Flugel Shot

Name: Flugel ShotFlugel Shot
Prep time: 1 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 part Cranberry Vodka; 1 part Energy Soda

A two-ingredient party shot of cranberry vodka and energy soda over a single ice cube. Equal parts, served small. Drinks bright-tart and stimulant-sweet, named for the German word for wing because it picks you up.

Flugel ShotFlugel Shot

4.50 from 36 votes

Calories: 77kcal

Prep Time: 1

Total Time: 5

Ingredients

▢ 1 part Cranberry Vodka
▢ 1 part Energy Soda

Instructions

▢
Mix ingredients.
▢
Pour over a single cube of ice in a small glass

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 77kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Potassium: 1mgSugar: 3g (3%)

Shot

Where it came from

The Flugel is a 2000s European energy-shot built on cranberry vodka and energy soda in equal parts. The name comes from the German word Fluegel, meaning wing, riffing on the energy-drink slogan culture of the era. Flugel Schnapps later became a packaged ready-to-drink product in Austria and Germany; the home build is the cranberry-vodka-and-Red-Bull pour over one ice cube in a small glass.

It sits in the energy-shot family with the Jagerbomb, the Vodka Red Bull and the Cherry Bomb. All four lean on a caffeinated mixer plus a flavoured spirit for the lift-and-flavour combo. The Flugel separates itself with the cranberry-vodka lead, which gives a tart-berry note instead of the herbal bite of the Jagerbomb.

Best ordered at a late-night dance bar or kept in the freezer for a quick boost before going out, not at a craft cocktail bar. The shot is a stimulant pour first and a flavour pour second.

What it tastes like

Tart cranberry up front, sweet vodka through the middle, sharp citrus-and-caffeine fizz on the finish. The energy soda adds carbonation and a stimulant kick that pushes the shot into a quick, bright pour rather than a sipping drink.

Around 18 percent ABV in the small glass. One part cranberry vodka at 35 percent ABV plus one part energy soda at zero ABV, served over a single cube of ice, gives a moderate shot strength with a heavy caffeine load. One Flugel sits roughly equal to a half pint of beer for alcohol, but with a much sharper stimulant lift.

The technique

Mix one part cranberry vodka and one part energy soda in a small glass, over a single cube of ice. Stir gently with a bar spoon, three or four turns, no shake. Drink in one or two pulls; do not let the ice melt too long or the cranberry note dulls.

The single ice cube is the technique. A full glass of crushed ice over-dilutes the shot and kills the stimulant lift; one cube is enough to chill without watering down. Use chilled ingredients straight from the fridge for the cleanest version.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

The cranberry vodka

Use: Absolut Kurant, Smirnoff Cranberry, or any 35 to 40 percent cranberry-flavoured vodka.
Skip: Plain vodka with a splash of cranberry juice. Loses the tart-berry concentration.
Why: Cranberry vodka is the lead flavour and the colour. The infused-spirit format gives a sharper berry note than diluting with juice; without it the shot reads as a generic vodka-and-Red-Bull.

The energy soda

Use: Red Bull, Monster Energy, V or any taurine-and-caffeine carbonated mixer.
Skip: Coca-Cola or sugar-free cola. No taurine, wrong sweetness curve.
Why: Energy soda is the stimulant kick and the carbonation. The taurine-and-caffeine combination defines the Flugel category; substitute a cola and the shot reads as a Cape Cod by mistake.

Three Variations

Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.

The standard build

Flugel, over one cube: Equal parts cranberry vodka and energy soda over a single ice cube in a small glass. Stir, drink in two pulls.

The frozen build

Flugel, from the freezer: Pre-chill both bottles in the freezer for an hour. Pour neat into a chilled shot glass, no ice. Sharper stimulant lift, less dilution.

The long build

Flugel Highball: Multiply each ingredient by three and serve over crushed ice in a highball glass. Same flavour, longer pour, lower per-sip alcohol.

What if I don't have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No cranberry vodka?

Plain vodka plus a splash of cranberry juice. Different concentration, holds the colour and most of the flavour.

No energy soda?

Lemon-lime soda plus a strong espresso poured cold. Different texture, holds the caffeine kick.

No ice?

Pour neat into a chilled glass straight from the freezer. Drink immediately.

No small glass?

Any rocks glass with a single ice cube works. The single-cube format is the key, not the glassware.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Flugel Shot?

Equal parts cranberry vodka and energy soda over a single ice cube in a small glass. Two ingredients, one cube, served in a small rocks or shot-style glass.

Why is it called a Flugel?

Named for the German word Fluegel, meaning wing, riffing on energy-drink culture. The shot lifts you up, like wings. Flugel Schnapps was later sold as a packaged ready-to-drink product across Austria and Germany.

How strong is a Flugel?

Around 18 percent ABV in the small glass. Roughly equal to a half pint of beer for alcohol but with a much sharper stimulant lift from the energy-soda mixer.

What does it taste like?

Tart cranberry up front, sweet vodka through the middle, sharp citrus-and-caffeine fizz on the finish. Reads as a tart-and-stimulant pour rather than a sipping drink.

Can I use a different flavoured vodka?

Yes. Citrus vodka or raspberry vodka work as substitutes; both shift the flavour profile while keeping the spirit-and-energy-soda structure. Cranberry is the standard.

Is the energy soda safe to mix with vodka?

Caffeine-and-alcohol combinations mask the depressant effect of alcohol with stimulant alertness. Drink slowly and limit to two or three Flugels per session; the alcohol load is real even when the stimulant masks it.

What other shots are similar?

A Jagerbomb, a Vodka Red Bull and a Cherry Bomb. All three lean on energy soda plus a flavoured spirit for the lift-and-flavour combination.

Can I batch a Flugel for a party?

Yes. Mix equal parts cranberry vodka and energy soda in a pitcher with ice; pour into individual small glasses at service. The single-cube format does not scale; the long-build version with crushed ice in highballs is the party format.

From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated May 8, 2026 · 1 min read