Ingredients
- 4 Part(s) Scotch Whiskey
- 2 Part(s) Vodka
- 2 Part(s) Bitter Beer
Instructions
- Mix it together and hurl it down.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Spudgun is a British and Australian beer cocktail named for the homemade potato cannon, a tube of plastic pipe that fires a potato across a paddock. The drink uses the same heavy direct simplicity: four parts Scotch whiskey, two parts vodka, two parts bitter beer, mixed and drunk fast. The recipe is folk-bar; it lives in pub culture and informal house parties more than cocktail-bar menus.
It sits in the depth-charge family with the Boilermaker, the Sake Bomb and the Irish Car Bomb. All four combine a hard spirit and a beer in one glass for a quick stiff hit. The Spudgun separates itself with the two-spirit lead, layering Scotch and vodka before the beer; the depth-charge cousins use one spirit only.
Best ordered at a back-bar pub or kept in mind for a rugby clubhouse evening, not at a craft cocktail bar. The drink is a quick stiff pour and a shared ritual rather than a flavour-first cocktail.
What it tastes like
Sharp Scotch peat up front, soft vodka through the middle, bitter beer hops on the finish. The combination is rough; the Scotch and the vodka stack to about 30 percent ABV in the bottom of the glass before the beer cuts through. Reads as a stiff drink with a beer rinse, not a balanced cocktail.
Around 21 percent ABV in the glass once mixed. Four parts Scotch at 40 percent ABV plus two parts vodka at 40 percent ABV, stretched over two parts bitter beer at 5 percent ABV, gives a heavy spirit pour. One Spudgun is roughly equal to two and a half standard drinks; the bitter beer base does little to dilute the alcohol load.
The technique
Pour four parts Scotch whiskey into a pint glass. Add two parts vodka. Top with two parts bitter beer, slowly so the beer sits on top of the spirits. Drink in three or four pulls. No stir, no garnish.
The pour order is the technique. Scotch and vodka first, beer last; the beer rinses the spirits down the glass as you drink. Use a chilled pint glass and chilled bottles for the cleanest version; warm beer on top of warm spirits reads thicker and worse.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Scotch whiskey
- Use
- Any blended Scotch at 40 percent ABV (Famous Grouse, Johnnie Walker Red, Bell's).
- Skip
- Single-malt Scotch. The pour is too rough for the malt.
- Why
- Blended Scotch is the load-bearing spirit and the peat note. The blended-grain character holds up under the beer rinse; single malts get bulldozed by the beer and the vodka. Save the malt for a sipping glass.
The bitter beer
- Use
- An English-style bitter (London Pride, Bass) or an Australian draught at 4 to 5 percent ABV.
- Skip
- Lager or pilsner. Wrong hop profile, the drink reads thin.
- Why
- The bitter beer is the rinse and the hop bite on the finish. The English bitter character bridges the Scotch and the vodka; lager strips the hop bite and the drink reads as warm spirits with fizzy water on top.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Spudgun, in a pint glass
- Four parts Scotch, two parts vodka, two parts bitter beer in a chilled pint glass. Drink in three pulls.
The light build
- Half Spudgun
- Halve the Scotch and the vodka; double the beer. A more drinkable long version that keeps the flavour profile.
The flaming build
- Flaming Spudgun
- Float a quarter ounce of overproof rum on top, light it briefly with a match, then blow it out before drinking. Pub-novelty version, no flavour change.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Irish whiskey or rye. Different smoke profile, holds the brown-spirit weight.
White rum or aquavit. Different neutral character, holds the second spirit slot.
An IPA or pale ale. Different hop profile, holds the bitter rinse.
A 16-ounce highball or any tall glass works. The volume is the constraint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Spudgun?
Four parts Scotch whiskey, two parts vodka and two parts bitter beer in a pint glass. Three ingredients, no garnish, drunk in three or four pulls.
Why is it called a Spudgun?
Named for the homemade potato cannon, a tube of plastic pipe that fires a potato across a paddock. The drink shares the same direct heavy simplicity: pour, mix, drink. Pub-and-clubhouse folk-bar slang from the British and Australian drinking cultures.
How strong is a Spudgun?
Around 21 percent ABV in the pint glass once mixed. Roughly equal to two and a half standard drinks per pint. The bitter beer base does little to dilute the alcohol load.
What does it taste like?
Sharp Scotch peat up front, soft vodka through the middle, bitter beer hops on the finish. Reads as a stiff drink with a beer rinse rather than a balanced cocktail.
Can I use a different whiskey?
Yes. Irish whiskey or rye work as substitutes; the smoke profile shifts but the brown-spirit weight stays. Bourbon also works for a sweeter pour.
Is the Spudgun related to the Boilermaker?
Yes, the Spudgun is in the same depth-charge family. The Boilermaker is one whiskey shot dropped or chased by one beer; the Spudgun stacks two spirits in one pint glass with a beer rinse on top.
What kind of bitter beer works best?
An English-style bitter at 4 to 5 percent ABV (London Pride, Bass, or any session bitter) is the standard. Australian draughts work as substitutes. Avoid pilsner or light lager; the drink reads thin without the hop bite.
Can I drink it slowly?
Possible but not the spirit of the drink. The Spudgun is built for three or four pulls; sipping over twenty minutes lets the beer go flat and the spirits warm up, both of which kill the texture.
More Like This
More drinks in the same family when the night calls for them.
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