Ingredients
- 2.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
- .5 oz Irish Cream
Instructions
Pour the coffee liqueur:
- Fill a shot glass almost to the top with coffee liqueur (like Kahlua).
Add the Irish cream:
- Slowly pour the Irish cream over the back of a spoon or along the wall of the shot glass to create a creamy layer on top, mimicking the head of a Guinness.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy the smooth, sweet flavors.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Baby Guinness is an Irish bar invention from the 1990s, popularised across UK and Australian pubs in the 2000s. The name and presentation are the whole joke: the dark coffee liqueur on the bottom looks like Guinness stout, and the floated cream layer looks like the head of a pint.
It’s now one of the most ordered shots in any pub that serves shots, especially around St Patrick’s Day. The recipe is two ingredients and impossible to mess up.
What it tastes like
Sweet coffee from the Kahlua or Tia Maria, then the Baileys floats on top with the creamy vanilla-Irish-whiskey hit. Tastes nothing like Guinness , Guinness is bitter and dry, this is sweet and creamy. The name is purely visual.
It’s a dessert shot. Drink it slow if you want to taste both layers; drink it in one if you want the sweet creamy mouthful.
The technique
Pour the Kahlua into a 30ml shot glass , fill about 80% full. Float the Baileys over the back of a bar spoon to make the cream layer. The Baileys is lighter than Kahlua and will sit on top.
Cold ingredients layer cleaner. Both bottles in the freezer for 15 minutes before serving fixes most layering problems before they start.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Open the Builder →Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The coffee liqueur
- Use
- Kahlua (most common) or Tia Maria
- Try
- Mr Black for a more coffee-forward, less sweet version
- Why
- Kahlua gives the dark colour and the sweet coffee base.
The Baileys
- Use
- Original Baileys Irish Cream
- Skip
- Cheap Irish creams (curdle on contact with coffee liqueur)
- Why
- Baileys is engineered not to curdle. Generic Irish creams sometimes do.
The glass
- Use
- Tall 30ml/1oz shot glass (mini-pint shape if you can find one)
- Skip
- Wide rocks-style shot glass (cream and Kahlua merge faster)
- Why
- The taller, narrower the glass, the more it looks like a tiny pint.
Variations
Other layered cream-and-coffee shots worth a round.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Tia Maria works identically. Mr Black if you want it less sweet. Espresso liqueur in a pinch.
Carolans, Kerrygold Irish Cream, or any quality Irish cream liqueur. Cheap brands may curdle.
Pour the Baileys slowly over the back of a regular teaspoon held just above the Kahlua. Same physics.
Add 10ml of Irish whiskey under the Kahlua. Now you have an Irish Slammer in shot form.
Baileys Almande (almond-based) or any oat-cream-based Irish cream substitute. Same float behaviour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is a Baby Guinness shot?
A Baby Guinness is a layered shot of Kahlua (or Tia Maria) with Baileys floated on top. The dark coffee liqueur looks like a pint of Guinness; the cream looks like the head. It’s a visual joke, not a Guinness flavour.
What is in a Baby Guinness?
Two ingredients: about 22ml Kahlua and 8ml Baileys Irish Cream. Pour the Kahlua first, float the Baileys on top with a bar spoon.
Does a Baby Guinness taste like Guinness?
No. Guinness is bitter, dry, and roasty. A Baby Guinness is sweet, creamy, and coffee-flavoured. The two have nothing in common except the colour. The name is a visual joke.
How do you layer a Baby Guinness?
Fill a shot glass about 80% with Kahlua. Hold a bar spoon (or teaspoon) just above the Kahlua surface, with the back of the spoon facing up. Slowly pour Baileys over the spoon so it spreads out and floats on top. The Baileys is lighter and will sit there.
Why does my Baby Guinness fall through and mix?
You poured too fast or held the spoon too high. Pour very slowly with the spoon almost touching the Kahlua surface. Pre-chilling both bottles also helps , cold liquids layer cleaner.
How strong is a Baby Guinness?
Around 18-20% ABV. Kahlua is 20%, Baileys is 17%. It’s a sweet shot, lighter than tequila or vodka shots.
Can I make a Baby Guinness ahead?
Not really. The layers blend within 5-10 minutes. Make them to order. You can pre-pour the Kahlua but float the Baileys at the last minute.
What’s the difference between a Baby Guinness and a B-52?
A B-52 is three layers: Kahlua, Baileys, Grand Marnier (orange liqueur top). A Baby Guinness is two layers: Kahlua and Baileys. The B-52 is more complex and stronger. The Baby Guinness is the simpler version.
What glass should I use?
A tall, narrow 30ml shot glass. Some pubs have miniature pint glasses just for this drink. A wider rocks-style shot glass works but doesn’t look as much like a pint.
When do you drink a Baby Guinness?
St Patrick’s Day, the end of a pub crawl, or as a dessert shot after a meal. They go down fast and they’re sweet, so pace yourself.
More Like This
More dessert shots and Irish-themed shooters.
