged.
Why is it called a Vegas Bomb?
It was created in Las Vegas in the mid-2000s and is a Bomb-style drink (a shot dropped into a mixer). The name stuck because it was the dominant party shot on the Strip during the Vegas pool-party boom.
How do you drink a Vegas Bomb?
Drop the shot glass into the pint of Red Bull and drink the whole thing in one go before the carbonation dies. Most bars serve them in groups so the whole crew drops together.
What is the difference between a Vegas Bomb and a Jagerbomb?
A Jagerbomb is one ingredient (Jagermeister) dropped into Red Bull. A Vegas Bomb is a three-ingredient shot (Crown Royal, peach schnapps, cranberry) dropped into Red Bull. The Vegas is sweeter and fruitier, the Jagerbomb is more bitter and herbal.
Can I make a Vegas Bomb without Red Bull?
You can pour the shot ingredients neat into a shooter glass and skip the bomb format. It will still taste good, just no fizz, no caffeine, no group ritual.
How strong is a Vegas Bomb?
Around 7 to 9 percent ABV in the full pint, but the shot itself is around 25 percent ABV. The Red Bull volume dilutes it; the caffeine masks how drunk you get.
Is mixing alcohol and Red Bull dangerous?
Caffeine masks the sedative effects of alcohol so people often drink more than they would otherwise. Pace yourself, drink water, and stick to a couple in a session. Public health bodies advise caution.
What food goes with a Vegas Bomb?
Bar food: wings, sliders, nachos. The shot is sweet enough to handle salty or spicy food. Also pairs well with a buffet at 1am.
